Rockets settle for split in Victoria

Leif Mattson maintained his hot hand, but the Kelowna Rockets were forced to settle for a weekend split in Victoria, losing 4-2 to the host Royals on Saturday after winning by the same score in Friday’s opener of the two-game set between B.C. Division rivals.

Mattson scored his fifth goal of the season — all in the last six games since returning from an injury — and Nolan Foote also found the back of the net for the fifth time, both with power-play markers in the third period.

Those goals, scored just over a minute apart (at 14:50 and 15:52), made the result appear respectable, but the Rockets were outplayed in the rematch — falling behind 3-0 in the first period, eventually trailing 4-0 in the final frame, and getting outshot 32-22.

Kelowna turned back to Brodan Salmond in goal on Saturday, giving the 19-year-old netminder his first start since returning to the team from an injury absence.

Salmond was beaten on three of 15 shots in the first period before settling in and finishing with 28 saves. Salmond’s record fell to 3-4-0-1 on the season.

James Porter, a 17-year-old rookie, made his seventh straight start in Friday’s win and improved to 5-2-2-0 overall by stopping 26 of 28 shots.

Porter has won four of his last five starts, improving his save percentage to .906 and lowering his goals-against average to 3.23.

More impressively, over the course of those seven starts, Porter has a 2.40 GAA and a .926 save percentage.

The Rockets (8-6-2-1) have two home games this week, hosting the Vancouver Giants on Friday and the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday.