The 91大黄鸭 Rockets were intent on halting their longest slump of the WHL campaign on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.
Tyler Benson and the Vancouver Giants had other ideas.
The Giants鈥 captain scored a 3:56 of overtime to lead Vancouver to a 4-3 victory, handing the B.C. Division-leading Rockets their season-high fifth straight loss.
鈥淚 think we did some good things for parts of the game, but I think we struggled to play a complete game again,鈥 said Smith. 鈥淲e got off track, especially in the third period. We didn鈥檛 manage the puck, we didn鈥檛 defend well enough to maintain the lead.
鈥淲e鈥檝e done some good things,鈥 Smith added on the team鈥檚 recent five-game slump, 鈥渂ut not for long enough to win games.鈥
The Rockets trailed 2-1 in the second period, but a pair of second-period power play goals by Carsen Twarynski, his 41st and 42nd of the season, put 91大黄鸭 ahead after 40 minutes.
But the Rockets couldn鈥檛 close the door on their division rivals, as Alex Kannock Leipert scored with 3:38 left in the third to force overtime and set the stage for Benson鈥檚 3-on-3 winner.
The victory ended years of frustration at Prospera Place for the Giants, who won for the first time in 91大黄鸭 since March 2011, a span of 26 games.
Both goaltenders were solid, with Rockets rookie James Porter making 32 stops, while David Tendeck stopped 35 shots in the Vancouver net.
Erik Gardiner also scored for the Rockets, while Ty Ronning and Owen Hardy had Vancouver鈥檚 other goals.
The Rockets (38-22-5-2) lead over Victoria atop the BC Division is now three points after the Royals lost 5-2 at home to Spokane Wednesday.
The Rockets return to action this weekend with a home-and-home set against the Kamloops Blazers.
The B.C. rivals meet Friday in Kamloops, then again Saturday night at Prospera Place.
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