Rockets skid hits 5 games

Photo: Wayne Moore

Cole Kehler stretches out to rob Kole Lind in the second period Friday.

The Kelowna Rockets were simply not good enough Friday night.

The was the assessment of head coach Jason Smith, who watched his squad drop a fifth straight game, 3-1 to the visiting Portland Winterhawks.

The top team in the Western Hockey League beat the Rockets for the third time in a week.

"We didn't play well enough to win the game," said Smith.

"We were slow to the forecheck, we were slow defending in our own end, and when we did have sustained O-zone time, we didn't execute and hit the net, and get a man to the net to find a rebound. There were opportunities when the puck was there, but we were too slow getting there."

Smith said the team needs to play, and compete harder.

The Rockets were sluggish in the opening 20 minutes but actually had the best chance of the period when rookie import Marek Skvrne found himself all alone in front of Cole Kehler, but he was checked from behind and the puck slid harmlessly past the post.

Kelowna was the better team for large parts of the second, but gave up the only goal. James Porter stopped the initial point shot from Matthew Quigley, but the rebound fell straight down onto Kieffer Bellows' stick, who backhanded the puck into the open net.

Joachim Blichfeld had a glorious chance to double the lead on a Portland power play, but Porter slid across to his right and got a pad on the one-timer to keep the deficit at one.

Skyler McKenzie doubled the lead 12 minutes into the third. Bellows pass from behind the net flipped into the air. Porter batted the puck with his stick, but it hit off McKenzie and in.

McKenzie nearly made it 3-0 moments later, but again, Porter slid to his right to make a spectacular grab. The Rockets went right up the ice where Kyle Topping took a pass across the blueline, and beat Kehler from the left faceoff circle.

His sixth cut the deficit to one.

But, with Porter on the bench for an extra attacker, Cody Glass tapped home Bellows pass to close out the scoring.

Bellows had a goal and two helpers. But, it was Porter who stole thee show all night. He stopped 45 shots, including 24 in the third period.

The two saves highlighting an outstanding evening in his first start at Prospera Place.

"I know were everyone is on the ice. I saw both of them out of the corner of my eye and just made desperate saves on both of them," said Porter.

The 17-year-old rookie from tiny Bonners Ferry, ID, will have to shoulder the bulk of the goaltending chores for the foreseeable future.

Starter Brodan Salmond has been sent to Calgary to have what the team is describing as an "ongoing injury" looked at by a doctor.

He is expected to return Wednesday, but, when he will be able to return to action won't be known until then.

Porter said he doesn't feel any extra pressure. He said he will just come out and play his game.

"It's as simple as that."

Sixteen-year-old Roman Basran has been called up to serve as Porter's back-up in the meantime.

Porter is expected to be back between the pipes again Saturday when the Rockets and Winterhawks conclude the back-to-back weekend.