The 麻豆精选 Rockets season officially came to an end on Friday night (April 29) after a 4-3 overtime loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Seattle won the WHL first-round series 4-1 and advanced to the next round.
After a scoreless first period, the Rockets jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second when Max Graham found the back of the next on the powerplay. The game would be tied through two periods as Jared Davidson scored his third of the series.
The first half of the third period was all Thunderbirds but the Rockets found a way to bounce back quickly. Matthew Rempe and Jordan Gustafson scored just under three minutes apart from each other to give Seattle a 3-1 lead.
Just a couple of minutes later, the Rockets would get goals from Jake Lee and Gabriel Szturc just 10 seconds apart to tie the game at three.
Gabby knows the drill, follow up your shot and good things will happen!
鈥� 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets) April 30, 2022
馃毃 @GSzturc
馃崕 @Jake_poole21
馃岗 @JakeLee03409003 pic.twitter.com/4DyLydEypL
The game would head to overtime for the second straight game when just 1:20 into the frame, Rempe scored his second of the game to give Seattle the 4-3 win and finish off the Rockets鈥� season.
Well, we made it interesting in the last few games. Thank you for the series @SeattleTbirds.
鈥� 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets) April 30, 2022
馃 pic.twitter.com/gjlVGVaExr
The Rockets got outshot 44-21 and went 1-3 on the powerplay. Tayln Boyko made 4o saves in the loss.
With the season coming to an end, so are the WHL careers for 20-year-olds Lee, captain Tyson Feist, and Mark Liwiski. Lee tied for the team lead in points during the playoffs with four. In 142 games as a Rocket, Lee collected 86 points (24 goals, 62 assists) and had a +39 plus/minus rating. Feist wore the Rockets jersey 101 times in his career, finishing with 56 points (19 goals, 37 assists) and a +37 rating. Liwiski, who played 195 of his 205 career WHL games for the Rockets, finished his WHL career with 53 goals, 44 assists (97 points), a +8 rating, and 340 career penalty minutes.
To Mark Liwiski, Tyson Feist and Jake Lee,
鈥� 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets) April 30, 2022
It's see ya later, not goodbye. #OnceARocketAlwaysARocket pic.twitter.com/qIhI5gu76F
With the season ending, the Rockets now have their eyes set on the U.S. Priority Draft and the WHL Prospects Draft. They take place on Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 19.
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