Rockets set for another 1st-place showdown with rival Royals in Victoria

Kelowna on Island for doubleheader, then hosts Victoria in Monday matinee

The Kelowna Rockets hit the road for the first two of three straight games against the B.C. Division rival Victoria Royals.

The B.C. Division standings are crowded at the top with Kelowna, Victoria and the Vancouver Giants all separated by only six points. This weekend’s tripleheader has a valuable six points on the line.

“Every point is an important point, but each of these next three games are four-point games,” Rockets assistant coach Travis Crickard said. “Both teams are jockeying for position in the standings right now. We are treating this weekend as a mini-playoff series, but presently we are solely focused on (tonight).”

Tonight will be the sixth time the two teams have squared off this season. The Rockets have the slight edge with a 3-2-0-0 record in the season series.

Victoria got the better of Kelowna in their first meeting of the season when Regan Nagy scored a hat-trick to lead the Royals to an 8-3 victory in Kelowna on Oct. 4.

A month later, the Rockets were in Victoria when Dillon Dube scored two goals and added an assist in a 4-2 win on Nov. 3.

The teams played again the next night and despite going 2-for-4 on the power play and killing off all five penalties, the Rockets dropped a 4-2 decision on Nov. 4.

When the Royals came back to Kelowna on Dec. 30, Rockets rookie goaltender Roman Basran stopped 36 shots through regulation and overtime, then added three more in the shootout to backstop a 3-2 victory.

In their most recent meeting on Jan. 20, also at Prospera Place, Kole Lind led the way for Kelowna with a goal and three assists in an 8-4 win.

The season series between Kelowna and Victoria will be decided this weekend, with the teams facing off tonight and Saturday in Victoria, then again on Monday in Kelowna for a Family Day matinee at 2 p.m.

The Rockets head into tonight with a 33-16-3-1 record for 70 points and top spot in the B.C. Division.

The Royals are sitting at 32-19-3-1, only two points back of the Rockets and four points ahead of the third-place Vancouver Giants, but having played two more games than both teams.

The Rockets are also just one point back of the Western Conference-leading Everett Silvertips, who have played one more game than Kelowna.

The games tonight and Saturday both get under way at 7:05 p.m.

On Family Day, there will be face painters at Prospera Place, along with prizes to be won by kids and families.