The Rockets have been playing some exciting hockey over the last month, and last night’s encounter with Kimberley was no exception. Again, as we witnessed over the final few games of the regular season, this game needed an extra session to decide a winner…………….
Friday, February 25th, 2022 Dynamiters 3 Rockets 2
Game Three action at the Plywood Palace began as an end-to-end affair for the opening ten minutes, with both teams taking a minor penalty each, and the shots were even. At 16:26, Kimberley’s power play got things going with Kade Leskosky pulling the pin. That goal held until the end of the period.
The Rockets took a double minor penalty at the end of the first period, which overlapped into the second frame. But some great penalty-killing by the Goldenites held the powerful Nitro power play at bay.
At 11:26 of the middle stanza, the Rockets found the equalizer on a powerplay of their own, with Connor Funke neatly sliding a pass to Austin Angus who one-timed a perfect snapshot to the back of the net. Nearing the end of the second period, Rocket netminder Levi Hall made a pair of outstanding saves to keep the game tied at 1-1.
Rockets got into a bit of penalty trouble in the early going of the third period, but the penalty-kill units kept the Dynamiters around the perimeter very effectively.
AT 14:34, Golden brought the hometown crowd to its feet, as captain Jordan Lario outraced both Nitro defensemen to the loose puck just over centre ice, and made no mistake tucking the puck into the twine for a 2-1 lead. That margin however, was short-lived as Kimberley tied things up just thirty seconds later, as Leskosky hit for his second of the game.
The Dynamiters began to apply heavy pressure deep in the Golden end, but Levi Hall was brilliant in goal, sending the contest into overtime.
And it didn’t take long in the extra session for the visitors to strike for the winner. Just nine seconds in, Austin Daniels hard, low shot from the left face-off circle got behind Hall for the difference in a 3-2 win.
Kimberley outshot Golden 45-23.
Now down 3 games to none in the series, Rockets and their fans will be looking to extend the playoff round back to Kimberley with a win in Game Four…………..
