A recap of this week's THN's WHL Game of the Week featuring the Calgary Hitmen and the Kelowna Rockets.
Welcome to this week's edition of THN's WHL Game of the Week. In this weekly column, we break down one of the most exciting games from the weekend that was. This week, we examine a high-scoring battle between the Calgary Hitmen and the Kelowna Rockets.
After chances at both ends of the ice, the Rockets capitalized on the power play, thanks to Andrew Cristall's 19th goal of the season at 7:43 of the first. While it took some time, Calgary would eventually tie the game up on a power play of their own as Sean Tschigerl buried his 17th of the year at 15:46. Both teams headed into the locker not just tied in goals with one apiece but also shots as each registered 13 during the first 20 minutes of play.
Out of the break, the Hitmen took advantage, scoring twice with the man advantage in the first six minutes of the second. First, Tyson Galloway scored his second of the season at 2:15, while Chase Valliant's fourth made it a 3-1 game 5:37 into the period. It didn't take long for the Rockets to not just tie the game but take the lead as they scored three goals in under six minutes. Andrew Cristall started the scoring with his second of the night at 6:15, while Michael Cicek's sixth at 8:16 tied the game at three. The Rockets would complete the comeback and take the lead at 11:59 of the second as Hiroki Gojsic's eight of the season put Kelowna out front 4-3.
The scoring wasn't over in the second, as each team would add another before the break. Aleksey Chichkin's first at 13:09 would tie the game for Calgary, while Gabriel Szturc's 17th less than 20 seconds later would put the Rockets back by one. After a seven-goal second, the teams would enter the dressing room with the Rockets holding a 5-4 lead after 40 minutes of play.
The Hitmen came out of the intermission fired up and tied the game early, thanks to Ethan Moore's sixth of the year at 1:30 of the third. Kelowna would once again take the lead on the power play thanks to Szturc's second of the game at 3:15 before Calgary's Oliver Tulk scored his 21st at 10:47 to tie the game at six. Ultimately, the Rockets would get the last laugh as Cristall's hat-trick goal on the power play at 12:37 would hold up as the winner, as Kelowna skated away with a 7-6 victory on home ice. With the victory, the Rockets improved to 17-16-2 on the season, while the Hitmen dropped to 13-17-3-1.
