Photo: Paige Bednorz
Mark Liwiski scored the winning goal for the Rockets on Saturday.
Kelowna Rockets head coach Kris Mallette agreed it wasn’t pretty, but winning consecutive nights against a soaring team deserves a little slack.
Saturday was one of those nights.
The Rockets could have folded after failing to score or even generating a lot in back-to-back-to-back power plays – and giving up a go-ahead goal, but they didn’t.
They scratched and clawed and fought their way to a 4-3 win on home ice on Saturday against the Giants.
After a 3-2 deficit in the third round, the Rockets equalized with a spectacular individual performance by Jake Lee and the winner with a hard-working performance by Mark Liwiski after a pass in the offensive end.
Mallette said he had set up a schedule for the third period and was pleased that it was implemented well.
“It was really nice to see how easily our game was sacrificed in the third period,” said Mallette.
“There could have been many excuses for our group, but they were resilient. The coaching side of me won’t have to break it down with the finest comb. I don’t get picky, I think I” I’ve told you that before. “
That was a brave win for our group against a very, very good hockey club. “
The Giants opened the gate in the middle of the opening period when Alex Kannock Leipert brought home a centering pass with an equally pretty three-way passing game.
Dillon Hamaliuk equalized with a Kelowna power play and brought Tyson Feist’s shot across the target.
The Rockets had a chance to take control of the game in the second round when they received three power plays in a row, but they managed to get just one shot and gave up an underpaid goal on top of that.
Justin Sourdif finished one game at the Vancouver Blueline and then won the race for the pack at the end of Kelowna. A skillful toe-drag and a fatal shot from the corner tore the tie.
Kaedan Korczak got that back just moments later when his wrist shot at the blocker’s side from an attack zone face-off against Trent Miner.
Sourdif restored the one-goal lead three minutes later and hit Cole Schwebius with a laser beam on the short side of the right face-off circle.
Lee tied it two minutes after the third. The veteran defender stole the puck in the neutral zone, hit two defenders on the left wing, and hit Miner with a shot from the wrist from the lower left circle.
Liwiski, who had points in all four games since the club returned from their 14-day COVID quarantine, scored the winner three minutes later.
After a faceoff to Miner’s left, Liwiski was the first to have a loose puck in a circle outside the draw, tapped it towards the net, watched the game and slammed a pass home from tight spots.
“Koper (David Kope) and Swetty (Alex Swetlikoff) did a good job, so I just tied up. Koper typed it right on my tape,” said Liwiski.
“I’ve seen a casual puck fight … and our goal throughout the game was to win our one-on-one matches and I put my bottom in front of him and went to a low blocker.”
Liwiski have scored five goals and two assists since the team returned.
Schwebius turned 24 shots to the side to improve his record in the shortened season to 3-1.
The Rockets are 5-2 overall and 4-1 since their return, level with Prince George in third place in the BC Division despite having played six games less.
The Rockets will hit Victoria Tuesday, Vancouver Thursday and Kamloops Friday, all at Prospera Place.
