Rockets get first win of WHL season

The Kelowna Rockets got their first regular season win with a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars on Saturday night at the CN Centre in Prince George.

The Rockets scored four unanswered goals through the first two periods. The Cougars broke Rockets starter Jary Kykkanen’s shutout bid just before the midway point of the third period while on the power play. Gabriel Szturc responded for Kelowna, restoring the four-goal lead.

Andrew Cristall led the way for the Rockets, setting up four goals en route to earning first star honours. Twenty-year-old winger Adam Kydd was named the game’s second star after posting a three-point (2G, 1A) night, registering five shots on net.

Kykkanen was named the game’s third star, making 32 saves on 33 shots to pick up his first win of the campaign.

ADDITIONAL STATS

• Kelowna outshot Prince George 38 to 33
• The Rockets were 3/9 on the power play while the Cougars were 1/4
• Cande Price, Elias Carmichael and Gabriel Szturc all posted two points each
• It was Adam Kydd‘s eighth muli-goal game of his career
• Dylan Wightman recorded a team-high six shots on net, while also winning 13 of the 19 faceoffs he took
• The Rockets won’t face the Cougars again until November 9, when the Cougs will visit Prospera Place

The Rockets (1-1-1-0) will be back in action on Wednesday, October 5, when they’ll host the Victoria Royals at 7:05 p.m.