The BC Major Midget Kootenay Ice put in a good effort on Saturday against the league-leading Okanagan Rockets, but melted in Sunday’s rematch.
In Game 1, Kootenay battled back from a 3-0 deficit on goals from Adam Parsons and Judah Makway midway through the third period, but fell just short of completing the comeback.
Kelowna restored the two-goal lead on a tally from Quinn Paterson just 16 seconds later. Kootenay’s Julian Rutland scored his second of the year to make it a 4-3 game with 6:31 left to play. However, the Rockets Teague Patton notched his ninth goal and 28th point for the 5-3 victory.
In Sunday’s game, the Rockets exploded for nine goals, including a hat trick from Paterson, in a 9-0 drubbing of the Ice.
With the wins, the Rockets improve to 20-2-1-1 and hold a three-point lead over the Vancouver NW Hawks, while Kootenay drops down to 10th spot, with a 7-17-0-0 record.
The Ice return home and face off against the 8-15-0-1 Thompson Blazers this weekend. The Blazers currently hold down fifth place in the BCMML standings, and are coming off a split with the South Island Royals on the weekend.
The Ice suffered their eighth straight loss, yet, have a prime opportunity to end that streak against the Blazers, and move up the standings.
The puck drop for Saturday’s game at the Cominco Arena goes at 4 p.m. and 9:45 a.m. on Sunday.