Preview: Kamloops At Kelowna
November 3, 2022 – Western Hockey League (WHL) – Kelowna Rockets News Release
Kelowna Rockets battle the Kamloops Blazers
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)
The Kelowna Rockets will face the Kamloops Blazers for the first time this regular season when the Blazers visit Prospera Place on Saturday night at 7:05 pm.
The Rockets have had the week off after playing back-to-back games in Portland last Friday and Saturday. Kelowna snapped their four-game losing streak with a 4-3 overtime win off of the stick of Andrew Cristall in the first game, but fell 5-3 to the Winterhawks on Saturday.
“It was a while since we had won a game, so our guys were quite excited with the way we comeback and were able to finish the first game in overtime,” said Rockets head coach Kris Mallette about the Rockets overtime win last Friday. “We were down to five defencemen and eleven forwards, the guys really bought in and were able to step up for that game, it was great for morale.”
The 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia host Kamloops Blazers were an honourable mention on the 2022-23 Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for week five released on November 1. The Blazers enter Friday with a record of 7-3-1-1.
Kamloops has also had the week off, they picked up a pair of victories last weekend over the Spokane Chiefs.
“It’s the first time that we’ve seen them this season, we had a big rivalry with them last year,” said Mallette about the upcoming Kamloops game. “We know they’re going to come out hard off the bat, we need to make sure that we’re ready to go and are able to match the intensity.”
Tickets
Single-game tickets for Saturday’s game and all other Rockets games are available at Select Your Tickets. Tickets can be purchased online through www.selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office, or by phone at 250-762-5050.
Mini Packs are now on sale for the 2022-23 season, pick from between a six or twelve-game pack. Click here to learn more about Mini Packs.
Roster Updates
Colton Dach has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since October 15th, this week his status was changed from week-to-week to day-t0-day. He’s resumed skating with the team and has been cleared for contact. Dach could make his return to the lineup this weekend.
Elias Carmichael remains week-to-week.
Max Graham suffered a lower-body injury in last Friday’s game, he’s listed as day-to-day.
Click here to view the Rockets Injury Report.
Players to watch
Kelowna
Andrew Cristall posted five points (2G, 3A) in last weekend’s pair of games against Portland, including his fourth two-goal game of the season. He currently leads the Rockets in scoring with 20 points (9G, 11A) over 12 games and is tied for sixth in league scoring as of Friday.
If Dach returns to the Rockets lineup it will provide a massive boost for the Rockets offence. The Rockets captain appeared in three games, recording a goal and two assists, along with 18 shots on net before suffering an upper-body injury.
Defenceman John Babcock recorded a goal and an assist over two games last weekend.
Kamloops
Dallas Stars 2021 second-round pick Logan Stankovenleads the Blazers in scoring with 19 points (9G, 10A) in just eight games, he sits eighth in league scoring as of Friday morning.
Minnesota Wild prospect Kyle Masters leads all Blazers defencemen in scoring with 13 points (2G, 11A) in 11 games. The Blazers acquired the defenceman from the Red Deer Rebels prior to the season starting.
Goaltender Dylan Ernst has taken on most of the workload in net this season after the departure of Dylan Garand. The Weyburn, Sask. product is 6-3-0-1 with a 2.79 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 10 games for Kamloops this season.
Series at a glance
2022-23 Season Series vs Kamloops
Nov 5 vs Kamloops 7:05 pm
Nov. 12 @ Kamloops 7:00 pm
Dec. 27 vs Kamloops 7:05 pm
Dec. 28 @ Kamloops 7:00 pm
Jan. 6 vs Kamloops 7:05 pm
Jan. 7 @ Kamloops 7:00 pm
Mar. 3 @ Kamloops 7:00 pm
Mar. 4 vs Kamloops 7:05 pm
Mar. 17 @ Kamloops 7:00 pm
Mar. 18 vs Kamloops 7:05 pm
Watch and listen
Radio broadcast
Rockets games will be broadcast on 104.7 FM the Lizard this season with Regan Bartel calling all of the action.
Don’t forget to download the RocketFAN app and visit rocketfan.ca for more exclusive Rockets content from Pattison. Fans can stream the radio broadcast of all Rockets games on the app.
Online video stream
All Rockets games will be available on WHL Live. WHL Live on is available to fans anywhere in the world, providing high-quality streaming of WHL games on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV platforms, via mobile with iOS and Android, and on web using Safari or Google Chrome web browsers. Visit watch.chl.ca for complete details and subscription options.
Online 50/50
The Kelowna Rockets online 50/50 is back for the 2022-23 season!
The online 50/50 will give fans in Rockets fans located in British Columbia and those who are attending the game the chance to win during every Rockets home game this season. The 50/50 will also raise important dollars for the Kelowna Minor Hockey Association.
Tickets will be available for purchase on all game days starting at 9 a.m. PT and end at the start of the third period on the same day.
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