Taylor Leier scored twice for Portland as the Winterhawks ended Kelowna’s 23-game home-ice winning streak with a 5-3 victory over the Rockets in WHL action on Friday night.

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Heading into the game pitting the Western Conference’s top two teams, Kelowna hadn’t lost at home since Oct. 10, a 6-4 setback to the Spokane Chiefs.

Presten Kopeck, with his ninth goal of the season at 14:18 of the first period to make it 2-0, Nic Petan, with his 37th goal at 5:36 of the second to make it 3-0, and Brendan Leipsic, with an empty-net goal to seal it, also scored for Portland (44-8-1-2). Leier’s goals were his 21st and 22nd of the season.

Mac Carruth, the game’s first star, made 29 saves.

J.T. Barnett, Cody Fowlie and Colton Sissons, with goals in an exciting third period to make it 4-3, replied for the Rockets (40-12-3-1).

Jordon Cooke stopped 29 shots for Kelowna.

— The Daily Courier

with photo by Gary Nylander