Rockets closer to clinching

Photo: Marissa Baecker /Kelowna Rockets Images

The Kelowna Rockets have reduced their magic number to clinching a playoff spot to a manageable number in the single digits.

A feat thought almost unattainable five month ago when this team started a dismal 2-9.

The Rockets can punch their ticket to the post season, and a first round date with the Victoria Royals, with any combination of wins or Kamloops losses totalling four, after a 4-3 victory over the Portland Winterhawks at Prospera Place Sunday.

Kelowna picked up three-of-a-possible four points against the Winterhawks, following a 2-1 overtime loss to Portland Saturday.

Dallon Wilton scored the biggest goal of his brief Western Hockey League career. He snapped a 3-3 tie a mere 15 seconds after Brendan De Jong had pulled the Winterhawks even with six minutes left in regulation time.

Ted Brennan, Leif Mattson and Lassi Thomson also scored for the Rockets, who led 2-0 after one period, and and 3-1 after Thomson's power play tally two minutes into the third.

The lead held up until Jake Gricius and De Jong scored power play makers six minutes apart to pull the Winterhawks even, at least for a few brief seconds.

The Rockets are now seven points better than the Blazers, who managed a single point in an overtime loss to Vancouver Sunday.

Kelowna has a chance to clinch a playoff spot when they face the Blazers in back-to-back contests next Friday in Kamloops and Saturday back at Prospera Place.