Kelowna Rockets score four in the first in cruising to a 7-2 holiday Monday win

Rockets cruise by Ams

Photo: Steve Dunsmoor

Ty Halaburda scores on a breakaway

Vojtech Cihas is getting hot at a perfect time for the Kelowna Rockets.

Looking to balance out the scoring attack, the Czechia native added to his hot streak with two more goals Monday in a 7-2 thumping of the visiting Tri-City Americans.

Cihas now has five goals while scoring in four straight, a streak that began with a tremendous end-to-end rush through the Wenatchee defence that resulted in a penalty shot and an equally tremendous move to score on that penalty shot.

His offensive game has grown incrementally since.

Monday, he took a backdoor feed from Tij Iginla and roofed a power play goal from a sharp angle, then fought through a defender to get to a rebound late in the second period.

Iginla also had a pair, including a between-the-legs flip from in tight.

Hiroki Gojsic, Ryan Oothoudt and Ty Halaburda also scored for the Rockets who led 4-0 and 6-2 by periods.

After another hum drum start to a game Friday in Wenatchee, the Rockets have come out flying the past two games on home ice, outscoring their opponents 9-0 during those opening 20 minutes.

Monday’s win moves the Rockets to within a single point of Prince George, who occupy third in the Western Conference. The Kamloops Blazers are now three back.

The Rockets and Blazers will meet in a home-and-home showdown this weekend, Friday in Kamloops and Saturday back at Prospera Place.