The Kelowna Rockets have started 2024 with a win and a loss.
Kelowna beat the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-3 at Prospera Place on Jan. 5 in their first game of the new year.
It didn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t look like it would be Kelowna91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s night as Edmonton had a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period.
The Rockets got one back at 15:45 off the second from the stick of Luke Schelter, on the power play, with assists going to Andrew Cristall and Gabriel Szturc.
Kelowna scored three more unanswered goals in the third.
Landon Cowper started things off with his first of the season at the 3:30 mark. Cristall and Marek Roak added the assists.
Szturc tied the game 3-3 at 11:47 with assists to Cowper and Cristall.
Just over a minute later Schelter got his second of the night, and the game-winner, with assists coming from Rocak and Kayden Sadhra-King.
Things did not go as well for the Rockets Saturday night (Jan. 6) in Washington State when they took on the Wenatchee Wild.
Wenatchee took the lead early, at 4:37 of the first period, with Kelowna tying the game at the 10:00 mark.
Andrew Cristall netted his 22nd of the season with assists from Tij Inginla and Caden Price.
The Wild added one more at 13:02 to make it 2-1 to end the period. Wenatchee then scored five unanswered goals in the second and third periods to put the game out of reach.
Kelowna didn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t score again until 11:27 of the third, a power play goal from Dylan Wightman and assists to Schelter and Price, making it 6-2.
Iginla added one more at 16:10 of the period with assists coming from Hiroki Gojsic and Michael Cicek for the 6-3 loss.
The Rockets allowed one short-handed and one power-play goal.
Kelowna is currently sixth in the WHL Western Conference with a record of 18-17-2-0 and 38 points.
The Rockets91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ next game is Wednesday, Jan. 10 when they host the Seattle Thunderbirds at Prospera Place. Puck drop is 7:05 p.m.
READ MORE: Late goal pushes Kelowna Chiefs past North Okanagan Knights
READ MORE: Snowfall warning in effect for the Okanagan-Shuswap-Boundary
