Rockets rattle the Portland Winterhawks with 5-3 win

KELOWNA– The Kelowna Rockets won their fifth WHL hockey game in a row Friday night,  beating the Portland Winterhawks 5-3.

The Winterhawks scored  first, just five and a half minutes into the first period.

 But later, Nick Merkley and Calvin Thurkauf got their sticks on the puck before Rourke Chartier scored to tie the game 1-1.

Portland managed one more goal and the Winterhawks led 2-1 at the end of the first period.

Justin Kirkland picked up a loose puck early in the second period to tie the game 2-2.

Rourke Chartier later netted his second goal of the night, putting the puck past a scrambling Winterhawks netminder to give Kelowna a 3-2 lead.

The Rockets managed to score two more power play goals in the third period while Portland managed to score once more in the final period as well.

Kelowna takes on Victoria on Saturday at home.