Recap: Victoria 1 - Kelowna 6

Alex Gogolev is stopped by Jordon Cooke

The Kelowna Rockets (38-10-3-1, 80 pts) won their 22nd consecutive home game with a 6-1 victory over the visiting Victoria Royals (27-18-1-3, 58pts) Thursday.

The Rockets power play struck twice, Jordon Cooke made 27 saves for his league leading 28th win, while Tyson Baillie scored a pair.  Kelowna had two point efforts from six different players.

The Rockets led 3-0 after the first and 6-1 after the second.  There was no scoring in the third. 

Kelowna now leads the season series (4-1).  They’ll meet next for a pair Feb. 22nd and 23rd in Victoria.

Jamie Crooks scored the lone goal for the Royals who saw their 8 game unbeaten in regulation streak come to and end.

Patrik Polivka stops Colton Sissons

Patrik Polivka was valiant with 28 stops, but unable to extend his franchise record of 7 consecutive wins between the pipes.

Ranked 4th in the CHL, Kelowna moves to within 5 points of the 1st place Portland Winterhawks.  The Royals remain 3 back of the 5th place Americans while holding 2 games in hand.

Patrik Polivka 28 saves

The Rockets scored 3 times in the first, as Tyson Baillie opened the scoring, followed by Zach Franko’s power play marker, and an individual effort by Tyrell Goulbourne.  Keegan Kanzig got the better of Carter Rigby in the only tilt of the game.

In the 2nd, the Rockets would go up by 4, as Jesse Lees point shot made it through.  Jamie Crooks would one time his 23rd of the year past Cooke to get the Royals on board.  Colton Sissons on a delayed penalty fired in his 18th of the year to regain the 4 goal lead.  Baillie scored his 2nd of the night to take a 6-1 lead to third, where there was no scoring.

Victoria’s stretch of 9 straight games with a power play goal was halted, as did the point streaks of Alex Gogolev (9 games), Brandon Magee (9 games), Steven Hodges (8 games) and Brett Cote (5 games).

The Royals are on a 3 game and 3 night road trip, facing the Cougars in Prince George Friday and Saturday.

-mm

Game action in Kelowna Thursday

Victoria Royals 1 at Kelowna Rockets 6 - Status: Final
Thursday, January 31, 2013 - Prospera Place - Kelowna, BC

Victoria 0 1 0 - 1
Kelowna 3 3 0 - 6

1st Period-
1, Kelowna, Baillie 18 (Fowlie, Goulbourne), 5:35.
2, Kelowna, Franko 21 (Severson, Bell), 10:23 (PP).
3, Kelowna, Goulbourne 7 (Fowlie, Severson), 14:40.

Penalties-Carroll Vic (high sticking), 0:12; Dixon Vic (roughing), 9:44; Kanzig Vic (major-fighting), 16:12; Rigby Kel (major-fighting), 16:12; McKinlay Kel (tripping), 17:41.

2nd Period-
4, Kelowna, Lees 9 (Johnston, Olsen), 1:48.
5, Victoria, Crooks 23 (Walker, Carroll), 5:47.
6, Kelowna, Sissons 18 (McKinlay, Bell), 12:34.
7, Kelowna, Baillie 19 (Bowey, McKinlay), 18:37 (PP).

Penalties-Nyberg Kel (tripping), 7:51; Rigby Kel (hooking), 13:29; Walker Vic (tripping), 15:09; Fransoo Vic (interference, unsportsmanlike cnd.), 17:51.

3rd Period-
No Scoring.

Penalties-Sissons Kel (slashing), 8:06.

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 13-8-8-29.
Kelowna 14-12-8-34.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 0 / 4;
Kelowna 2 / 5.

Goalies-
Victoria, Polivka 23-11-1-2 (34 shots-28 saves).
Kelowna, Cooke 28-8-2-1 (29 shots-28 saves).

A-5,331
Referees-Steve Papp (17), Fraser Lawrence (10).
Linesmen-Mike Langin (67), Ward Pateman (124)