Cougars complete back-to-back sweep of Rockets, winning 5-2 Wednesday

Photo: Kelowna Rockets

Jacob Henderson shows off the puck he used to score his first career WHL goal

The Prince George Cougars broke open a tight game with a pair of unanswered goals in the second period en route to a 5-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets Wednesday night.

The win capped a sweep of back-to-back games for the Cougars by identical 5-2 scores.

The game was deadlocked at 1-1 after 20 minutes before Borya Valis and Matteo Danis scored 1:37 apart early in the second period.

Danis increased the lead to three early in the third before completing his hat trick with an empty net goal with two-and-a-half minutes left.

The blueline produced all the offence the Rockets could muster against Joshua Ravensbergen. Will Sharpe and Jacob Henderson with his first career Western Hockey League goal scoring for the visitors.

Trailing 1-0 in the first, a Prince George clearing attempt went off Levi Benson and right to Sharpe who skated into the left circle and fired a wrist shot off the post just under the bar and past Ravensbergen.

Henderson gave the Rockets some life just past the midway mark of the third. He played give-and-go with Hayden Paupanekis skating over the Cougars blueline.

Henderson deked the defenceman with a nifty toe drag and beat Ravensbergen from the low slot.

The goal cut the deficit to two but the Rockets were unable to get any closer.

The Rockets are now 1-2 on their eight game road trip.

The trip now moves across the Rockies as the Rockets begin a five game swing through the Central Division beginning Saturday night in Red Deer.