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Golden Rockets trailing Fernie Ghostriders 3-0 in playoffs

Golden Rockets drop first three games in first round playoff series against Fernie.

After losing the first three games of their seven game series against the Golden Rockets are in a do-or-die situation when they play at home on Tuesday night 4 in their seven-game series against the Ghostriders.

They had a very tough start to the series with a 6-1 loss in game 1 on Friday Feb. 24 at the Fernie Memorial Arena.

The Rockets were outshot 16-6 in the first period, but held the score at 1-0 heading into the first intermission after a power play goal from Fernie's Dylan Robertson.

The Ghostriders strengthened their lead in the second period with goals from Connor McLaughlin and Stefan Seel, putting them up by three after 40 minutes.

The third period didn't get any better for Golden. Fernie scored three strait before the Rockets got their first and only goal of the night from Carson George.

A fight in the third period got Golden's Bryden Marsh and Fernie's Brendon Mangone tossed from the game.

Golden put in a much stronger showing on Saturday Feb. 25 at the Fernie Memorial Arena, but it wasn't enough to keep the top-ranked team in the Eddie Mountain Division from beating them 4-2.

The Ghostrider's Evan Burgess scored first on the power play when Rockets defenceman Coltin Berard was sent to the box for a blow to the head.

Golden was able to capitalize on a power play opportunity later in the period as well when Jacob Bergeron beat goalie Fraser Abdallah. There was some confusion on the ice as play kept going after the goal, and Fernie carried the puck to the other end and scored.

After some deliberation the referee called Bergeron's shot a good goal, which left the game tied at one after 20 minutes.

Fernie took back the lead in the second period. Alex Milhouse beat goaltender Jarrod Schammerhorn at 10:11.

Both Golden and Fernie were given a power play opportunity in the middle frame, but neither team was able to take advantage of it.

After being outshot 13-7 in the second period, the play was much more evenly matched in the third.

Golden’s Berard redeamed himself for the goal-costing penalty he took early in the game. In the third period he tied the game up at two at 6:51.

The Rockets could not hold on long enough to make it to overtime, as Ghostrider Connor McLaughlin put his team up by one at 3:32.

McLaughlin struck again, scoring with less than a minute left in the game to put a final nail in the Rockets’ coffin.

Things did not get off to a good start for the Rockets when they played their first game at home.  Fernie jumped out in front and held a 3-0 lead before the Rockets got on the board. By the end of the first period Fernie was up 5-2. The scoring continued in the second period with the Ghostriders scoring three more times and the Rockets notching two goals in the second frame. With one more goal in the third for Fernie the game ended 9-4.

Fernie is now leading the series 3-0, with game 4 on Tuesday Feb. 28.

Due to publication deadlines, the Golden Star was unable to print the results of game 4. But all scores will be available on the paper’s website at www.thegoldenstar.net.