Prince George dump the Rockets 4-1 on back end of back-to-back games in the northern city

Rockets settle for split

Photo: Contributed

Rockets fall 4-1 in Prince George

The Kelowna Rockets will have to settle for a split of their two-game set in Prince George.

After climbing to within a single point of the Cougars following Friday’s 3-2 win, the Rockets had a chance to leap frog their hosts into third in the Western Conference.

Instead, they slipped back into fifth following Saturday’s 4-1 defeat.

Kamloops blanked Vancouver 5-0 to jump over the Rockets into fourth, where the teams were to start the weekend.

The Cougars broke the Rockets back when Brock Souch tipped home a centering pass with .5 seconds left on the clock and the teams playing four aside.

The Rockets let Carson Carels get behind the defence, circle the net and throw a perfect centering pass for Souch with time expiring.

Prince George built off that with three unanswered in the second.

Dmitri Yakutsenak scored a pair of power play goals sandwiched around Arsenii Anisimov’s even strength marker to take a 4-0 lead into the third.

The lone bright spot for the Rockets was Owen Folstrom’s power play goal 7:45 into the third. It was the second goal in as many nights for Folstrom.

Josh Banini, making his first start since taking a puck near the eye while sitting on the bench Jan. 10 in Portland, turned away 27 shots.

The Rockets head home to face Wenatchee Wednesday at Prospera Place in the first meeting of the season between the conference rivals. The two teams will do battle in Wenatchee Friday.