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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Set For Three Game Weekend

February 24, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets centre Dylan Wightman (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
Kelowna Rockets centre Dylan Wightman (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

The Kelowna Rockets will look to extend their three-game win streak starting Friday night when they host the Kamloops Blazers to kick off a three-in-three weekend.

Following Friday's game at Prospera Place, the Rockets will travel to Kamloops to face the Blazers at the Sandman Centre on Saturday, then move onto Seattle for a 5:05 matchup on Sunday at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Was.

The Rockets were last in action on Family Day with a 5-3 win over the Tri-City Americans on Monday at Prospera Place. Four different Rockets had multi-point afternoons, including first star Turner McMillen who posted a pair of goals. Jake Lee, Colton Dach and Mark Liwiski were the other goal scorers for Kelowna. Jari Kykkanen made 26 saves on 29 shots to pick up his fourth victory of the season.

"Our guys played four games in six nights with some travel, said Rockets head coach Kris Mallette following Monday's game against the Americans.

'We'll take a well-earned rest and be ready to get back after it on Friday against a team that we're obviously chasing, and obviously a team that we've had some success against. We want to play with the teams that are above us right now and we'll see where it goes."

Kamloops was also last in action on Monday, facing the Everett Silvertips in Kamloops. Down by a goal, Daylan Kuefler tied the game in the final minute of the third period. The game then went to a shootout where Dylan Ernst stopped two of three shooters and Luke Toporowski and Logan Stankoven scored for the Blazers. With the victory, Kamloops became the first BC Division team to clinch a spot in the 2022 WHL Playoffs.

Seattle will play the Spokane Chiefs on the road Friday, then host the Everett Silvertips on Saturday before the Rockets roll into town.

TICKETS

Tickets for Friday's game and all Rockets games 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.

ROSTER UPDATES

The Rockets will continue to be without right-winger Jake Poole (appendicitis).

Blazers netminder Dylan Garand has been out since February 2nd, he left the game with a lower-body injury after colliding with a Vancouver Giant. He is listed as day-to-day. Defenceman Marko Stacha is listed as out week-to-week with an upper-body injury and forward Ethan Rowland is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The Thunderbirds will be without captain Tyrel Bauer, he's listed as out month-to-month with a lower-body injury. Nico Myatovic is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Injury updates for all WHL teams can be found in the WHL Weekly Report.

ROCKETS TO WATCH

If he plays in all three games this weekend, Rockets forward Pavel Novak will play in his 100th WHL regular-season game on Sunday against Seattle.

Jake Lee currently sits at 14 goals scored this season, he's tied for seventh in goals scored by a Rockets defenceman in a single season. Michael Sykora holds the record with 24 scored in 92-93.

THE LAST TIME THESE TWO MET

KAMLOOPS

The Rockets extended their win streak to four games with a commanding 6-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers on December 29th at Prospera Place. 2-1 after two periods, the Rockets blew out of the gate in the third period with three straight goals. Andrew Cristall, Caden Price, Mark Liwiski and Jake Poole all had multi-point nights, posting two points each. Talyn Boyko stopped 35 shots to earn second-star honours and his tenth win of the season.

Pavel Novak (KEL), Logan Stankoven (KAM) and Dylan Garand (KAM) were all away at the World Juniors in their last meeting.

SEATTLE

Kelowna lost their fourth consecutive game on December 11th, falling 5-4 to the Seattle Thunderbirds at Prospera Place. After trading leads, the Rockets tied up the game and pushed ahead late in the third period with the go-ahead goal coming from Tyson Feist. Feist's goal-which was declared a good goal-was reviewed, causing a stoppage in play that created a momentum shift for Seattle coming out of the brief pause. The Thunderbirds scored back-back-to-back goals, including the game-winner, under a minute apart in the two shifts following the Rockets goal.

B.C. DIVISION STANDINGS

# Team GP W L OTL SOL PTS

1 x- Kamloops Blazers 50 35 13 2 0 72

2 Kelowna Rockets 45 29 12 1 3 62

3 Prince George Cougars 49 19 27 2 1 41

4 Vancouver Giants 46 19 25 2 0 40

5 Victoria Royals 49 14 30 4 1 33

U.S. DIVISION STANDINGS

# Team GP W L OTL SOL PTS

1 x- Everett Silvertips 49 35 7 2 5 77

2 Portland Winterhawks 50 32 13 3 2 69

3 Seattle Thunderbirds 46 30 11 4 1 65

4 Tri-City Americans 48 14 29 5 0 33

5 Spokane Chiefs 48 13 303 4 1 31

as of Thursday afternoon

SEASON SERIES

vs KAMLOOPS

Oct. 15 vs Kamloops 4-2 W

Nov. 10 vs Kamloops 3-2 W

Dec. 4 @ Kamloops 4-3 W

Dec. 18 vs Kamloops 7-4 W

Dec. 28 @ Kamloops 2-1 OTW

Dec. 29 vs Kamloops 6-2 W

Feb. 25 vs Kamloops 7:05 PM

Feb. 26 @ Kamloops 7:00 PM

Mar. 11 @ Kamloops 7:00 PM

Mar. 12 vs Kamloops 7:05 PM

Mar. 18 vs Kamloops 7:05 PM

Mar. 19 @ Kamloops 7:05 PM

Mar. 25 @ Kamloops 7:00 PM

Mar. 26 vs Kamloops 7:05 PM

vs SEATTLE

Dec. 7 @ Seattle 2-1 SOL

Dec. 11 vs Seattle 5-4 L

Feb. 27 @ Seattle 5:05 PM

Mar. 1 @ Seattle 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.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the online 50/50 and purchase tickets.

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.

The program will be uploaded by 3 p.m. on game day.

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.

All fans attending Rockets games 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.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets centre Dylan Wightman (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
Kelowna Rockets centre Dylan Wightman (right) vs. the Kamloops Blazers
(Steve Dunsmoor)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2022


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