The Kelowna Rockets played the first of two games in the weekend double header Friday night against the Everett Silvertips. The Tips are hot on the heels of the first place WHL team being only four wins back making the four points oh so important.
The Kelowna Rockets came out hard in the first controlling the play and shots for the first half of the period.
photo credit - KelownaNow - Tyrell Goulboure with his 15th on the year. He finished the game with a goal and one assist.
Tyrell Goulbourne scored the first and only goal of the first with assists to Leon Draisaitl and Riley Stadel.
The Silvertips came on in the second half of the first finishing off with 10 shots to the Rockets 7. Jackson Whistle made three big glove hand saves, one of them off of what looked like a sure goal for the Tips.
photo credit - KelownaNow - Jackson Whistle earned the win in net as the Silvertips outshot Kelowna 31-26 in the game.
The second period was another strong start for the Rockets with good chances. Rourke Chartier on the man advantage scored his 39th on a one timer pass from linemate Nick Merkley.
photo credit - KelownaNow - Rourke Chartier with goal 39.
photo credit - KelownaNow - Cole Martin went after Dawson Leedahl for the cheap shot on D partner Jake Morrissey.
Everett got a lucky bounce on a deflected blue line shot to beat Whistle high on the glove side.
Tyson Baillie scored the first of his two goals in the third less than a minute after a Silvertips man advantage expired.
photo credit - KelownaNow - Tyson Baillie with his 28th of the season.
Everett would also score two in the third to make the game a nail biter to the very end.
Baillie's second of the game, this one on the power-play would turn out to be the game winner.
Everett would keep it interesting to the very end scoring on the power-play with 55 seconds left. Cole Linaker would put an end to the Tips hopes of an overtime period with an empty netter at the 19:46 mark.
The Rockets improved to 35-8-3-0 on the season with the win and will go at it again with Everett on Saturday night.
photo credit - KelownaNow - Josh Morrissey had his best game as Rocket yet, with several big hits, two assists and a plus one on the night.
photo credit - KelownaNow - Austin Lotz played well in the Everett loss allowing four goals on 25 shots.
photo credit - KelownaNow - a group of Aussie fans had section 106 rocking for the Rockets
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