Rockets roar past Blazers in special victory
Story courtesy the Kelowna Daily Courier
It was a big night for the Kelowna Rockets. Captain Tyson Barrie had three points, all on the power play, as Kelowna posted a 5-1 victory over the host Kamloops Blazers in WHL action on Friday.
For the Rockets (40-26-0-1), it was their third straight win, seventh in their last 10 games and 40th of the season. It also clinched the B.C. Division pennant for Kelowna.
For Brendan Ranford and the Blazers (29-36-3-1), however, it was a bad night.
Ranford, who leads the WHL team in goals, assists and points, left in the second period after he cross-checked linesman Kris Hartley in the chest. He was given a game misconduct under Rule 40.5 (iii), which deals with abuse of officials.
“I got that penalty for slashing the goalie,” said Ranford of the play that occurred at 9:10 of the second period, just 45 seconds after the Rockets had taken a 3-0 lead with two quick power-play goals, “and I got pulled out of there. I was going toward the box . . . (referee Ryan) Bonnett said I had a penalty . . . Hartley grabbed me and my emotions got the most of me. It wasn‘t the right thing to do.”
Ranford, an 18-year-old from Edmonton who was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 NHL draft, paused before continuing.
“It wasn‘t the right thing and I regret doing it,” he said. “In the heat of the game, sometimes things happen like that . . . after thinking about it, it wasn‘t the right thing, for sure.”
Ranford, who has 86 points, including 33 goals, now has gone six games without a point, but said he doesn‘t feel that he acted out of frustration.
“No,” he said, “it wasn‘t really that. I thought I got my chances tonight. I can‘t really . . . that‘s definitely not towards my actions that I did here.”
As has been the case so often this season, a lack of discipline cost the Blazers, the WHL‘s most-penalized team, even before Ranford‘s misstep.
With the Rockets leading 1-0, forward Logan McVeigh checked Kelowna defenceman Colton Jobke from behind. Then, in the ensuing mini-melee, Chase Souto of the Blazers began flailing away at Kelowna‘s Danish import, Gal Koren.
When it was over, the Rockets were looking at a two-man advantage. They didn‘t waste their chances. Three shots. Two goals. A 3-0 lead.
Game, set and maybe season for Kamloops.
Because, while the Blazers (29-36-4) were losing for the fifth straight game, the Prince George Cougars were beating the Giants 8-0 in Vancouver. That means Kamloops is ninth in the 10-team Western Conference, two points behind the Cougars, who hold down the last playoff spot.
The Seattle Thunderbirds, who beat the visiting Chilliwack Bruins 3-2 in overtime, are just one point behind Kamloops.
The Blazers are scheduled to play tonight in Kelowna (7 p.m., Prospera Place), while the Cougars meet the T-birds in Kent, Wash.
Geordie Wudrick, with his 40th goal of the season, Zach Franko, Mitchell Callahan, Koren and Barrie scored for the Rockets, who lead the season series 5-3-0 and have won the last three meetings by a 19-4 count.
Wudrick now has 11 goals in his last 12 games, after starting the season with one goal in 15 outings. Kelowna is 25-4 when he scores.
Bernhard Keil had the Blazers‘ lone goal, beating Kelowna goaltender Adam Brown at 3:37 of the third period. Brown posted his 83rd career regular-season victory, tying the franchise record set by Kelly Guard.
Brown was especially stellar in the first period when the Blazers at one point held a 15-2 edge in shots.
