Penalty trouble cost the Kelowna Rockets a 6-4 loss to the Vancouver Giants at Prospera Place on Saturday (Jan. 25).

The Giants capitalized on four of their eight powerplay opportunities. Hayden Paupanekis scored twice for Kelowna and Jake Pilon made 29 saves in the losing cause.

The Giants took the 1-0 lead, less than four minutes into the opening frame when Tyler Thorpe scored his 18th goal of the season. Paupanekis (16) answered for the Rockets late in the period on the power play. 

Vancouver went up 2-1 early in the second period as Mazden Leslie scored his 11th goal of the season on the powerplay. Just under three minutes later, Paupanekis (17) netted his second goal of the game, making it 2-2. Kelowna took a 3-2 lead a few minutes later as Hiroki Gojsic (13) found the back of the net. The Giants responded quickly to tie the game 3-3 on a goal from Connor Levis (17).

A minute into the third period Dawon Gerwing's ninth goal of the season, on the powerplay, put the Rockets up 4-3. However, it was all Vancouver after that. Leslie (12) potted his second powerplay goal of the night just past the six-minute mark to tie the game, and Ty Halaburda (17) made it 5-4 Giants just over a minute later, also on the powerplay. Ryan Lin (4) secured the 6-4 with an empty net goal just before the period ended.

"We're a desperate hockey team right now," said Rockets Interim Head Coach Derrick Martin. "Guys are trying hard and maybe over-trying at times. I thought our group did a little bit more on our side of things, but you take too many penalties and it's the same storyline.

Vancouver outshot Kelowna 34-30. The Rockets were two-for-two on their powerplay chances. Kelowna lost to the Blazers 4-3 in Kamloops on Friday (Jan. 24) after blowing a third period lead. The Rockets are 10th place in the Western Conference behind Kamloops (ninth) and Wenatchee in eighth, the final playoff spot.

Kelowna continues a four-game home stand on Wednesday (Jan. 29) against the Victoria Royals with puck drop at 7:05 p.m.