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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Weekend Preview

October 6, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets' Max Graham in action
Kelowna Rockets' Max Graham in action
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets will be looking to bounce back from back-to-back losses to the Prince George Cougars when they open a five-game homestand at Propsera Place this weekend.

The Rockets will host Michael Cicek's former team, the Spokane Chiefs, on Saturday at 7:05. They'll then host the Victoria Royals for a Thanksgiving Monday matchup that features $10 kids tickets and the Fan First Menu, which consists of $2 hot dogs and $5 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers.

The Rockets hit the road for the first time this season earlier this week, where they faced the WHL's top-scoring team, the Cougars. Entering Tuesdays game the Cougars had found the back of the net 29 times in just four games this season.

Kelowna suffered their first loss in regulation of the season, falling 3-2 on Tuesday night. Andrew Cristall and Hiroki Gojsic were the goal scorers for the Rockets. Jari Kykkanen started the game for the Rockets, but Carlin Dezainde driving across the crease collided with Kykkanen. He would finish off the remainder of the first period, but was replaced in net by Jake Pilon to start the second frame. More information regarding Kykkanen can be found below in the Rockets Roster Updates.

In Wednesday's game, Jake Pilon made the start for the Rockets after Jari Kykkanen was unavailable due to injury. The Cougars peppered Pilon with 21 shots in the opening frame, but the game was tied at one through the opening twenty minutes. Prince George then broke free in the second period with five goals, including a pair of short-handed goals and another on the power play. The Cougars added another pair of goals in the final minute of the game. In the end, Prince George outshot the Rockets 47-11. Logan Peskett scored the lone goal for Kelowna.

Spokane enters the weekend with a 2-1-0-0 record, they were last in action on Saturday where they fell 3-1 to the Tri-City Americans. They'll kick off their weekend with a game at home against the Seattle Thunderbirds before heading to Kelowna for Saturday's game.

As of Friday morning, the Royals are 0-4. They'll play in Kamloops on Friday night before facing the Rockets on Monday afternoon.

TICKETS

Single-game tickets for all Rockets games are on sale at Select Your Tickets.

Tickets for Rockets games are only available at Select Your Tickets, they are the official provider of Rockets tickets. To view pricing and a seating map please click here.

Tickets can be purchased:

- Online at selectyourtickets.com

- By calling Select Your Tickets at 250-762-5050

- Or by visiting the Select Your Tickets box office at the Prospera Place box office. The box office is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and opens at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday home game days.

In addition, six and twelve-game Mini Packs for the Kelowna Rockets season are now on sale through Select Your Tickets. To learn how to save on walk-up tickets and use the flexibility of a Mini Pack click here.

ROCKETS ROSTER UPDATES

The Rockets have called up 16-year-old affiliate goaltender Nathan Kam for the weekend. Netminder Jari Kykkanen is out day-to-day after leaving Tuesday night's game in Prince George with an upper-body injury.

The Rockets will be without defenceman Caden Price who is out one-to-two weeks with a lower-body injury and forward Marcus Pacheco who is out two-to-three weeks with a lower-body injury. The Rockets injury report is updated weekly and can be viewed here.

WHERE IS CAPTAIN GABBY?

As a 20-year-old import player, Gabriel Szturc has a few options of where he can play this season. He could play professionally in Europe or sign in the American Hockey League, he could also be assigned to Kelowna to spend his overage season with the Rockets.

Szturc was invited as an undrafted free agent to play for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their rookie tournament, he was then invited to their main camp and assigned to their AHL affiliate the Syracuse Crunch on September 30, he's there on a try-out.

ONLINE 50/50

The Kelowna Rockets online 50/50 is back for the 2023-24 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.

Printed lineup sheets will not be available at games this season, they can be accessed online by visiting the game day program.

The Game Day Program will be available in the same spot, it comes complete with game notes, stats, team rosters and entry forms for the Rockets intermission contests.

The sheet and program will be uploaded by 3:00 p.m. on game days.

Six and twelve game Mini Packs for the Kelowna Rockets season are now on sale through Select Your Tickets.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets' Max Graham in action
Kelowna Rockets' Max Graham in action
(Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from October 6, 2023


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