Rockets take titanic tilt

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Calvin Thurkauf is stoned by netminder Logan Flodell in the second period of Kelowna 5-2 win Wednesday.

It was a night of firsts as the Kelowna Rockets earned a well deserved 5-2 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds in a battle of division leaders at Prospera Place Wednesday.

Jordon Borstmeyer scored his first career Western Hockey League goal and defenceman Jonathan Smart earned his first two WHL assists as the rookies led the way for the Rockets.

Another rookie, Kole Lind scored twice while Nick Merkley and Tomas Soustal each had a goal. Cole Linaker assisted on both goals by Lind.

"It feels pretty good. I get to get the monkey off my back," said Borstmeyer before getting the traditional shaving cream pie to signify his first goal and first post-game interview.

"I think Devo (Devante Stephens) threw it back to Smartie (Smart) and he put it on net. I think it went off my skate...he kicked it back out and I just put it in."

Borstmeyer said you try not to think about getting the first goal but it's always in the back of your min.

"At the end of the day we got a win against a good team and that's what matters most."

Lind opened the scoring against the run of the play 13 minutes into the first. He beat his man to the puck and tipped home a perfect cross-ice pass from Linaker.

The dominated the middle frame but, also against the run of the play, the T-Birds tied it when Donovan Neuls beat Jackson Whistle with a close in deke to the backhand.

Borstmeyer finally got one for the Rockets after half a dozen close chances to restore the one goal lead.

Lind scored what proved to be the winner seven minutes into the third. He sent Linaker in all alone. His shot was stopped by Logan Flodell but the rebound slid into the middle of the crease where Lind was able to tap it home.

Merkley and Soustal sealed it with late goals.

"It's a great way to win a game, especially against a good hockey team like this by getting two big goals," said Lind.

"That first one really got us going I thought and continued into the second. It really kept the momentum going I thought."

Both goaltenders were called upon to make some spectacular saves to give their team a chance to win. Whistle was particularly sharp in the first.

He was forced to make to big saves off Gustav Olhaver from in close on a T-Birds power-play. Whistle then robbed Keegan Kolesar on a two-on-one break late in the period to preserve the 1-0 lead.

"They had a number of point blank shots in the first period. That's what he's been doing, he's been giving us a chance," said head coach Brad Ralph.

"We've been playing with the lead quite often when he's in the net."

Ralph said overall it wasn't the best game the team has played but gave them credit for battling against a good Seattle team.

"The guys were working hard but you have to give Seattle credit. They put us in a position that made us uncomfortable at times," said Ralph.

"I thought we played hard enough. I was proud we beat a good hockey team not at our best."

Whistle turned aside 26 shots while Flodell faced 33 shots in the Seattle net.

The loss snapped the T-Birds six game winning streak while the Rockets (18-5-1-0) are 12-1-1-0 in their last 13.

The Rockets now head out onto the road for back-to-back games in Victoria Friday and Saturday.

Kelowna, first overall in the WHL, sit three points up on the Royals in the BC Division. Kelowna also hold a game in hand.