Rockets’ woes continue with losses in Portland

Kelowna lit up 8-2 after 5-4 overtime defeat against Winterhawks

The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Kelowna Rockets 8-2 on Sunday evening at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Portland opened the scoring with firstperiod goals from Mason Mannek, Kieffer Bellows, and Jake Gricius. They took a 3-0 lead into the intermission.

The Winterhawks collected two second-period goals from Skyler McKenzie and another from Kieffer Bellows to make it 6-0.

Gordie Ballhorn got the Rockets on the board before the period was out, but Portland held a 6-1 lead heading into the final frame.

The Winterhawks scored twice more in the third before Kyle Topping netted a late power-play marker to round out the scoring.

Brodan Salmond’s record fell to 3-3-0-1 as he made 10 saves on 13 shots before James Porter came on in his relief. Porter stopped 20 of 26 shots over the final two periods.

The Winterhawks also defeated the Rockets 5-4 in overtime on Saturday night to open the weekend twinbill.

Portland again jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, getting power-play goals from Blichfeld and Bellows before Henri Jokiharju scored during 4-on-4 play.

The Winterhawks held that lead into the second period when Keoni Texeira was assessed a major for checking to the head and the Rockets took to a five-minute power play. Carsen Twarynski capitalized on the opportunity to draw Kelowna within two.

Then, with just under five minutes left in the middle frame, Erik Gardiner beat Winterhawks goaltender Cole Kehler to cut the deficit to 3-2 through 40 minutes.

Topping picked off a pass attempt by Kehler at 4:44 of the third period and fired the puck into an empty net to even the score 3-3.

Portland quickly regained the lead as Brad Ginnell notched the Winterhawks’ third power-play goal of the night.

Porter then made a huge breakaway save on Ginnell to keep it a one-goal game, and the Rockets took the puck the other way with Twarynski tallying his second of the game to force overtime.

However, just 24 seconds into the extra frame, McKenzie ended the Rockets’ rally. Porter stopped 34 of 39 shots that night. The Rockets (4-3-1-1) head to Kennewick, Wash., for a Tuesday night meeting with the Tri-City Americans.

The Rockets then return home to host the Winterhawks on Friday and Saturday at Prospera Place.