The Strathroy Rockets came out of the gates in 2024 well rested, and it paid dividends with 5 of a possible 6 points in the first week of January!
The new year started on the road for Strathroy, with a Wednesday night matchup in Lasalle. The Vipers got ahead early and carried a 3-0 into the third period, before the Rockets got the offence going. Three straight goals for the visitors tied the game, Nathan Schaap scored the first before Mason Landry scored a pair in the final 10 minutes. Strathroy would lose in a shootout 4-3 but salvage a big point on the road!
Saturday night at home saw the Sarnia Legionnaires in town, with the visitors scoring first in the game and opening up a 1-0 lead. Strathroy would then score 5 straight special teams goals over the next 17 minutes of game time, 4 Powerplay goals and a short handed mark as well. The Rockets would add a fifth Powerplay goal in the third period and hold on for a 6-2 win on home ice!
The Rockets would hit the road again Sunday, for a big matchup against the Chatham Maroons. The Maroons sat just a single point ahead of the Rockets in the Western Conference standings. Strathroy got ahead early in the game with a goal just 1:57 in from Denis Beley Camara. Strathroy would outshoot the Maroons 18-9 in the opening period and lead 3-1. The second was a chippy period, and neither team could find the net until Matthew Souliere scored his team leading 20th goal of the year just over 15 minutes into the period. That goal chased the Maroons starting goaltender from the game. It was a rude welcoming for his replacement though as right off the face off Ethan Facchina would take a breakaway pass and flip one over the glove to put the Rockets up 5-1 just 10 second apart! That’s all the Rockets needed as the skated to a 6-2 win on the road to vault themselves into 4th in the conference!
Next weekend the Rockets visit St. Marys before hosting London on Saturday.
