
Andrew Cristall’s final game at Prospera Place is one the Kelowna Rockets wish they could forget.
Cristall led a double-digit onslaught Wednesday night with a two goal, two assist performance in a 10-0 shellacking of the Rockets.
It was the worst loss by a Rockets squad since an 11-1 beat down in Portland February 2 of last year and the first time the team has surrendered 10 games at home since a 10-4 defeat at the hand of the Seattle Thunderbirds nearly three decades ago.
And, while the Rockets may wish to forget, head coach Derrick Martin said no, lessons need to be learned.
“We’ve got to let that resonate. We’ve got to learn some lessons from it as a group, all of us, collectively,” said Martin.
“There have been too many of these games to sit here and say we can just forget about it.
“We’ve got to address it, we’ve got to look each other in the eye and have honest conversation. I think we’ll become a better group because of that.”
Martin said you get better doing hard things and Wednesday was definitely a hard lesson.
Through the first half of the game the Rockets were actually competitive against the high-flying Chiefs despite being down 4-0.
Both teams had numerous chances but the difference, the Chief buried theirs while the Rockets either missed the net or shot directly into Dawson Cowan.
“They are a good hockey team. We didn’t come in expecting it to be easy.
“We missed some chances early on and that’s a major difference in the hockey game tonight. We chased the scoreboard and really the challenge for our group is to learn the scoreboard takes care of itself.
“It’s a story that talks over 60 minutes, not 10 or 15 or 20 or 30. We have to learn lessons, we have to learn them together and it starts with me…I have to be better on the bench.”
Cristall, who put up seven points in 12-2 thumping of Wenatchee on the weekend, delighted the nearly 4,000 fans beating Rhett Stoesser blocker side on a breakaway to make it 2-0.
The goal came seconds after Michael Cicek missed the net with a glorious chance in close.
The former Rockets again slipped behind the Rockets defence, took a long stretch pass from Saige Weinstein and beat Jake Pilon in the identical spot.
Berkeley Catton who centers the Chiefs big line with Cristall and Shea Van Olm registered a hat trick and an assist, including a power play goal with just 18 seconds left.
It came after Chiefs Sam Oremba left with an injury after a hard hit in the Rockets end.
Cowan blocked 27 shots to earn his fourth shutout of the season as the Chiefs outshot the Rockets 50-27.
Prior to the game the Rockets played a video tribute chronicling Cristall's time with the Rockets.
The Rockets have just 48 hours to learn from this one as they host the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday night.