Adam Brown reached a milestone on Saturday night. For a while, though, it looked like he’d have to wait another game for his 100th regular-season win.
Zach Franko scored the game-winning goal for Kelowna, in the shootout, as the Rockets rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Vancouver Giants 4-3 at Prospera Place. Heading into last night’s contest, the Rockets were riding a two-game losing streak, including a 6-3 embarrassment on Friday night to the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.
On Saturday, though, the Rockets started strong and were competitive, unlike Friday, but, somehow wound up trailing 3-1 after two periods. Then came a slapshot from Mitchell Chapman that made it 3-2 just six minutes into the third period, and the rally was on. Brown then slammed the door on the Giants in the shootout, stopping both shooters while the Rockets went two-for-two.
“It feels good,” Brown said on reaching 100 wins. “I wasn’t thinking too much about it; it was in the back of my head, but it’s really a team stat. It goes under me, but it also goes in the win column, and that’s the most important thing right now.”
That No. 100 came against Vancouver, Kelowna’s biggest rival, was special for Brown. Asked that of all the teams he could beat for No. 100, Vancouver was number what on his list?
“They’re up there pretty high; the top couple for sure,” said Brown. “It feels good anytime you beat them with the rivalry we have.”
Cain Franson, who opened the scoring five minutes into the first period on the power play with his 18th goal of the season, Tyler Vanscourt and Alex Kuvaev scored in regulation for Vancouver (27-17-1-2), which also led 1-0
after the first. Rookie goalie Jackson Whistle, a West Kelowna product, made 38 saves. Marek Tvrdon had three assists for Vancouver.
Cody Chikie, who made it 3-1 late in the second period on a goal-mouth scramble, and Tanner Moar, with the game-tying goal at 10:36 of the third, also scored for Kelowna (20-23-2-3). Myles Bell also scored in the shootout for Kelowna, which was unlucky in not winning in regulation, as the Rockets got stronger as the game went on, though the Giants iced a team missing three key regulars, including top forward Brendan Gallagher.
“This was a good effort,” said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska. “The most important thing was we didn’t change. We got down 3-1 and we still kept working, which is what we like to see. It was nice that we got rewarded with the one point to start with, but Adam getting his 100th win, it was nice to finish it off.”
SCRATCHES — Kelowna: RW Filip Vasko, D Damon Severson (upper-body injury, 1-2 weeks), C Spencer Main (concussion, 2-3 weeks), C Colton Heffley (upper-body injury, day-to-day) and LW Jessey Astles (upper-body injury, 2-3 weeks). Vancouver: G Adam Morrison (upper-body injury, 2 weeks), D David Musil (upper-body injury, day-to-day), C/RW Dalton Sward (upper-body injury, 2 weeks) and RW Brendan Gallagher (upper-body injury, 2 weeks).
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