The Rockets took two of three on their U.S Trip this weekend
Starting on Friday in Spokane. Mark Liwiski scored two goals. And Pavel Novak chipped in with a goal and an assist as the Rockets beat the Spokane Chiefs 4-1.
Liwiski opened the scoring at the 4:56 of the second. He then scored his second of the game and 13th of the season at the 13:53 mark of the third. Nolan Flamand made it 2-0 at 7:50 of the second. Pavel Novak closed out the scoring at 14:19 of the third. The Rockets continued to get production from John Babcock and Adam Kydd. Babcock chipped in with an assist. That gives him five points in the last four games. Kydd also got an assist. He has 11 points in 10 games since being acquired from the Calgary Hitmen. Talyn Boyko made 24 saves for the win.
Bear Hughes scored the lone goal for the Chiefs. He cut the lead in half to 2-1 at the 15:37 mark of the second while Mason Beaupit made 35 saves to take the loss.
On Saturday it was off to Kennewick to face the Tri-City Americans. A four goal second period led to a 6-1 win over the Americans. Jake Lee opened the scoring in the first and added one of the four goals in the second. Andrew Cristall scored twice. Nolan Flamand finished off the scoring in the second. Kydd closed out the scoring.
In addition to Lee getting two goals, he assisted on Flamand;s goal for a three point night. Both Kydd and Flamand added two assists to also have a three point night. Pavel Novak chipped in with two assists. Jari Kykkanen made 24 saves to secure the win.
Chase Freidt-Mohr scored for the Americans. Nick Avakyan made 23 saves to take the loss for the Americans.
Sunday’s trip to Everett was not as easy for the Rockets. The Silvertips got 4 power play goals on six attempts en route to a 6-2 win over the Rockets.
The Silvertips established their dominance in the first period. They got powerplay goals from Ryan Hofer and Olen Zellwegger. They also outshot the Rockets 21-2. Ben Hemmerling built a 3-0 lead for the Silvertips before the Rockets made a push. Mark Liwiski and Jake Lee scored exactly two minutes to close the gap to 3-2.Liwiski at 4:30.Lee at 6:30. But Niko Huuhtanen scored his 25th of the year and the Silvertips third powerplay goal of the game to make it 4-2. Ryan Hofer reestablished the Silvertips three goal lead at the end of the second. Jackson Berezowski added his 31st goal in the third to make it 6-2.
The CHL’s number 3 ranked Silvertips had a productive night from a number of their stars.Hofer had a four point night. (2G, 2A) Huuhtanen had a three point night (1G 2A). Hemmerling and Zellweger had a goal and an assist. Ronan Seeley had two assists. Braden Holt had 30 saves for the win.
Talyn Boyko had 37 saves for the Rockets.
The Rockets 2-1 weekend puts them at 24-11-1. They have 52 points. They remain in second place in the B.C. Division and fifth in the Western Conference. The loss to the Silvertips ended an eight game winning streak. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are back in action against the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday.