Kelowna, BC (CKLQ) – The penalty box was a bad place to be on Saturday night as the Kelowna Rockets and Brandon Wheat Kings combined for six powerplay goals in the Rockets 4-3 win over Brandon.
It was another quick start for the Brandon Wheat Kings as they opened the scoring just 3:29 into the game. Luka Burzan capitalized on a powerplay for his 10th of the year and then added another one 6 minutes later on a re-direct in front on another powerplay.
The two WHeat Kings powerplay goals were the first two in the same game since October 6th vs Regina.
With just 11.6 seconds left in the period, the Rockets would cut the lead to one. Erik Gardiner took advantage of a turnover at the top of the circles and snapped a wrist shot past Jiri Patera to give the Rockets some life.
In the 2nd, the powerplay continued to be the story on both sides. Just 2:36 into the frame the Rockets would tie it on the man advantage as Nolan Foote picked up his 9th of the season.
Brandon would quickly reply again up a man. Braden Schneider took a pass from Marcus Sekundiak and ripped it past Roman Basran for his 3rd goal of the season.
For the Wheat Kings, it was their first three powerplay goal game of the season.
In the third, the Rockets would tie the game on the powerplay once again. Nolan Foot hammered home a one-timer for his 2nd of the night.
Late in the period, Connor Gutenberg would be handed a major penalty for charging that sent the Rockets to the man advantage for the remainder of the regulation time. With Gutenberg in the locker room, the Rockets would get the game-winner off the stick of Kyle Topping. Topping had a goal and an assist on the night to extend his point-scoring streak to 11 games.
Brandon finished their 7-game road trip 2-3-1-1 and return home on Friday to open a six-game homestand vs the Red Deer Rebels.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st PERIOD
BWK – Luka Burzan (10) (Gutenberg, Mattheos) 3:29 PPG
BWK – Luka Burzan (11) (Wytinck, Gutenberg) 9:08 PPG
KEL – Erik Gardiner (3) (Gally) 19:48
Shots: 7-7
2nd PERIOD
KEL – Nolan Foote (9) (Thomson, Kindree) 2:36 PPG
BWK – Braden Schneider (3) (Sekundiak, Daley) 11:55 PPG
Shots: 13-9 Brandon
3rd PERIOD
KEL – Nolan Foote (10) (Topping, Thomson) 3:46 PPG
KEL – Kyle Topping (7) (Kindree, Mattson) 18:50
Final Shots: 29-24 Kelowna