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Logan Stankoven scored the overtime winner as Kamloops edged the Rockets 5-4

Rockets fall in OT

The Kelowna Rockets hoped to get more, but they will savour the single point and hope it's enough to keep their hopes of passing the Vancouver Giants in the Western Conference alive.

The Kamloops Blazers got a late goal to tie it then the game winner from captain Logan Stankoven just shy of the midway point of sudden death overtime to edge the Rockets 5-4.

Despite being outshot two-to-one and surrendering 58 shots including 42 over the first 40, the Rockets stayed within sign of the top team in the BC Division.

Much of the credit went to Jari Kykkanen, who replaced starter Talyn Boyko six minutes into the game. He stopped 49 of 53 shots fired his way.

The Blazers jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the 14 minute mark of the first on goals Olen Zellweger on a power play and Connor Levis.

Carson Golder, back in the lineup after servicing a four-game suspension, got the Rockets on the board before the end of the first working his way from the end boards to the left circle before wiring a shot past Blazers netminder Matthew Kieper.

Connor Levis restored the two-goal lead early in the third but three straight put the Rockets up one for the first time in the game.

Andrew Cristall with a backhand off the rush in the second, Dylan Wightman with a tip-in on a power play and Cristall again 13:40 into the third gave the Rockets a one goal lead.

But Ryan Hofer two minutes later tied it setting the stage for Stankoven's heroics.

The single point, coupled with Vancouver's 4-1 loss in Everett keeps the Rockets hopes of leapfrogging the Giants still hanging by a thread.

With just two games left, and four points back, the Rockets need Vancouver to lose in regulation time Sunday in Tri-City and Tuesday in Portland, then beat the Giants in regulation time to close out the season next Friday and Saturday.

A seventh place finish would mean a likely first round date with the same Blazers while an eighth place finish means the Seattle Thunderbirds.



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