Rockets snap 3-game skid

Photo: Terran Station/Fragment Media

The Kelowna Rockets have a chance to return home for Christmas with a .500 record from a tough East Division road trip.

Kole Lind celebrated his return to the Rockets line-up Friday with three goals, leading Kelowna to a 7-3 pasting of the Prince Albert Raiders.

In turn, the win snapped a three-game losing streak.

Lind, who was emotional speaking with the media after being cut the day before from Canada's world junior selection camp, scored his 14th, 15th and 16th goals of the season.

Carsen Twarynski had two goals, giving him a team leading 22, and two assists. Wil Kushniryk and Conner Bruggen-Cate also scored for the Rockets.

Libor Zabransky and Leif Mattson both chipped in with a pair of helpers.

The Rockets trailed 2-1 in the first until Lind and Twarynski scored 1:17 apart late in the first to give Kelowna a 3-2 lead.

Kushniryk doubled the lead in the second before three straight inn the third put the game lout of reach.

Roman Basran bounced back, allowing three goals on 18 shots to earn the victory.

The Rockets scored three times on five chances with the man advantage, and also netted a shorthanded tally.

Kelowna closes out the road trip, and the first half of the season, Saturday in Saskatoon.

They don't return to the ice until Dec. 27 when they host the Kamloops Blazers.