Sports stats



WHL Kelowna Rockets

Preview: Cougars & Thunderbirds At Rockets

December 9, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets defenceman Jackson DeSouza vs. the Prince George Cougars
Kelowna Rockets defenceman Jackson DeSouza vs. the Prince George Cougars
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

The Kelowna Rockets will kick off a four-game homestand starting this weekend that will carry them into the Christmas break. They'll host the Prince George Cougars on Friday, the Seattle Thunderbirds will then roll into town for their lone visit to Kelowna this season.

The Victoria Royals will visit for a rare Tuesday night game at Prospera, the Rockets will then host the Kamloops Blazers for the annual Orchard Ford Teddy Bear Toss game on the 18th. Interior Health protocols require stuffed animals to be new with tags and placed in bags before being tossed onto the ice. Bags will be available at the game for fans if they need one.

Fans can purchase tickets for all Rockets games at selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050.

Kelowna returns home after going 1-0-0-1 on their three-game road trip. They opened the trip with a 4-3 win over the Kamloops Blazers on December 4, they then headed south where they fell 2-1 to the Seattle Thunderbirds in a shootout on Tuesday night and 5-3 to the Everett Silvertips on Wednesday.

Rockets forward Mark Liwiski will finish serving his two-game suspension on Friday night, he'll be eligible to return to the lineup on Saturday. Kelowna has also been without forward Jake Poole, he has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury.

Prince George has had the week off after a four-game road trip to the United States that saw them go 1-3-0-0. They were last in action on Saturday, December 4, where the Tri-City Americans clipped them 4-1.

Seattle will play the Kamloops Blazers in Kamloops before heading to Kelowna on Saturday.

WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE RINK

* On Friday Sunshine LeisureScapes will team up with the Canadian Mental Health Association Kelowna for their puck toss during the intermission to raise funds for the CMHA. The winner will receive four club tickets and dinner at Manhattan Point for a future Rockets game.

* The Fireplace Den will be outside of gate one before Saturday night's game to keep fans warm with a special outdoor fireplace as they enter the building. James Tire Craft will also be giving away a set of four (4) Hercules Tires.

THE LAST TIME THESE TWO MET

* The Rockets last played Prince George on November 27 at Prospera Place, where they improved to 4-0-0-0 on the season against the Cougars with a 4-1 win. Gabriel Sztruc set a franchise record, scoring the fastest goal, finding the back of the net six seconds in. Nolan Flamand and Colton Dach pushed the Rockets out to a 3-0 lead 5:57 into the game. Connor Bowie got on back for the Cougs in the first. Tyson Feist added a power play marker early in the third. Talyn Boyko made the start, turning aside 33 of the 34 shots he faced.

* Kelowna faced off against the Thunderbirds for the first time this season on Tuesday. Reid Schaefer and Mark Liwiski traded goals before the game went to a shootout. Mekai Sanders scored the lone goal in the three-round shootout. Boyko faced 38 shots in the game, stopping 37.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kelowna:

* Talyn Boyko has started the last seven games for the Rockets. He faced a team-high of 48 shots in Wednesday night's loss to the Tips, stopping 43 of them.

* On Thursday Pavel Novak was named to the Czech Republic's World Junior camp for the upcoming 2022 WJC in Edmonton, Alta. The Tabor, CZE product leads the Rockets in scoring with 26 points (11G, 15A).

* Defenceman Jake Lee is the last remaining piece of the trades with Seattle made in 2019, he picked up an assist against his former club on Tuesday night. The 20-year-old leads the Rockets defence in scoring with 15 points (6G, 9A) through 21 games.

Prince George:

* Selected second-overall by the Cougars in the 2020 WHL Draft, forward Riley Heidt missed the last game against the Rockets, playing for Canada Red at the Capital City Challenge, where he posted a goal and three assists over four games. The 16-year-old is tied for second in team scoring with 13 points (4G, 9A) over 19 games.

* Defenceman Hudson Thornton leads the team in scoring with 14 points (4G, 10A) over 22 games.

Seattle:

* Netminder Thomas Milic came up with 31 saves against the Rockets on Tuesday night. The Coquitlam, BC product is 10-6-2-0 on the season with a 2.62 GAA and .910 SAV%.

* Columbus Blue Jackets 2020 third-round pick Samuel Knazko recently joined the T-Birds. The Slovakia product was selected 21st overall by Seattle in the 2020 CHL Import draft, he's appeared in three games for the Thunderbirds, posting a goal.

B.C. DIVISION STANDINGS

# Team GP W L OTL SOL PTS

1 Kamloops Blazers 22 18 4 0 0 36

2 Vancouver Giants 22 13 8 1 0 27

3 Kelowna Rockets 21 11 7 0 3 25

4 Prince George Cougars 22 8 14 0 0 16

5 Victoria Royals 20 6 11 3 0 15

U.S. DIVISION STANDINGS

# Team GP W L OTL SOL PTS

1 Everett Silvertips 24 19 3 1 1 40

2 Seattle Thunderbirds 23 14 6 3 0 31

3 Portland Winterhawks 23 9 10 3 1 22

4 Spokane Chiefs 21 6 12 2 1 15

5 Tri-City Americans 20 5 12 3 0 13

as of Thursday afternoon

Season Series vs PG (4-0-0-0)

Nov. 6 vs Prince George 4-1 W

Nov. 12 @ Prince George 5-2 W

Nov. 13 @ Prince George 3-0 W

Nov. 27 vs Prince George 4-1 W

Dec. 10 vs Prince George 7:05 PM

Jan. 11 @ Prince George 7:00 PM

Jan. 12 @ Prince George 7:00 PM

Feb. 16 vs Prince George 7:05 PM

Feb. 18 @ Prince George 7:00 PM

Feb. 19 @ Prince George 7:00 PM

Mar. 9 vs Prince George 7:05 PM

Apr. 1 vs Prince George 7:05 PM

SEASON SERIES vs EVT (0-0-0-1)

Dec. 8 @ Everett 2-1 SOL

Jan. 21 vs Everett 7:05 PM

Feb. 11 vs Everett 7:05 PM

ONLINE 50/50

The Kelowna Rockets online 50/50 is back for the 2021-22 season!

The online 50/50 will give fans in Rockets fans located in British Columbia 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 defenceman Jackson DeSouza vs. the Prince George Cougars
Kelowna Rockets defenceman Jackson DeSouza vs. the Prince George Cougars
(Steve Dunsmoor)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from December 9, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central