Minor Rockets keep Rolling

The Okanagan Rockets Minor Midgets played host to the Valley West Giants Minor Midget team this past weekend. The Rockets opened up a 2-0 lead on goals from Kailus Green and Max Graham, before the Giants answered back late to finish the first at 2-1 Rockets. The Giants started fast in the second tying the game at 2 before Darter Schmidt tipped a Russell Kosec point shot to regain the lead 3 minutes after the Giants had tied it. The Rockets took a 3-2 lead after 2. The third was back and forth until the Rockets controlled the last 10 minutes and closed out the scoring with a empty netter from Mason Finley on a nice break out of the zone and pass from Nolan Matthews. Rockets came away with a 4-2 victory, outshooting the Giants 52-17. Ethan Reynaud was in net for the victory and was solid.

Sunday was a different story and although the Rockets got on the board early on Tristan Weill's first goal of the year, the Rockets got into penalty trouble early and often, and trailed after one period 2-1. The Rockets tied it up at 2 late in the second after a pretty passing play between Mason Finley and Austin Roest, with Roest finding the net with a tap in from Finley. The Rockets came out hard in the third and took the game to the Giants, however the Giants would not lie down, tying the game at 3 midway through the third. Not to be denied, the Rockets answered right back on nifty faceoff win by Roest, between the Giants centers legs - deep in Giants territory - and a quick snap under the cross bar caught the goalie a bit off guard. The Giants put on a push at the end, but once again it was an empty netter from Mason Finley, as he stole the puck from the Giant players in their zone, and deked out 3 players to seal the win for the Rockets. Wilson Maxfield was in net for the win, and made 3-4 key saves at the right time to hold the Giants at bay at important times in the game. Rockets outshot the Giants 38-29 on Sunday. Next action for the Rockets will be Thanksgiving weekend when they travel to the coast to play the NW Hawks for a pair.