Despite a slow start, the 麻豆精选 Rockets scored five unanswered goals on Wednesday night to win their seventh straight game on home ice.
After saving the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday night, the Rockets proceeded to hand them their ninth straight loss, 5-2.
Nathan Pilling and Sawyer Mynio scored in the first period to give Seattle a 2-0 lead. But a minute and a half after Mynio’s goal, Rockets leading scorer Andrew Cristall found the back of the net on the powerplay, cutting the deficit in half. Defenceman Caden Price assisted on the goal.
A little shimmy, a little shake, an Andrew Cristall goal. x
— 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets)
The second period was quiet until the Rockets’ offense exploded with just over five minutes to go in the frame.
At the 14:46 mark, captain Gabriel Szturc put home his 20th goal of the season, assisted by Cristall and Price. It was another goal with the man advantage.
Everyone was thinking Andrew Cristall was going to shoot, meanwhile AC was busy thinking about teeing up Gabriel Szturc. x
— 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets)
Under two minutes later, Cristall intercepted a pass and scored on a breakaway to give the Rockets a 3-2 lead. It was his second of the game and 24th on the campaign. This goal was the WHL’s highlight of the night.
Andrew Cristall says *MEEP* *MEEP* and shows everyone his best roadrunner impression.
— 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets)
麻豆精选 wasn’t done yet though as Szturc scored his second of the game, 21st of the season with just over a minute to go in the frame. Max Graham and Cristall collected the assists, giving Cristall a four-point night.
In the third period, Price scored his fifth goal of the year to make it 5-2. It was assisted by Szturc, giving both him and Price three-point nights.
That's our breadstick king, prospect Caden Price! 馃憫
— 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets)
Goaltender Jari Kykkanen made 28 saves in the win while the Rockets peppered 46 shots on Seattle netminder Scott Ratzlaff.
With this four-point effort, Cristall is now fourth in WHL scoring with 68 points (24 goals, 44 assists) in just 32 games. He also extended his point streak to a career-high 19 games. Over that stretch, he has 40 points.
After collecting three points himself, Szturc is now at 170 career points. He is just three away from tying Vaclav Varada for most points by a European-born player in Rockets franchise history.
With the win, the Rockets have won seven straight games at Prospera Place and 12 of their last 17 games. They still sit sixth in the Western Conference with a record of 19-17-2-0.
The Rockets now have a tough task ahead as they head north to take on the Prince George Cougars on Friday, Jan. 12 and Saturday, Jan. 13. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
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