Emotions spilled over late in the Blazers 7-2 win over the Rockets

Photo: Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets

Old-time hockey reared its ugly head as tensions and emotions boiled over Saturday at Prospera Place.

More than 200 minutes of penalties were handed out as numerous fights broke out over the last five minutes of Kamloops' 7-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets, including a brawl at 17:46 which included almost everyone on the ice.

Both goaltenders, Roman Basran of the Rockets and Dylan Garand of the Blazers also dropped the mitts and masks and threw punches near centre ice.

When the dust had settled, 132 minutes in penalties were handed out during that fracas alone.

Officials handed out 204 penalty minutes, including 18 fighting majors, four misconducts and seven game misconducts, including five to the Rockets.

Over the course of the game, the teams combined for 234 penalty minutes, 127 to the Rockets and 107 to Kamloops.

Suspensions may be handed out.

As for the game itself, Kamloops broke open a tight game with power play goals 29 seconds apart late in the second period to take a 5-2 lead after 40 minutes.

The Blazers scored four times with the man advantage on eight chances during the game.

The Rockets got on the board first Saturday when newcomer Jonas Peterek buried a pass from Connor McDonald.

The lead didn't last long as Orrin Centazzo on the power play and Josh Pillar in the first and Connor Zary on a second period power play gave the Blazers a 3-1 lead.

Alex Swetlikoff pulled the Rockets to within a goal before the Blazers all but put an end to thing with those late goals in the second.

The Blazers shut down the Rockets in the third, outshooting them 16-3 and scoring the only two goals of the period.

The Rockets played Saturday without Nolan Foote and Trevor Wong.

That allowed 15-year-old Rilen Kovacevic to make his WHL debut.

The Rockets are now off until the weekend when they travel south to face Everett Friday before back-to-back games in Portland Saturday and Sunday.