7th time Rockets and Ams clash in post season

As the 2018 WHL Playoffs quickly approach, the Kelowna Rockets get set to host the Tri-City Americans in round one.

This will be the seventh time these two teams will meet in the post season since the Rockets moved to Kelowna from Tacoma. They Met once prior in the 1994 Playoffs and the Tacoma Rockets took that series 3-1.

The Rockets then moved to Kelowna, and these two teams met for the first time in the post season during the 1996 WHL Playoffs. They played in the opening round and Tri-City made quick work of Kelowna, ousting them in five games in their best-of-seven series.

They didn’t meet again until the 2004 WHL Playoffs. The Rockets remembered when the Americans eliminated them from the post season eight years prior, and they returned the favour, this time in the second round, taking the best-of-seven 4-2. Kelowna went on that season to win the 2004 Memorial Cup in front of a sold out crowd at Prospera Place.

It took until the 2009 post season for these two clubs to meet again, but they met again in the second round. Kelowna once again came out on top with a 4-2 series victory. It was another fantastic post season for the Rockets as they went on to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup as the Champions of the WHL.

The following season in the 2010 WHL Playoffs, Tri-City got themselves back into the series win column over the Rockets taking their second round matchup by a series score of 4-1. The Americans went on to fall 4-1 to the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL Championship.

After a few years apart, these two renewed rivalries in the 2014 WHL Playoffs. This time they met in the first round and Kelowna showed the Americans an early exit taking the series in five games.

In their most recent playoff meeting, which came the very next season during the 2015 WHL Playoffs the Rockets and Americans were right back at it in the first round. Again the Americans ran into the wrong opponent, as the Rockets swept the Ams 4-0 en route to another Ed Chynoweth Cup title. Kelowna went on to fall 2-1 in overtime in the Memorial Cup that season.

This will be the seventh time the Kelowna Rockets face off against the Tri-City Americans in post season play.

The Rockets embark on their 2018 WHL Playoff journey starting on Thursday, March 22nd at Prospera Place for game one against the Tri-City Americans. Puck drop is at 7:05pm. Tickets are available here: http://bit.ly/2FIww7D

The full first round schedule is as follows:

Tickets are available for Rockets home games through selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050.