Kelowna gives up two first period power play goals in a 3-2 loss

Photo: Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets

Discipline, or a lack of it hurt the Kelowna Rockets Saturday night., especially in the opening period.

The Rockets found themselves shorthanded four times in the opening 20 minutes, surrendering a pair of goals in a 3-2 loss to the visiting Red Deer Rebels.

"We let a team that works hard hang around. If we would have been better in the first period we could have had a better outcome," said head coach Adam Foote following the game.

Josh Tarzwell opened the scoring just prior to the midway point of the first, then Kyle Masters doubled it on another power play in the dying minutes.

The Rockets chipped away in the second and were finally rewarded with Kaeden Korczak's 10th of the campaign.

The Rockets won a battle along with boards and the puck went to Matthew Wedman who spotted Korczak pinching in from the right point. Korczak's shot from the right circle beat Byron Fancy upstairs.

Pavel Novak drew the Rockets even with a shorthanded goal late in the period.

Goaltender Roman Basran started the play, ringing the puck along the boards from behind his own net.

Novak picked it up along the left boards and broke in two-on-one. He cut to the slot and beat Fancy with a wrister from about 15 feet out.

But, a mistake in the third led to Jace Isley depositing the game winner behind Basran.

But, two late penalties prevented the Rockets from getting the kind of pressure they would want to find the equalizer in the dying moments.

The Rockets try to jump back into the win column Monday afternoon when the Calgary Hitmen come to tow.

Faceoff is at 2 p.m.