Rockets live to see another day
Forward Alex Swetlikoff leads a parade of Kelowna Rockets in celebrating their overtime goal in a 3-2 triumph over Vancouver Giants, Saturday at Prospera Place. In a do-or-die situation, the Rockets forced a tiebreaking game, Tuesday in Kamloops, with the winner advancing to the Western Hockey League playoffs. Also pictured are Ethan Ernst (left), Schael Higson (21), Devin Steffler (over shoulder) and Conner BruggenCate.
Then there was one.
And it’s a big one!
Just one more game to play for the Kelowna Rockets as they try to secure entry into the Western Hockey League playoffs.
All this, courtesy of a gritty team effort at Prospera Place on Saturday against the Vancouver Giants. The Rockets emerged with a 3-2 overtime victory, a result that seemed to thoroughly satisfy the 5,856 supporters in attendance.
“It’s crazy — took it to overtime?” said Rockets head coach, Adam Foote. “Time is ticking down and they get one. Screened, top shelf.
“They didn’t quit, but I’m glad our guys didn’t quit, either, especially after having that power play in overtime.”
Forward Mark Liwiski brought the house down at 3:40 of the extra period when he burst into the Giants zone from a face off at centre ice. He created some space from a Vancouver defender and snuck a shot between the pads of goaltender David Tendeck.
“You know, Liwiski is so tenacious,” Foote said. “He’s been tenacious the second half of the year. That’s a big goal for him.”
It was Liwiski’s 11th tally of the campaign and a measure of atonement for the Manitoba-born rookie who has squirmed in the stands lately while sitting out a three-game suspension as the Rockets struggled to stay in the playoff hunt.
“It’s been tough because the last few weeks it’s been playoffs for us basically,” said Liwiski. “I just wanted to make a jump start for the team. I needed to get that edge back in the boys. It’s business time now.”
The Giants opened the scoring midway through the first period when 16-year-old Justin Sourdif shoved his 23rd of the season past Roman Basran on a power play.
The Rockets answered 90 seconds later when a shot by Cayde Augustine that was destined for the corner of the rink, drilled Vancouver defenceman Dallas Hines in the chest and took a fortuitous bounce over the goal line behind Tendeck.
Alex Swetlikoff gave Kelowna a 2-1 lead in the second stanza when he followed up his wrap around attempt and chipped the puck over Tendeck’s shoulder. The individual effort resulted in Swetikoff’s sixth goal of the season, but perhaps more importantly, it was a sign of the hulking forward’s ever-increasing determination and maturity.
“It was huge, especially after taking 2530 stitches last night (in Langley),” said Foote of Swetlikoff’s marker. “It’s nice to see him be rewarded after taking that puck to the mouth last night.”
“Some guys can be discouraged after something like that. It could set you back. He’s been getting better and better every game. His hockey IQ is very high. He’s very coachable and he’s reliable.”
With Tendeck on the bench in favour of an extra attacker, Vancouver tied the affair with 33 seconds to play when Jadon Joseph ripped a point shot high past a screened Basran.
While the Giants were performing their late-game heroics at Prospera, many supporters were also tuned into the action at the CN Centre in Prince George where the Cougars held a 2-1 lead over the Kamloops Blazers with five minutes to play.
Kamloops proceeded to score three late goals, cementing a 4-2 victory in regulation time. The result meant Kelowna had to earn two points from the Giants or its season would abruptly come to an end.
The Blazers, seven points behind the Rockets on March 8 in the race for third in the B.C. Division, won five of its last six games (5-0-1) to finish with a 28-32-6-2 record, identical to that of the Rockets. Kelowna limped down the stretch, 1-2-1-1 in its last five games.
With both teams winning their final game of the regular season, a historic opportunity is on the horizon. A tiebreaker game on Tuesday — also known as a playin game — will be a first for both Kelowna and Kamloops.
Only six of these contests have been played since the 1980-81 season. Five have featured Eastern Conference combatants while perhaps surprisingly, the home team has emerged victorious only once.
The Rockets and Blazers will meet for the 11th time this season, the 13th if preseason games are included. Kamloops went 6-3-0-1 during the regular season, the criteria that earned the Blazers home ice advantage for the play-in tilt.
Puck drop at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The WHL is providing fans the opportunity to watch the game free of charge through its online streaming package. Details are available at www.whl.ca.
The winner, which will be the only one of 16 teams to qualify for the WHL playoffs with a sub-.500 record, travels to Vancouver Island this weekend to face Victoria in the first round. The Royals, by virtue of its second-place finish in the division, have earned home-ice advantage.
ICE CHIPS…Kelowna outshot Vancouver, 25-21…Three stars were Swetlikoff, Basran and Tendeck… Kelowna was 0-for-2 on the power play. Vancouver was 1-for-1… Rockets scratches were D Matt Barberis, D Lassi Thomson and F Mark Liwiski. The Giants dressed three affiliate players and chose to rest D Bowen Byram, F Davis Kock, D Dylan Plouffe, F Jared Dymtriw and F Seth Bafaro…Vancouver faces the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round.