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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Preview: Blazers Vs Rockets

March 3, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets left wing Carson Golder (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
Kelowna Rockets left wing Carson Golder (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

The Kelowna Rockets will face the Kamloops Blazers for the first time since early January this weekend for a pair of games, they'll play the Blazers at the Sandman Centre at 7:00 pm on Friday before shifting back to Kelowna at 7:05 pm on Saturday.

The Rockets have won their last four games on home ice. They were last in action on Wednesday against the Spokane Chiefs, where Carson Golder and Andrew Cristall both recorded hat tricks in the Rockets 7-4 victory. Jari Kykkanen made his second straight start, stopping 41 of the 45 shots fired at him.

The Blazers are ranked 8th on the Week 21 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 2022-23 season. The 2023 Memorial Cup hosts have a much different look than the last time the Rockets saw them, adding Washington Capitals prospect Ryan Hofer and Anaheim Ducks prospect Olen Zellweger from the Everett Silvertips at the trade deadline.

Kamloops has been off the week after wrapping up a six-game road trip to the Central Division over the weekend that saw them go 5-1-0-0. Their only loss came in the final game when the Medicine Hat Tigers took down the Blazers 7-3 on Saturday.

Tickets

Single-game tickets for Wednesday's game and all other Rockets games are available at Select Your Tickets. Tickets can be purchased online through www.selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office, or by phone at 250-762-5050.

Mini Packs are now on sale for the 2022-23 season, pick from between a six or twelve-game pack. Click here to learn more about Mini Packs.

Bighorn Moving and Storage Food Drive

Bighorn Moving and Storage will be collecting donations for the Central Okanagan Food Bank at gates one and two during Saturday night's game.

Fans who make a donation will be entered to win four single-game club seats and dinner for four at Manhattan Point to a future Rockets game.

Non-perishable food items that are most needed include: cookies, crackers, Chunky soup, peanut butter, healthy cereal, rice, Boost, Enfamil powder, canned meats, canned fruits, baby food pouches, nut-free granola bars, pasta and pasta sauce.

The last time these two met

The Rockets last played Kamloops on January 7th. Tied at one after one, the Blazers scored three unanswered goals in the second period to take a stranglehold on the game. Kamloops then added another in the third. Max Graham scored the lone goal of the game for Kelowna, while Talyn Boyko faced 43 shots on the night.

Roster Updates

Ismail Abougouche left last Friday's game after a fight late in the first period, the 16-year-old defenceman is listed on this week's injury report as out two weeks with an upper-body injury

Marcus Pacheco didn't play after Friday's game in Edmonton, he's listed as out day-to-day with an upper-body injury

Caden Price is listed out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, he missed the Rockets last game against Spokane

Players to watch

Kelowna

Recording a hat trick in the Rockets last game, Carson Golder now sits at 20 goals as a Rocket and 28 on the season. He's currently riding a five-game point streak that's seen him post eight points.

Andrew Critstall has been on a tear picking up points in six of his last seven games since returning to the Rockets lineup from injury.

Kamloops

Defeneceman Olen Zellweger had 28 points through 23 games as a Silvertip, following the trade the Anaheim Ducks prospect has posted 35 points as a Blazers.

The last few times the four Rockets games against the Blazers have not featured captain Logan Stankoven, who was away at the World Juniors helping Canada secure a gold medal.

BC Division standings as of Thursday afternoon

TEAM GP W L OTL SOL PTS

1 X - Kamloops Blazers 55 38 11 4 2 82

2 X- Prince George Cougars 57 29 24 4 0 62

3 Vancouver Giants 57 22 28 5 2 51

4 Kelowna Rockets 57 23 31 3 0 49

5 Victoria Royals 59 15 37 6 1 37

Series at a glance

2022-23 Season Series vs Kamloops

Nov 5 vs Kamloops 3-1 W

Nov. 12 @ Kamloops 6-1 L

Dec. 27 vs Kamloops 6-4 L

Dec. 28 @ Kamloops 6-2 L

Jan. 6 vs Kamloops 3-2 W

Jan. 7 @ Kamloops 5-1 L

Mar. 3 @ Kamloops 7:00 pm

Mar. 4 vs Kamloops 7:05 pm

Mar. 17 @ Kamloops 7:00 pm

Mar. 18 vs Kamloops 7:05 pm

Watch and listen

Radio broadcast

Rockets games will be broadcast on 104.7 FM the Lizard this season with Regan Bartel calling all of the action.

Don't forget to download the RocketFAN app and visit rocketfan.ca for more exclusive Rockets content from Pattison. Fans can stream the radio broadcast of all Rockets games on the app.

Online video stream

All Rockets games will be available on WHL Live. WHL Live on is available to fans anywhere in the world, providing high-quality streaming of WHL games on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV platforms, via mobile with iOS and Android, and on web using Safari or Google Chrome web browsers. Visit watch.chl.ca for complete details and subscription options.

Online 50/50

The Kelowna Rockets online 50/50 is back for the 2022-23 season!

The online 50/50 will give fans in Rockets fans located in British Columbia and those who are attending the game the chance to win during every Rockets home game this season. The 50/50 will also raise important dollars for the Kelowna Minor Hockey Association.

Tickets will be available for purchase on all game days starting at 9 a.m. PT and end at the start of the third period on the same day.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets left wing Carson Golder (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
Kelowna Rockets left wing Carson Golder (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
(Steve Dunsmoor)		   

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