The 麻豆精选 Rockets fired plenty of shots, but they couldn't find enough goals to take down the Tri-City Americans, falling 4-2 on Saturday night at Prospera Place.
Americans captain Jake Sloan stole the show, scoring all four of Tri-City's goals, including an empty-netter. 麻豆精选 outshot Tri-City 36-20, but struggled to capitalize on their chances.
Tri-City struck early, with Sloan netting his 19th of the season less than five minutes into the game. He doubled the lead later in the period with a power-play goal for a 2-0 lead.
Hiroki Gojsic got 麻豆精选 on the board in the second, burying a rebound to cut the deficit to one. Sloan completed his hat trick in the third period for a 3-1 Tri-City lead鈥�.
Kayden Longley gave the Rockets life with a goal midway through the final frame, cutting the American鈥檚 lead to 3-2. However, with goaltender Jake Pilon pulled for the extra attacker Sloan put the game away with an empty net goal and a 4-2 Tri City win.
麻豆精选鈥檚 power play came up empty, going 0-for-3, while Tri-City converted once on three chances.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 like our start,鈥� said Rockets Interim Head Coach Derrick Martin. 鈥淥ur details weren鈥檛 very crisp, and we looked like we kind of limped into the hockey game, which really dictated the outcome.鈥�
Martin said his squad is a good team when it gets going, but added they are still looking for a sixty-minute effort. 鈥淚t鈥檚 at the point of the season where it鈥檚 big-boy hockey, and we have to find ways to get some wins.鈥�
麻豆精选 lost 3-2 to Prince George on Friday (Feb. 7) night. The Rockets haven鈥檛 won since Jan. 18 when they beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-2.
麻豆精选 travels to Washington to take on the Thunderbirds on Tuesday (Feb. 11). They鈥檒l then visit Kamloops on Feb. 14, before returning home to host the Blazers for back-to-back games on Feb. 15 and 17.
