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The Kelowna Rockets won a season-high third straight, 4-0 over Prince Albert

Boyko tall in Rockets win

Talyn Boyko was dialed in Saturday night.

The overage netminder stopped all 51 shots he faced, including 21 during a hectic third period, backstopping the Kelowna Rockets to a 4-0 win over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders.

The goose egg was his first of the season and fifth in his career.

"The guys played so good and have been playing so good lately and working so hard," said Boyko.

"The last couple of games we've really been tightening things up...and hats off to the guys, they did a really good job tonight."

As they did for large portions of the game Friday against the Giants, the Rockets did a good job of playing the Raiders physically in front of the net and boxing them out, allowing Boyko to see most of the shots fired his way.

He was really only tested once or twice from in tight over the first 40 minutes. Thanks to a couple of power play opportunities late with their goaltender on the bench for a sixth attacker, the Raiders were able to get some chances from in close, but Boyko was equal to the task each time.

"He was feeling it. They had what four or five shots in the first 15 seconds. It could have gone sideways in a hurry," said Mallette.

"He controlled his rebounds, make some real confident plays back there, and I know our guys built off that and were able to play bigger than we were."

Similar to the Vancouver game, the Rockets started slow, but kicked it into gear quickly.

Against the run of the play, Marcus Pacheco got the offense going with his eighth 4:48 in. Will Munro gained the offensive zone and dropped the puck to Pacheco who wired a shot to the top corner past Max Hildebrand.

Carson Golder, with his fifth in three games, doubled the lead 10 minutes later banging home a one-timer from the low slot off an Adam Kydd pass.

After a scoreless second, defenceman Elias Carmichael salted the game away with his fourth and fifth.

He finished off a pretty three-way passing play to make it 3-0, then his the empty net from 200 feet away in the final minute.

The Rockets again dressed just five defencemen with Marek Rocak and John Babcock still on the shelf.

The three game winning streak is the Rockets longest of the season, and while there are still some warts, Mallette says they continue to work hard.

"Over this last three weeks we've played, seven, eight nine games give or take and had some real heavy practices.

"To be able to come out last Saturday to tonight with three wins is a credit to them. Hopefully they see the work that has to go in and understand the simplicity of our game that we need each and every night in order to have success.

"Are we turning the corner, let's hope so but we did what we were supposed to and now we have two real tough games coming up in Prince George."

The Rockets will see the Cougars three times in short order.

They travel north for games Tuesday and Wednesday before hosting PG Friday night they'll conclude four in five hosting former Rocket Trevor Wong and the Saskatoon Blades Saturday.

Saturday marked the return of former Rockets head coach Jeff Truitt who took over head coaching duties of the Raiders last summer.

It's the first time Truitt has served as head coach in this building since his last game with the Rockets following the 2006-2007 season.



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