Kelowna Rockets Hammer Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-1

KELOWNA, BC. - Tyrell Goulbourne scored four times as the Kelowna Rockets downed the Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-1 Saturday night.

The Kelowna Rockets got off to a quick start in this game.  Kelowna jumped ahead 2-0 with a pair of goals just one minute apart.  Dylen McKinlay's shot beat Ty Rimmer to give the home side a 1-0 lead.  Only 60 seconds after that, the Rockets went ahead 2-0 on a goal by Tyrell Goulbourne.  The Hurricanes called a timeout to settle down the troops and it worked.  Lethbridge came back and cut the Rockets' lead to one when Jamal Watson's shot from behind the Kelowna goal, went off the goaltender Jackson Whistle and in, for Watson's 17th goal of the season.  That made it a 2-1 lead for Kelowna after 20 minutes.  The Rockets out shot Lethbridge 13-8.

In the second, the Rockets would blow the game wide open with three goals in a span of 7:23.  Tyrell Goulbourne scored two more goals within about four minutes for his 2nd and 3rd goals of the game, giving Kelowna a 4-1 lead.  That would be it for Ty Rimmer as he would be replaced by Chris Tai.  Not too long after the goaltending switch Kelowna would score again when Ryan Olsen hammered a shot past Tai to make it 5-1 and then late in the period Kelowna would get a power play and make good when Myles Bell rifled a wrist shot from the point making it 6-1 Kelowna after 40 minutes of play.  The Rockets held a 29-19 edge in shots on goal.

In the third, the Rockets would score again when Tyrell Goulbourne notched his 4th of the hockey game to give the Rockets a huge 7-1 lead and that's the way the game would end.  Kelowna out shot Lethbridge 41-26 in this game.  The Canes went 0/3 and Kelowna 1/6 on the power play. 

The loss drops the Hurricanes record to 26-29-3-7 on the season.  With Kootenay beating Medicine Hat 4-2 Saturday, Lethbridge falls 6 points back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with just 7 games to go. 

HURRICANES THIS WEEK

Our third last radio show of the year goes Monday night (Mar. 4) on CJOC.  Join myself and Colour Analyst Fred Jack for the program beginning at 7:00 pm MST.  Assistant Coach Chris Chisamore is expected to join us on the program as well as forward Josh Derko. We also hope to have Red Deer Rebe;s play-by-play voice Cam Moon.

NEXT UP

The Hurricanes are down to their final 7 games in the regular season, all against Central Division teams.  The Canes will play 3 games in 4 nights next week, including back-to-back games versus Red Deer Wednesday (Mar. 6) in Lethbridge and the return match-up Friday (Mar. 8) in Red Deer.  The Canes will travel to Calgary next Saturday (Mar. 9) to play their final game of the season against the Hitmen.

Thanks,
Pat