Rockets ready to reignite rivalry
The Kelowna Rockets will face their biggest rival, the Kamloops Blazers twice this weekend.
The Rockets will head to Kamloops for a 7:00 pm matchup at the Sandman Centre, they’ll then return to Prospera for a rematch the next night at 7:05 pm.
Kelowna last in action this past Sunday night, they defeated the Portland Winterhawks 4-3 at Prospera Place. Assistant captain, Nolan Foote says the Rockets are ready to roll this weekend.
“We have to play our game and definitely play like we did against Portland,” said Foote. “We played strong and good last weekend. Moving forward we need to stick to our game plan and play within our structure. We know what we need to do against Kamloops.”
This will be the final two times that the Rockets face the Blazers this season. They’ve already played eight times this season, the series currently sits at four wins apiece thus far.
They opened the regular season against each other with a home-and-home series; the Blazers were victorious on home ice with a 4-1 win over Kelowna on September 21st, the next night they defeated the Rockets 3-1 at Prospera Place. They then played another home and home series; the Blazers defeated the Rockets 3-2 in overtime on December 28th, but Kelowna responded the next night with a 2-1 win at Prospera Place.
The Blazers defeated the Rockets 4-3 at the Sandman Centre on January 5th. The two faced each other three times in February. The Rockets downed the Blazers 2-1 in overtime at Prospera Place on the 2nd and 4-1 at the Sandman Centre on the 9th. They last met on February 23rd at Prospera Place where the Rockets blanked the Blazers 2-0.
The Rockets currently sit third place in the B.C. Division with 60 points and a 27-30-5-1 record. They’re 18 points ahead of the fifth-place Prince Geroge Cougars who have 42 points. Kelowna is seven points up on Kamloops, the Blazers sit in fourth place with 53 points and a game in hand on the Rockets. Kelowna is ten points back of the Victoria Royals, while the Vancouver Giants sit atop the standings with 94 points.
Saturday night’s game is the Rockets “RE/MAX Presents: Rockets Suit Up with Don Cherry to Promote Organ Donation’ game. There will be a variety of special promotions for fans in attendance at the game including 1,000 limited second edition Don Cherry bobbleheads, free drink koozies, themed jerseys that will be auctioned off in support of the local chapter of the Kidney Foundation of Canada. Full details about the game.
Tickets are on sale at selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050
