The Kelowna Rockets couldn't quite hit double-digits this weekend, but it wasn't for lack of trying.
Carter Rigby found his scoring touch on Sunday, netting a hat trick - his first, second and third goals of the season - as the Rockets torched the Everett Silvertips 8-2.
That result closed out a three-game weekend that saw Kelowna outscore its opposition 22-5, starting with a 5-1 victory over the visiting Regina Pats on Friday, followed by a 9-2 blowout of the Memorial Cup host Saskatoon Blades on Saturday at Prospera Place.
"Pucks have been going in for us over the last little while," Rockets head coach Ryan Huska said. "It's not often that it happens the way it did for us this weekend, so we have to enjoy it - but not expect it to continue like that, I don't think."
At Everett, Zach Franko, with his 11th, Ryan Olsen, with his 13th, Madison Bowey, with his fifth, Colton Heffley, with his third, and Myles Bell, with his team-leading 15th, also scored for Kelowna (15-8-1-1). Backup goaltender Jackson Whistle remained perfect on the season, making 22 saves to improve to 6-0-0 with a 1.20 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage.
Tyler Sandhu and Dawson Leedahl, with power-play goals, replied for Everett (10-16-0-2). Austin Lotz allowed six goals on 34 shots before being replaced by Daniel Cotton.
Rigby's first marker, on a partial break, made it 4-1 midway through the middle frame and he struck again early in the third period, on a wraparound, for a 5-1 advantage. Then, at 10:26 of the final stanza, Rigby was sprung on a clear-cut breakaway and made no mistake in beating Cotton for his first career WHL hat trick.
"He put himself in positions where he could score," Huska said of Rigby, who returned Friday from a 12-game absence due to a shoulder injury. "Carter has good finish. He's got a heavy shot around the net and he does find a way (to score). He played hard tonight and it's something we hope he'll continue to do."