Rockets squander 2 points

There are times when getting just a single point feels like a win.

Then, there’s Sunday afternoon at Prospera Place when the Kelowna Rockets blew a three goal third period lead, losing 4-3 in overtime to the WHL-leading Everett Silvertips.

Playing their third game in less than 48 hours, the Silvertips looked like the fresher team in the third period, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to earn their 19th win of the season.

It was a tough loss to swallow for assistant coach Derek Martin who assumed the head coaching duties from Kris Mallette who left before the game for Ontario where he will coach the CHL entry in the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge.

“The game plan was really sound and the guys, when we stuck to it, we looked really good, we looked like a hungry hockey team and that’s the way this team needs to play,” said Martin.

“As the game wore on I felt like we went further and further away from it. We’ll take the one point but it’s a night where it's disappointing to settle for one point.”

The Rockets jumped on the Silvertips early, building up a 2-0 first period lead on a pair of goals from Andrew Cristall who extended his consecutive point streak to 12 games.

The second, a shorthanded effort when he deked to the backhand to beat Alex Garrett on a breakaway. As he scored the goal, Cristall clipped Garrett’s outstretched pad and crashed back-first hard into the end boards.

Cristall stayed down for a few moments before skating slowly to the bench. He was OK, not missing a shift the rest of the game.

Tij Iginla made it 3-0 late in the second, ripping a shot past Garrett from the left circle off the rush.

It looked as if that might be enough to beat a fatigued Silvertips squad who had been unable to get anything past Jake Pilon over the first 40 minutes.

But a turnover in the opening seconds of the third opened the door for the visitors. Dominik Rymon was the trigger man as the Tips moved the puck around the perimeter, eventually finding Rymon in front who tipped it past Pilon just 32 seconds in.

Julius Miettinen on a power play with less than seven minutes left and Rymon on a backdoor one-timer with 152 seconds remaining in regulation completed the comeback.

“You’ve got them on the mat, you have to keep them on the mat. We provided them with life at times in the second period by turning pucks over and being hemmed in our zone,” said Martin.

“Then in the third period, they get one on the first shift and we play on our heels the final 20 minutes. Not a recipe for success.”

In overtime, the Rockets were careless with the puck in their own zone leading to a turnover. An initial shot went wide, took a weird bounce to the edge of the crease where Kaden Hammell was waiting to tap home the winner.

Everett outshot the Rockets 41-35 including 21-9 over the final period and overtime.

The Rockets, 9-9-2-1 have a tough road ahead. They’re in Portland Wednesday and Friday before returning home to host the Regina Pats Saturday.