Rockets Take on Alberta
The Okanagan Rockets journeyed to Lethbridge this past weekend for their first tournament of the year.
With the bus packed and everyone on board – including Program Head Rob Evers and a couple of parents – the team travelled to Canmore on Thursday and had a team dinner prepared by the players and staff, which included BBQ chicken, salads, cucumber sandwiches, nachos and a couple of delicious cakes for dessert! Job well done by all!
OKR opened the tourney on Friday with an 8-3 win over St Albert… Austin Roest with the Game MVP, adding 2G 1A and Ethan Reynaud with the win in net.
Next up was Saturday a.m. and the very strong NAX team out of Edmonton…this was by far the best and most exciting game that OKR has played this season. OKR opened the scoring on the PP, only to have NAX tie the game 5 mins later, 1-1 after the first. NAX took the lead shorthanded in the second, but OKR tied it up 5 mins later to knot the game at 2 after 2. Midway through the third OKR scored on the PP to take a 5 min lead, however NAX came back to tie it at 3…NAX came on hard for the last 4 minutes of the game, but OKR held them at bay with a couple of their own chances. The third ended at 3 apiece, and it went straight to shoot out, with Wilson Maxfield stopping all three NAX shooters, while Carter Schmidt netted the shootout winner. Mason Finley was Game MVP with 2G and 1A, in on all 3 regulation goals for OKR, while Maxfield stood tall all game. OKR handed NAX their first loss of the season...a foreshadow of things to come.
OKR finished the round robin with an easy 5-1 win over Red Deer. Kailus Green with 1G and 2A took Game MVP, while Ethan Reynaud was strong in the pipes for the W.
While it was hoped that OKR would play NAX in the final, it was not to be, as hometown Lethbridge was the hungrier team, and got the breaks, while OKR seemed to fight the puck a bit and not get much puck luck in the semi. Lethbridge took the game 4-1 but the game was much closer than the score indicated. Russ Kosec, with OKR’s only goal, was Game MVP, while Maxfield was in net for OKR’s first loss of the season.
Austin Roest and Mason Finley lead the team with 4G and 3A each through the weekend, while Carter Schmidt had 1G and 4A (as well as the shootout winner) and Kailus Green had 2G and 3A
The Rockets have their bye weekend this coming weekend, and are back in action November 2-3 weekend in Richmond at the Minor Midget Showcase. Their opponent will be the hone team GV Canadians.