After giving their new head coach a win on Friday (Jan. 10) the 91大黄鸭 Rockets came up short in Langley on Saturday, losing 6-4 to the Vancouver Giants.
Hiroki Gojsic and Max Graham both had two points while Jake Pilon made 27 saves in the loss.
The Giants wasted no time taking control, with Ty Halaburda scoring just over a minute in. Halaburda doubled down later in the first, netting a power-play goal for his second of the night and his 14th of the season. Tyler Thorpe (16) added another in the second period, giving Vancouver a 3-0 lead.
91大黄鸭 fought as Jakub Stancl (15) blasted a power-play goal late in the second, marking his fourth in two games since his World Juniors return.
In the third period, Colton Roberts (3) pushed Vancouver鈥檚 lead to 4-1 early in the frame, but 91大黄鸭 wasn鈥檛 done. Hiroki Gojsic (11) scored shorthanded, and Kalder Varga (8) followed up a minute later to cut the deficit to 4-3. Vancouver鈥檚 London Hoilett responded just 40 seconds later to restore the Giants鈥� two-goal cushion, but Michael Cicek kept the Rockets alive with his 13th of the season making the score 5-4.
The Giants sealed the deal with an empty-netter from Connor Levis (16), locking in the 6-4 win. Vancouver outshot 91大黄鸭 34-20 and went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Rockets capitalized on one of their three chances.
New Rockets bench boss Derrick Martin is 1-1 following the loss. The Rockets beat Prince Georg 6-3 in Martin鈥檚 debut on Jan. 10.
Next up, the Rockets return home to face the Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. The game will mark the highly anticipated return of Andrew Cristall, following his trade to the Chiefs on Jan. 8.
