Kelowna Rockets forward among team award winners

The Kelowna Rockets held their awards banquet on Sunday, with Calvin Thurkauf, right, becoming the first import player to win Team MVP honours in franchise history. The sophomore centre, who captained his native Switzerland at this year’s world juniors, led Kelowna with 33 goals. ABOVE: The Foote brothers — Cal, left, and Nolan — were also big winners, with Cal being named the Rockets’ top defenceman and taking home the plus/minus award (plus 39), while Nolan, a 16-year-old forward, was named the team’s top rookie. BELOW: Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton, right, poses with the team’s three over-age players in captain Rodney Southam, from left, trade-deadline ringer Reid Gardiner and starting goaltender Michael Herringer. The Rockets will face the rival Kamloops Blazers in the opening round of the WHL playoffs, with their best-of-seven series starting Friday and Saturday in Kelowna, both 7 p.m. puck-drops at Prospera Place. Games 3 and 4 will be in Kamloops next Tuesday and Wednesday, March 28 and 29. If necessary, Game 5 would be back at Prospera Place on March 31, with Game 6 in Kamloops on April 2 and Game 7 in Kelowna on April 4. The Rockets beat the Blazers in the first round of last year’s playoffs, with Tomas Soustal scoring the overtime winner in the seventh-and-deciding game. Kelowna went on to defeat Victoria in the second round before bowing out to Seattle in the West final. The other first-round matchups in the Western Conference feature the B.C. Division champion Prince George Cougars against the Portland Winterhawks, the U.S. Division champion Everett Silvertips against the Victoria Royals, and the Seattle Thunderbirds against the Tri-City Americans. In the Eastern Conference, Regina faces Calgary, Moose Jaw takes on Swift Current, Medicine Hat is up against defending WHL champion Brandon, and Lethbridge is pitted against Red Deer.