Rockets fall in shootout to lowly Oil Kings
On blustery Saturday evening in the Okanagan Valley, many of the 5,112 supporters present at Prospera Place may have felt the performance of the Kelowna Rockets mirrored those crummy weather conditions. Just plain miserable. A 3-2 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings, which entered the affair with the worst record in the entire Western Hockey league, came as rather an unpredictable result. For only the second time this season, the Rockets have lost backto-back games at home.
Following the game, Rockets head coach Jason Smith was in no mood to mince words.
“We got what we deserved,” said Smith, emphatically. “We didn’t play good enough to win the game, plain and simple. We played the game tonight like we were exhausted, tired and slow.”
Kelowna opened the scoring when Connor Bruggen-Cate and Braydyn Chizen worked the puck to Cal Foote at the point. Foote’s one-timer beat Todd Scott in the Oil Kings net at 5:34 of the first period. For Foote, who played at least 30 minutes on the night, it was his 15th goal of the season.
Conner MacDonald would tie the contest at 11:58 with a wrister from the point past a screened James Porter on an Oil Kings power play.
The Rockets outshot Edmonton 15-6 in the period. The 1-1 score flattered the Oil Kings and epitomized the Rockets recent inability to capitalize on its plentiful scoring chances.
The teams traded goals in the second period.
Chizen’s shot from the point deflected past Scott off an Oil Kings defender to give Kelowna a 2-1 lead at the 5:52 mark.
Former Rockets forward Tomas Soustal evened the score at 15:09 when he took a pass from behind the net from Brett Kemp and fired a shot past Porter on the short side. It was Soustal’s 16th of the season.
Soustal was a presence at both ends of the ice for the Oil Kings throughout the tilt and was also perhaps a sentimental choice as the game’s first star. It was an emotional day for Soustal, who played his final WHL game in Kelowna.
“I was so happy that we won,” Soustal said. “Sure, it’s emotional, but it’s a game and those two points are very important for us.”
Soustal, who celebrated his 21st birthday on Thursday, appeared in 175 regular season games and 54 playoff games for the Rockets. All told, he scored 42 goals and added 80 assists while wearing Kelowna colours. He was a member of the 2015 WHL championship team.
Amid a challenging 20-year-old situation early this season, the import was dealt to the Oil Kings after appearing in three games for the Rockets.
Soustal, from the Czech Republic, shared that he was able to spend a portion of his day in Kelowna with his former billet family and friends.
“I spent three years of my life here,” Soustal said, while beginning to choke up after saying goodbyes to a throng of supporters after the game. “They came out and supported me as much as they could. They even wore my (Oil Kings) jersey. “They’re awesome people. There’s no way I can ever thank them enough for bringing me into their homes and supporting me all the way. I’m very thankful for them.”
The teams were scoreless through the third period and the overtime session. In the shootout, Kelowna shot first and none of its three shooters could solve Scott. Trey FixWolansky beat Porter with the Oil Kings second shot and that was all it took to settle the verdict.
With 13 games remaining, Kelowna will play eight at home and five on the road. The Rockets will face U.S. Division teams three times and play 10 games against B.C. Division rivals.
The Rockets are now 35-18-4-2 for 76 points and a one-point lead on the Victoria Royals for first place in the B.C. Division. Kelowna has two games in hand on Victoria.
ICE CHIPS: Kelowna outshot Edmonton, 31-29...Three stars were Soustal, Chizen and Erik Gardiner... Rockets scratched James Hilsendager, Kole Lind, Nolan Foote, Kyle Pow and Roman Basran... Kelowna was 0-for-2 on the power play, while Edmonton went 1-for-4... The Rockets are now Rockets are 20-7-0-1 at home this season... The Rockets are 21-11-1-1 when outshooting opponents, 6-2-21 in games when tied after 40 minutes and 13-4-5-1 in one goal games...The Rockets host the Prince George Cougars on Tuesday.