Friday, November 18, 2011

Rockets 3 - Cougars 2

Friday night in Prince George, the Cougars comeback effort fell one-goal short as the Kelowna Rockets were able to hold on to a 3-2 victory. The Rockets scored all three of their goals in the first period and killed off all six of their penalties.

The Rockets opened the scoring in the first period at 4:27. Carter Rigby pounced on a Shane McColgan rebound and slid it by Drew Owsley to give the Rockets the lead.

It wouldn’t last long as Charles Inglis received a terrific pass from Cody Carlson in the high slot, and he beat Adam Brown for his fifth of the season at 10:11 of the opening frame.

Kelowna regained their lead shortly after that goal when the Cougars got caught pinching at the wrong time. Rockets winger Brett Bulmer skated in on a two-on-none with Cody Chickie, and Bulmer slid a pass across the crease for a tap-in.

The Rockets would add to their lead late in the frame with Madison Bowie one-timed a point-shot through a maze of bodies, and it found it’s way into the net for a 3-1 Kelowna lead.

There was no scoring in the second period, but early in the third the Cougars pounced. Charles Inglis made a terrific play along the right wing, and slid the puck across the ice to Greg Fraser who tapped in his sixth of the season to make it 3-2.

The Cougars were then given four third period power plays and very nearly converted. But Troy Bourke hit the cross-bar and the Rockets were able to escape with two points. Adam Brown stopped 20 of the 22 shots that he faced in goal for the Rockets while Drew Owsley turned aside 21 of 24, and was perfect after the first period.

The Cougars finished zero-for-six on the power play while the Rockets finished one-for-four. The win helps Kelowna improve to 7-11-2-1 while the Cougars fall to 6-14-0-2. The Rockets now hold a three-point edge on the Prince George Cougars for fourth place in the B.C. Division.

The Cougars and Rockets will duke it out again tomorrow night from CN Centre.

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