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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Prepare For Two Game Weekend

December 8, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets defenceman Ismail Abougouche (left) vs. the Victoria Royals
Kelowna Rockets defenceman Ismail Abougouche (left) vs. the Victoria Royals
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

The Kelowna Rockets will play in a pair of teddy bear toss games this weekend. They'll be hoping to make it rain bears against the Victoria Royals on Friday night, but will try to stop the bears from coming down on Saturday night on the road against the Vancouver Giants.

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. To learn more about the teddy bear toss click here.

Kelowna is coming off a 5-2 win over the Everett Silvertips on Sunday that snapped a four-game losing streak. Gabriel Szturc was named the game's first star after netting a pair of goals, while Rockets goaltender Jari Kykkanen made 44 saves to earn second-star honours.

Victoria hosted the Kamloops Blazers for back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Royals fell 3-0 in the first game, but came back to down the Blazers 5-2 on Wednesday ending their 12-game losing streak.

It's a busy weekend for the Giants, they'll travel to Kamloops for their matchup on Friday night before returning home on Saturday to host the Rockets. They'll then head down to Seattle on Sunday evening.

Tickets

Single-game tickets for all 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.

The last time these two met

It's been nearly two months since the Rockets last saw the Royals, they last met on October 11th and 12th on the island. Colton Dach lifted Kelowna to a 2-1 victory in overtime on the 11th, but Victoria charged back to take the second game 5-2.

Saturday will be the first time Vancouver and Kelowna face off this season.

Roster Updates

The Rockets will be without captain Colton Dach, forward Adam Kydd and defenceman Jackson Romeril.

Dach has departed for Hockey Canada's World Junior Championship camp.

Kydd remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. Forward Turner McMillen is also listed on the injury report as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Romeril underwent a tonsillectomy earlier this week, he will miss the next two weeks.

Players to watch

Kelowna

Rockets leading scorerAndrew Cristall will be looking to go back-to-back on Teddy Bear goals.

Twenty-year-old forward Carson Golder started his WHL career with the Victoria Royals, this will be his first chance to face his former team as a member of the Rockets.

Gabriel Szturc posted a three-point night on Sunday, the Czechia product has recorded 36 points through 24 games this season.

Victoria

Former Rocket Jake Poole leads the Royals in scoring with 26 points (15A, 11A) through 26 games this season. After being held pointless in his previous four games, the twenty-year-old posted a three-point (2G, 1A) night, including the game-winner on Wednesday against the Blazers.

Goaltender Nicholas Cristiano's name will ring a bell with Rockets fans, his WHL playingrights were traded from the Rockets to the Royals late last month. He's 1-4-0-0 with a 3.83 goals-against average, .889 save percentage in five starts for Victoria.

Kelowna product Teague Patton was teammates with Rockets Jackson DeSouza and Dylan Wightman in 2019-20 on the U18 Okanagan Rockets. He's currently second in Royals scoring with 17 points in 28 games.

Vancouver

Rookie import Samuel Honzekleads the Giants in scoring with 39 points (15G, 24A) through 27 games. A late 2004 birthdate, the Slovak product will be eligible for the NHL Draft for the first time this June. He was given an 'A' ranking by the NHL's Central Scouting on their Preliminary Players to Watch List.

Mazden Leslie leads all Giants defencemen in scoring with 25 points through 27 games. He was a 'C' ranking by the NHL's Central Scouting on their Preliminary Players to Watch List.

Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jesper Vikmanhas once again carried most of the workload in the crease for the Giants this season. He's 8-8-0-1 with a 3.42 goals-against average, .903 save percentage in 18 games for Vancouver this season.

The series at a glance

2022-23 Season Series vs VIC

Oct. 5 vs Victoria 3-0 W

Oct. 11 @ Victoria 2-1 OTW

Oct. 12 @ Victoria 5-2 L

Dec. 9 vs Victoria 7:05 pm

Jan. 3 vs Victoria 7:05 pm

Jan. 13 @ Victoria 7:05 pm

Jan. 14 @ Victoria 6:05 pm

Jan. 22 vs Victoria 4:05 pm

2022-23 Season Series vs VAN

Dec 10 @ Vancouver 7:00 pm

Jan. 20 @ Vancouver 7:30 pm

Jan. 21 vs Vancouver 7:05 pm

Jan. 27 @ Vancouver 7:30 pm

Jan. 28 vs Vancouver 7:05 pm

Feb. 3 vs Vancouver 7:05 pm

Mar. 1o vs Vancouver 7:05 pm

Mar. 24 @ Vancouver 7:30 pm

Mar. 25 vs Vancouver 7:05 pm

BC Division standings

as of Thursday afternoon

TEAM GP W L OTL SOL PTS

1 Kamloops Blazers 25 14 6 3 2 33

2 Prince George Cougars 27 14 13 0 0 28

3 Vancouver Giants 27 10 12 3 2 25

4 Kelowna Rockets 24 10 12 2 0 22

5 Victoria Royals 28 4 21 3 0 11

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets defenceman Ismail Abougouche (left) vs. the Victoria Royals
Kelowna Rockets defenceman Ismail Abougouche (left) vs. the Victoria Royals
(Steve Dunsmoor)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2022


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