RECAP: Pacheco lifts Rockets past Americans in 5-4 shootout victory
The Kelowna Rockets picked up their third straight win of the weekend in extra time with a 5-4 shootout win over the Tri-City Americans on Sunday at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, WA.
Down by one after the first, the Rockets charged back with three straight goals to take lead in the second period. The Americans pushed back to tie the game, before the two traded goals in the third.
Tied at four, the Rockets game headed into overtime for the third straight game. Tri-City appeared to have won the game, but it was waved off. The two then went to a five-round shootout where Marcus Pacheco scored the lone goal of the skills competition.
GAME SUMMARY
Deagan McMillan’s (16) wrap-around goal was the lone strike of the first period, putting the Americans on the board 4:28 into the game.
Max Graham (11, 12) scored back-to-back goals 28 seconds apart to push the Rockets ahead in the middle frame. Adam Kydd (19) added another Rocket goal, but Alex Serraglio (4) inched Tri-City back within one.
Tyson Greenway (26) tied the game early in the third period. Streaking up the ice on a two-on-one, Andrew Cristall (36) elected to shoot squeezing the puck through Tomas Suchanek’s five-hole. Tri-City’s league-leading home power play came through, with Ethan Peters (3) once again tying the game.
In overtime, the Americans appeared to win the game after the puck hit the far post and went off of an Americans player’s skate moving towards the net. After a video review, it was determined to not be a good goal.
The shootout needed five rounds to determine a winner, with Marcus Pacheco being the lone player to find the back of the net.
The Americans shot first in the shootout. Jalen Luypen (X), Reese Belton (X), Adam Mechura (X), Parker Bell (X) and Jordan Gavin (X) fired for Tri-City.
Gabriel Szutrc (X), Andrew Cristall (X), Max Graham (X), Jackson DeSouza (X), and Marcus Pacheco (goal) were shooters for Kelowna.
ADDITIONAL STATS
- Talyn Boyko made 37 saves on 41 shots
- Tri-City outshot Kelowna 41-29
- Kelowna was 1/1 on the power play, while the Americans were 1/4 on the man advantage
- The Rockets record is now 26-34-3-0
- The Rockets were without Carson Golder, who was suspended after Friday’s hit on a Vancouver Giant. The length of his suspension is TBD according to http://whl.ca/discipline.
[related_links]
UP NEXT
Kelowna will head north to Prince George for a Wednesday night matchup before wrapping up their road trip with a Friday night game in Kamloops.
Kelowna’s next home game will be their RE/MAX: Nickelodeon Night for the Children’s Miracle Network on Saturday, March 18th when they take on the Kamloops Blazers at 7:05 p.m. PT.
The Rockets will be wearing a special edition SpongeBob SquarePants themed jersey to celebrate the night that will be up for auction during the game. Proceeds from the silent auction will go to the BC Children’s Hospital.
Single-game tickets for all Rockets home games are on sale at Select Your Tickets. Tickets can be purchased online through www.selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office, or by phone at 250-762-5050.