Tough Tips dump Rockets

Photo: Wayne Moore

The Kelowna Rockets came face to face Wednesday with the type of hockey team they hope to become one day.

The Everett Silvertips, the number one team in the Western Conference, showed the Rockets what it looks like to come at you shift after shift at both ends of the ice, in a 4-2 victory at Prospera Place.

"They're not going to stop. They're relentless. They're an older team that understands the details of the game. They don't stop working every shift," said Rockets head coach Adam Foote.

"As we felt we did some good things, we did get out played. But, it's a good measuring stick for us...where we're at."

Despite being outplayed badly over the first 40 minutes, the Rockets still found themselves in a 2-2 deadlock, thanks to goaltender James Porter and defenceman Lassi Thomson.

Porter was outstanding over the first 40 minutes, making five or six key saves - his best, a spectacular glove grab off the stick of Bryce Kindopp late in the second.

That opened the door for Thomson to notch his second of the night in the dying seconds.

With just a few ticks left on the clock, a shot was blocked near the Everett blueline. The puck slid to Thomson who spun and fired the puck toward the net.

The shot went off Everett forward Zach Andrusiak's stick and into the top corner with 1.6 seconds left in the period.

"I didn't know how much time was on the clock. I only saw I got the puck and tried to get that on the net. And, it's going in," said Thomson.

"That's a good surprise for me."

The Rockets had chances to stay with the Silvertips in the third. Still deadlocked, Kelowna had a two-man advantage of a little more than 30 seconds. Thomson had the best chance, wiring a one-timer from the left circle square off the mask of goaltender Dustin Wolf.

Kindopp got the eventual game-winner, his second of the night, with eight minutes to go in regulation.

The Silvertips won a faceoff in the Kelowna end. The puck went back to Gianni Fairbrother at the left point. His wrist shot was deflected home by Kindopp.

Kyle Topping had a great chance to tie it, but a no-look pass was just behind him near the top of the crease. By the time he was able to make a play, the puck slid through the crease and other the other side with Wolf scrambling back into position.

Fairbrother iced it into an empty net with 10 seconds left.

Porter made 40 stops in suffering the loss as the Tips outshot Kelowna 44-24.

The Rockets, who now find themselves five points in arrears of second place Victoria in the BC Division, head north for a pair of games in Prince George Friday and Saturday.