Rockets fall to visiting Hitmen

Photo: Contributed - Marissa Baecker

Kenton Helgesen scored the game winner with 4:03 left in regulation time as the Calgary Hitmen came back for a 2-1 win over the Kelowna Rockets Saturday at Prospera Place.

Vancouver Canucks first round draft pick Jake Virtanen also scored for the Hitmen on a second period power-play.

Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring in the first with the only goal the Rockets would muster on the evening.

Draisaitl didn't see the end of the game and neither did the Rockets other big acquisition, Josh Morrissey.

Morrissey needed help to leave the ice in the second with an apparent leg injury while Draisaitl was sent to the showers after he was assessed a five-minute major for goaltender interference and a game misconduct.

It was a penalty Rockets head coach Dan Lambert disagreed with but one he said after the game would not alter the way he asks his players to play.

If you don't drive to the net you're not going to score many goals, Lambert said on the post game radio broadcast.

The Rockets were already without Rourke Chartier and Tomas Soustal for the game.

Jackson Whistle returned to the Rockets net after missing 10 games following appendectomy surgery.

He stopped 22 of 24 shots in his return to the line-up.

The Rockets, 48-11-3-1, open the month of March on the road with games in Everett Tuesday and Vancouver Friday before returning to Prospera Place to host Spokane Saturday.