Swanson saves Rockets
By GREG MEACHEM
Advocate staff

Red Deer 2 Kelowna 2

Red Deer's Kevin Swanson stoned his home-town team on Friday. Swanson, a 20-year-old goaltender, made 37 saves to help the Kelowna Rockets hang on to a 2-2 tie with the Red Deer Rebels at Skyreach Place.

"Swanson, he was the first star of the game for a reason," said Rebels coach Brent Sutter. "He's an excellent 20-year-old goaltender in this league."

Friday's game was somewhat of a goaltenders' duel. While Rebels rookie starter Michael Garnett wasn't as busy, stopping just 24 shots, he made the key saves in the third period, and stopped three shots in overtime, to give his team a chance to tie.

Garnett also stopped a first period penalty shot, making a glove save on a Cam Paddock effort that was labeled for the top right corner.

"He made the saves when he had to," said Sutter. "Both goalies played well."

The Rockets built up an early 2-0 lead on first period goals by Paul Hurd and Kiel McLeod. Hurd scored short-handed at 9:20 while McLeod scored on the power play at 16 minutes.

Jeff Smith cut the Rockets' lead in half with a power play goal at 9:08 of the second period while Doug Lynch tied the game up with less than two minutes to go in the final frame.

"It was a hard-fought game," said Sutter. "They (Kelowna) were hungry for a win and we knew they’d be coming for us."

Instead of charging at the Rebels, the Rockets sat back and tried to clog the neutral zone against their more talented opponents.

"They play a real good trap," said Sutter. "We had a tough time getting going in the third period there, but we started to change things up and ended up getting through."

The Rebels' pressure in the final half of the third period paid off in the form of Lynch's somewhat flukey tying goal. The 17-year-old defenceman threw the puck to the front of the net on a three-on-one rush and watch it bounce into the net behind Swanson off the leg of sliding Rockets' captain Gavin McLeod.

"The tying goal was a break, but you need breaks in this game," said Sutter. "I thought we worked hard. I'm not disappointed with a tie at all. They (Kelowna) were a desperate hockey team that needed to get a win. We've got three out of four points so far on this trip, there's nothing wrong with that."

The Rebels hammered the Prince George Cougars 7-0 at the Multiplex on Wednesday night and travel to Kamloops to take on the Blazers tonight.

Sutter knows that Kamloops, like Kelowna, will be gunning for his team.

"That's what happens when you're a good hockey club," he said. "It's no different for Calgary or Kootenay or any other top team.

"Teams prepare to play you and you've got to be prepared to play the game. They're going to throw everything they have at you."

Game time tonight is 8:30 on Big 105.