Rockets winless ex. season

Photo: Marissa Baecker

Defenceman Libor Zabransky

The Kelowna Rockets went 0-for the pre season.

The Rockets dropped their fourth straight exhibition game Saturday night, a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Kamloops Blazers at Prospera Place.

Lassi Thomson, the Finnish defenceman selected by the Rockets in the import draft in July, scored his first goal in a Rocket uniform. Dalton Wilton and Nolan Foote with his third of the pre season also scored for the Rockets.

Kamloops jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the game was nine minutes old. But, three goals in a span of less than two-minutes gave the Rockets a 3-2 lead after 20 minutes.

Thomson's goal came on a blast from the point, getting the Rockets on the board. Foote's third in three games tied it a minute later before Wilton scored his second in as many nights just 35 seconds later.

That late first period barrage was all the offence the Rockets could muster.

After a scoreless second, the Blazers completed the comeback in the third. Martin Lang tied it with under six minutes to go, then, with the Rockets on a power play, Luc Smith scored what proved to be the game winner with 72 seconds to go in regulation.

Zane Franklin iced it into an empty net 16 seconds later, also shorthanded.

Roman Basran and James Porter again split the netminding chores. Basran stopped 15 of 17 shots over the first half of the game, while Porter blocked 10 of 12 shots he faced.

The Rockets now have a week to prepare for the start of the regular season next weekend.

They'll again face the Blazers in a home-and-home to open the 2018-2019 campaign. The teams meet Friday in Kamloops before the Rockets hold their home opener Saturday.