Rockets hoping to close out 6-game road trip on high note this weekend
Kelowna at 1-2-1-0 through 4 games after OT loss in P.G.
The Kelowna Rockets will be looking to get back on track in Alberta this weekend, starting tonight in Red Deer against the Rebels before closing out their six-game road trip in Edmonton against the Oil Kings on Saturday.
It won’t be easy for the Rockets (8-12-1-0), though, with the Oil Kings (13-7-1-1) and Rebels (13-5-1-0) sitting first and second in the Central Division standings. Edmonton is first with 28 points, one ahead of Red Deer, which has three games in hand.
The Rockets, who are still outside the playoff picture in the Western Conference but now tied for the second wild-card spot after earning a loser point on Wednesday, have a 1-2-1-0 record through four games on this road trip.
It started last Friday with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds — that was Kelowna’s fourth straight win, following three in a row on home ice since making a coaching change on Oct. 23, with Adam Foote replacing Jason Smith — but the Rockets have now lost three straight after dropping 3-0 and 4-2 decisions to the Portland Winterhawks, then blowing a late lead in falling 4-3 in overtime to the Prince George Cougars on Wednesday night.
The Cougars (9-8-1-2) netted the equalizer with just 16.3 seconds remaining in regulation, then won with only six seconds left in OT to overtake the Victoria Royals (10-6-0-0) for second place in the B.C. Division standings.
Kelowna inched up to 17 points and sits fourth in the B.C. Division, three points ahead of the fifth-place Kamloops Blazers (6-9-1-1), but three points behind third-place Victoria and four points back of P.G.
The division-leading Vancouver Giants (13-4-2-0) are 11 points clear of the Rockets.
For Kelowna’s players from the prairies, this part of the trip will be a homecoming.
“My mom and dad are going to be at both games, it’s going to be special to be able to play in front of them,” said Rockets assistant captain Kaedan Korczak, who hails from Yorkton, Sask. “A lot of the guys have friends and family coming. It’s exciting because not everyone can always make it out to Kelowna to see us play.
“We’re on a bit of a skid right now, but we’re going to push forward and hopefully collect a couple wins,” added Korczak.
Tonight marks the lone meeting of the season between Kelowna and Red Deer. They played three times last season, with the Rebels taking that series 2-1-0-0.
Saturday’s game will also be the only time that the Rockets and Oil Kings face off this season. They split the two games against each other last season.