Sports

Jordon Cooke turned aside all 28 shots he faced and Colton Sissons had a four points as the Kelowna Rockets manhandled the visiting Vancouver Giants 7-0 Wednesday at Prospera Place.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Jordon Cooke makes one of 28 saves in earning his first WHL shutout Wednesday.

The goose egg was the first of Cooke's Western Hockey League career and just the second time in three seasons the 19-year-old netminder has won back-to-back starts.

Cooke was particularly sharp in the second period and early in the third when Vancouver took over the game with the Rockets clinging to a 2-0 lead.

You need that from your goaltender. There are going to be times in every game no matter when you're playing that you are going to be on your heels a bit and you need your goaltender to make saves," says Rockets head coach Ryan Huska.

"He did that for us tonight. He's done it for us all year. It's kind of what you expect out of him."

While Cooke was solid in the second he may have saved his best for last.

Cooke was called to make two key saves, including a spectacular toe save, with Vancouver buzzing all around him in the final minute of the game.

He admits to being nervous during that final flurry.

"I was a little nervous but if I had let a goal in it was fine," admitted Cooke.

"As long as we got that win that's all that matters right now."

The Rockets led 2-0 after one and were clinging to that lead early in the third when they finally blew the game wide open in the third scoring five unanswered goals including four in a span of 3:11.

Sissons and Madison Bowey provided all the offence the Rockets would need.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Madison Bowey tips home his first goal of the season in the Rockets win over Vancouver

Sissons scored his first two goals of the season and added a pair of helpers while Bowey also scored his first two of the year and added one assist.

Bowey opened the offensive floodgates 5:09 into the third period when he took a nifty saucer pass from Filip Vasko, broke in all alone and beat Liam Liston with a gorgeous forehand/backhand move.

In fact, both of Bowey's goals came when he joined the offensive rush.

Huska says everyone on the back end has the green light to join in the rush.

"They just have to make the right decision as to when that time is," says Huska.

"It's just learning, in his case, when is the right time and when's not the right time. We've seen a night like tonight when he makes good decisions and a few nights where he has gone at the wrong time and it cost us."

Myles Bell with his team leading fourth of the season, Vasko and Tyson Baillie also scored for the Rockets.

Bell and Vasko also chipped in with assists to go along with their goal while Dylan McKinley and Carter Rigby each had a pair of helpers..

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Colton Sissons had a four point night in the Rockets 7-0 pounding of Vancouver

Sissons says Wednesday's night was a big win for the team after four straight one goal games.

"We like giving Vancouver beating whenever we can so it's nice to get some offence as a confidence booster. Cookie had a solid night, he's earned that shutout all year," says Sissons.

"We were on our heels a little bit but we got that push back which was nice to see. We didn't have that very often last year. That's a really good step for our team."

The Rockets managed just 12 shots over the first 40 minutes before unloading with 16 during the final 20.

Both teams registered 28 shots on goal.

The Rockets were 2-5 on the power-play including their first five-on-three goal of the season while the Giants were 0-5 with the man advantage.

Wednesday's win was also the Rockets first on home ice, something Huska says was more important than how they got it.

"We're really pushing to establish ourselves here this year. It's nice to be able to do that so the guys don't have to feel like we haven't gotten it done yet," says Huska.

"I'm pleased for them, I'm happy the way things ended up and now it's just a matter of us continuing to build here."

The win also evens the Rockets early season record at 2-2-1-0.

After a few days at home the Rockets will again pack their suitcases for a pair of games on the road as they travel north to face the much improved Prince George Cougars Friday and Saturday night.