iSight Optometry Recap: Rockets comeback to down Oil Kings

The Kelowna Rockets came back from an early three-goal deficit to extend their winning ways on Friday night, handing the Edmonton Oil Kings a 4-3 loss at Prospera Place.

Down by three goals after the opening period, the Rockets clawed back with four answered goals to win their first game of the season while trailing entering the third period. With the victory, Kelowna extended their win streak on home ice to six games.

“I guess it’s the old adage, it’s not how to you start the game but how you finish,” said Rockets head coach Kris Mallette in his Taco Delhi postgame interview. “They’re [Oil Kings] a hard-working team that is playing really confident right now, we came in and didn’t do ourselves any favours in the first period for sure and in the second period as it wore on we started to find our game, but we can’t keep doing this.”

The Rockets got a pair of goals from Luke Schelter, while rookie defenceman Landon Cowper scored his first WHL goal. Mallette touched on getting secondary scoring from his group.

“When your name is called you’ve gotta step up, it was great to have Luke come through and score a big power-play goal for us early and then late. Cowper, I’m sure he’ll tell his kids one day that it was prettier than it was, but you can’t score if you don’t shoot. I’m really happy that we’re getting those contributions when our quote-on-quote top guys aren’t really going.”

HIGHLIGHTS | BOXSCORE | POSTGAME MALLETTE | POSTGAME COWPER

GAME SUMMARY

Adam Jecho (10) opened the scoring just before the midway point of the opening frame, potting a power play goal. Nearly four minutes later Jecho (11) pushed the Oil Kings out to a two-goal lead. Skyler Bruce (12) would pad their lead heading into the first intermission.

Down by three, the Rockets elected to replace starter Jari Kykkanen in net with former Edmonton Oil King Jake Pilon to start the second period. Luke Schelter (6) scored the lone goal of the frame, redirecting Andew Cristall’s shot past goaltender Kolby Hay 15:45 into the period while on the power play.

Rookie defenceman Landon Cowper (1) pinched down low along the left boards, firing a sharp-angled shot from just above the goal line that found its way into the net for his first WHL goal 3:30 into the third period. Cowper then teed up Rockets captain Gabriel Szturc (19) with a one-timer along the slot to tie the game up at 11:47. Schelter then charged up the ice from his own zone along the left side through the neutral zone, releasing a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that worked its way into the net to give the Rockets their first lead of the game 1:17 after Szturc’s goal.