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Junior hockey: Rockets fall 5-4 to resilient Chiefs

Lassi Thomson of the Kelowna Rockets carries the puck while Eli Zummack of the Spokane Chiefs tries defending him during WHL action on Wednesday night in Kelowna. Spokane won 5-43. Marsissa Baecker / Kelowna Rockets Images

The Kelowna Rockets put in a game effort on Wednesday night, but couldn’t overcome a resilient showing by the Spokane Chiefs.

At Prospera Place, of the four goals that Kelowna scored, Spokane replied quickly three times, dousing any hope of a Rockets’ comeback in the Chiefs’ 5-4 win.

The Rockets opened the scoring at 3:38 of the first period, only to have the Chiefs reply at 5:02. In the second, with Spokane up 2-1, the Rockets levelled the game at 2:37. But at 4:15, the Chiefs scored to make it 3-2. And in the third, with Spokane up 4-2, the Rockets scored just 23 seconds into the frame to draw within one. However, at 2:08, the Chiefs restored their two-goal lead.

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Luke Toporowski, with two goals, Connor Gabruch, Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Jake McGrew scored for Spokane (27-17-2-4), which led 2-1 and 4-2 at the period breaks.

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Alex Swetlikoff, with two goals, Lassi Thomson and Nolan Foote, who closed out the scoring at 7:14 of the third, replied for Kelowna (21-26-4-1).

Roman Basran started for Kelowna, but played just over half the game, stopping 16 of 20 shots in 32:55. James Porter was 11-of-12 in relief. Reece Klassen stopped 29 of 33 shots for Spokane.

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Spokane was 1-for-5 on the power play while Kelowna was 2-for-5. The attendance was 4,455.

Of the 52 games Kelowna has played this season, exactly half – 26 – have been one-goal games. And of those 26, the Rockets have won 13 times and lost 13 times.

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The Rockets have two more games this week. They host Prince George (16-30-4-2) on Friday night, then visit Kamloops (20-25-4-1) on Saturday night.

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