Rockets Host Pair of Weekend Games
Published on November 4, 2021 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
Kelowna Rockets right wing Nolan Flamand
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)
The Kelowna Rockets will be looking to string together three straight wins for the first time this season when they host the Portland Winterhawks at Prospera Place on Friday night.
It's the first time that the Rockets have faced an American team since the 2019-20 season, Kelowna last played Portland on January 19, 2020.
Kelowna is coming off of back-to-back high scoring overtime wins. Jake Poole lifted the Rockets past the Victoria Royals 5-4 on Saturday, October 30. Andrew Cristall scored his first overtime winner on Wednesday night to push the Rockets past the Vancouver Giants 7-6.
In Wednesday night's contest, four of the Rockets seven goals came from the blueline. Tyson Feist and Noah Doey found the back of the net, while Jake Lee scored twice including the game-tying goal on the power play. Forwards Steel Quiring, Turner McMillen and Andrew Cristall also scored for the Rockets. Cole Tisdale made 17 saves on 19 shots after replacing Colby Knight in net.
The Winterhawks kicked off their first Canadian road trip in two seasons with a 7-1 loss to the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday night. Gabe Klassen scored the lone Portland goal. Dante Giannuzzi played the entire game, stopping 35 of 42 shots.
Following Friday night's contest, the Prince George Cougars will roll in to face the Rockets in their first matchup of the season. Prince Geroge was last in action on Saturday, October 30 where the B.C. Division-leading Blazers shut them down 4-1.
The Cougars will face the Vancouver Giants in Langley on Friday night before heading to Kelowna.
Kelowna has been without defenceman Elias Carmichael since last week, he has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury.
TICKETS
The current B.C. Provincial Health restrictions allow for 50% capacity at Prospera Place.
Due to this, a limited number of single-game tickets for the next two home games have gone on sale to the general public. Tickets for Saturday's game are available at selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050.
Select Your Tickets is open 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and opens at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday home game days.
FIREPLACE DEN ON FRIDAY
The Fireplace Den will be outside of gate one before Friday night's game to keep fans warm with a special outdoor fireplace as they enter the building.
BEKINS OKANAGAN FOOD BANK DONATION
Bekins Moving & Storage will be on the interlock collecting non-perishable food items for the Okanagan Food Bank. Fans who make a donation will be entered to win four (4) Club Seats and dinner for four (4) at Manhattan Point to a future game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kelowna:
Centreman Nolan Flamand posted a career-best four assists against the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday night. The Rockets second-round pick from the 2019 WHL Draft now has six points (1G, 5A) in seven games this season.
After being scratched in the Rockets game on October 30, sixteen-year-old Andrew Cristall had a three-point (1G, 2A) night, including the overtime winner, in Wednesday's victory over the Giants. He now leads the Rockets rookies in points with six (2G, 4A) through six games.
Portland:
Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Jaydon Dureau was reassigned to the Portland Winterhawks from the Lightning's AHL affiliate earlier this week. Last season, Dureau posted 31 points (10G, 21A) over 24 games.
Cross Hanas, the Detroit Red Wings second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, leads the Winterhawks in scoring with 11 points (4G, 7A) through 11 games.
Prince George:
Selected second-overall by the Cougars in the 2020 WHL Draft, forward Riley Heidt leads the Cougs in scoring with 11 points (3G, 8A) in nine games.
Overage netminder Taylor Gauthier is playing his final season in the Western Hockey League. The Calgary, Alta. product has a record of 2-2-0-0, 3.00 GAA and .912 SAV%.
B.C. DIVISION STANDINGS
# Team GP W L OTL SOL PTS
1 Kamloops Blazers 9 8 1 0 0 16
2 Prince George Cougars 9 5 4 0 0 10
3 Vancouver Giants 5 4 2 o 0 8
4 Kelowna Rockets 6 3 3 0 0 6
5 Victoria Royals 12 1 10 0 0 2
U.S. DIVISION STANDINGS
# Team GP W L OTL SOL PTS
1 Seattle Thunderbirds 7 2 1 0 0 15
1 Everett Silvertips 8 7 0 0 1 15
2 Portland Winterhawks 11 4 6 o 1 9
3 Spokane Chiefs 10 3 6 1 0 7
5 Tri-City Americans 8 2 5 1 0 5
as of Thursday afternoon
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.
LINEUP SHEETS + GAME DAY PROGRAM
Due to Covid-19 protocols, printed lineup sheets will not be available at games for fans this season. They can be accessed online in the game day program.
JDS PROJECTED LINEUP
The Rockets will post the JDS Mining Projected Lineup complete with line combos at least half an hour prior to puck drop for all games this season. You will be able to find the graphic on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram stories.
WATCH AND LISTEN
You can watch all Rockets games on WHL Live on CHL TV. More are details available by visiting watch.CHL.ca.
You can also listen to the game on AM1550.
The current B.C. Provincial Health restrictions allow for 50% capacity at Prospera Place. All fans attending will need to abide by the BC Provincial Health Authority, Prospera Place and the Western Hockey League's recently announced COVID-19 health and safety requirements which includes masks, double vaccination and their BC vaccine card.
Images from this story
 Kelowna Rockets right wing Nolan Flamand (Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets) |
Western Hockey League Stories from November 4, 2021
- Raiders Launch Community Cares Fundraising Program - Prince Albert Raiders
- Rowan Named Pats Academic Player of the Month - Regina Pats
- Rockets Host Pair of Weekend Games - Kelowna Rockets
- Chiefs Add Forward Braden Plaschewsky as Affiliate Player - Spokane Chiefs
- Blades Welcome Hundreds for Health Care Worker Appreciation Week - Saskatoon Blades
- Single-Game Tickets for All November and December Games on Sale Now - Portland Winterhawks
- Broncos Pick up Point in Shootout Loss to Blades - Swift Current Broncos
- ICE vs Red Deer, 7:00 Tonight - Winnipeg Ice
- Pats Edge Warriors - Regina Pats
- Winterhawks Start Canadian Trip in Kamloops - Portland Winterhawks
- Rockets Comeback In Overtime - Kelowna Rockets
- Late Comeback Earns Blades Shootout Victory over Broncos - Saskatoon Blades
- Giants Snag a Single Point in a 7-6 Overtime Loss in Kelowna - Vancouver Giants
- Warriors Suffer Narrow Loss in Regina on Wednesday - Moose Jaw Warriors
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