Victoria scores seven straight in 7-3 thumping of the Kelowna Rockets

Rockets drop 7th straight

Photo: Steve Dunsmoor

The Kelowna Rockets struggles continued Tuesday night in the provincial capital.

The Victoria Royals scored seven straight after the Rockets had opened the scoring, and cruised to a 7-3 victory.

The loss was the Rockets seventh in a row and, as has been the case throughout much of the losing streak, penalties and their inability to kill them off, hurt, especially early.

Jakub Stancl got the Rockets on the board with a shorthanded effort. Trailing the play in the Victoria end, Stancl intercepted a clearing attempt and wired home his 18th from the slot.

But, moments later the Royals tied it on the same power play, then added two more larder in the period to take a 3-1 lead into the dressing room.

The Royals dashed any designs of a comeback with power play goals 1:28 apart early in the second to build the lead to 5-1. Goals later in the second and early in the third put the home side up 7-1.

The Rockets did make the final score respectable with goals from Kalder Varga and Jaxon Kehrig at the tail end of a power play.

Cole Reschny paced the Royals attack with two goals and two helpers while Kenta Isogai and Brayden Boehm each had a goal and an assist.

Rhett Stoesser went the distance in the Rockets net stopping 28 of 35 shots directed his way.

The Rockets and Royals get back at it again Wednesday night in Victoria.