Preview: Rockets to host Silvertips and Americans this weekend
| Everett Silvertips at Kelowna Rockets |
| Date | Time | Fri, Feb. 11, 2022 | 7:05 pm |
| Home Game # | 22 |
| Video Stream | WHL Live on CHL TV |
| Radio | AM 1150 |
| Live Stats | WHL Box Score |
| Live Updates | @Kelowna_Rockets Twitter |
| Next Game | Sat, Feb. 12 vs TC – 7:05 pm |
| Kelowna Rockets at Vancouver Giants |
| Date | Time | Sat, Feb. 12 28, 2022 | 7:30 pm |
| Video Stream | WHL Live on CHL TV |
| Radio | AM 1150 |
| Live Stats | WHL Box Score |
| Live Updates | @Kelowna_Rockets Twitter |
| Next Game | Wed, Feb. 16 vs PG – 7:05 pm |
The Kelowna Rockets will be back in action this weekend when they host a pair of American teams. The Rockets will host the league-leading Everett Silvertips at 7:05 pm on Friday and the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 on Saturday.
Kelowna was originally scheduled to open their homestand against the Vancouver Giants this past Wednesday, but the game was postponed due to the WHL COVID-19 Protocols impacting the Giants. A rescheduled date for the now two postponed games against Vancouver will be announced at a later date. Please save your tickets for home games #16 and #21, they will be valid for the new dates.
The Rockets were last in action over the weekend, where they went to the US and had a successful 2-1-0-0 run. Kelowna’s win streak grew to eight straight wins with a 4-1 win over Spokane Chiefs on Friday and a 6-1 victory against the Americans on Saturday. Their win streak then came to an end on Sunday, where the streaking Silvertips took down the Rockets 6-2.
Everett has been off since their Sunday game against the Rockets.
They’re currently ranked second in this weeks Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for week 15.
Standing atop the WHL with 70 points in 44 games, the Everett Silvertips are winners of eight straight highlighted by a perfect three-in-three weekend that counts wins against Victoria, Prince George, and Kelowna. Among the top performers for the club over the weekend was 2002-born centre Ryan Hofer who notched a season high of four points in Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Rockets. Picking up a pair of tallies, Hofer is now one of four Silvertips skaters to score 20 or more times this season.
Tri-City opened their Canadian road trip with a 4-3 win over the BC Division-leading Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday night. They’ll take on the Blazers again on Friday night, before heading to Kelowna to face the Rockets.
ROSTER UPDATES
The Rockets will continue to be without right-winger Jake Poole (appendicitis).
TICKETS
With capacity at 50 percent, limited single-game tickets remain.
Tickets for Friday, Saturday and all other Rockets games are available at selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050. Select Your Tickets is open 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and opens at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday home game days.
THE LAST TIME THESE TWO MET
Everett Silvertips
The Silvertips snapped the Rockets eight-game win streak and extended their own win streak to eight with a 6-2 win on February 6 at the Angel of the Winds Arena. Everett went 4-for-6 with the power play. Ryan Hofer and Olen Zellweger pushed the ‘Tips out to a 2-0 lead after twenty. Ben Hemmerling made it a 3-0 lead early in the second before Mark Liwiski and Jake Lee inched the Rockets within one. Everett then responded with three goals from Niko Huuhtanen, Hofer and Jackson Berezowski. Talyn Boyko made the start for the Rockets, stopping 37 of the 43 shots fired on him.
Tri-City Americans
Jake Lee, Nolan Flamand and Adam Kydd all had three-point nights, while Andrew Cristall posted a pair of goals in the Rockets 6-1 over the Americans on February 5. Making the second start of his young WHL career, Jari Kykkanen picked up his second win after turning aside 24 shots.
WHO TO WATCH
Kelowna
- Centreman Nolan Flamand didn’t miss a beat in his return from the injured reserve registering five points in his first two games back. He posted a goal against the Spokane Chiefs on Friday, then had a three-point (1G, 2A) against the Tri-City Americans on Saturday.
- Max Graham and Talyn Boyko will have the chance to play their former teams. Graham was acquired from the Silvertips and Boyko was picked up from the Americans.
Everett
- Twenty-year-old centreman Alex Swetlikoff will play his first game back in his hometown since he was dealt to the Silvertips this past August in exchange for forward Max Graham and a draft pick. The 6’3, 188-pound centreman is second in Tips scoring with 51 points (21G, 30A) over 44 games this season.
- Finnish forward Niko Huuhtanen was selected second overall by Everett in the 2021 CHL Import Draft. The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect leads all Silvertips in scoring with 53 points (25G, 28A) through 43 games.
Tri-City
- Ethan Ernst will play against Kelowna for the first time since being dealt to the Americans earlier this season. He has 13 points (9G, 4A) through 36 games this season.
- The Ams have called up prospect Jordan Gavin, the winger was selected second overall by Tri-City in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft. This season he has 81 points (36G, 45A) over 20 games with the Delta Hockey Academy U17 Prep (CSSHL).
B.C. DIVISION STANDINGS
| # | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS |
| 1 | Kamloops Blazers | 44 | 31 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 63 |
| 2 | Kelowna Rockets | 39 | 24 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 52 |
| 3 | Prince George Cougars | 44 | 18 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 39 |
| 4 | Vancouver Giants | 41 | 16 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 34 |
| 5 | Victoria Royals | 43 | 12 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 29 |
U.S. DIVISION STANDINGS
| # | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS |
| 1 | Everett Silvertips | 44 | 33 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 70 |
| 2 | Portland Winterhawks | 44 | 28 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 61 |
| 3 | Seattle Thunderbirds | 41 | 25 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 55 |
| 4 | Tri-City Americans | 42 | 13 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 30 |
| 5 | Spokane Chiefs | 42 | 12 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 28 |
as of Thursday afternoon
SEASON SERIES
vs TRI-CITY (1-0-0-0)
| Feb. 5 | @ Tri-City | 6-1 W |
| Feb. 12 | vs Tri-City | 7:05 PM |
| Feb. 21 | vs Tri-City | 7:05 PM |
vs EVERETT (0-2-0-0)
| Dec. 8 | @ Everett | 5-3 L |
| Feb. 6 | @ Everett | 6-2 L |
| Feb. 11 | vs Everett | 7:05 PM |
ONLINE 50/50
The Kelowna Rockets online 50/50 is back for the 2021-22 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.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the online 50/50 and purchase tickets.
LINEUP SHEETS + GAME DAY PROGRAM
Due to Covid-19 protocols, printed lineup sheets will not be available at games for fans this season. They can be accessed online in the game day program.
The program will be uploaded by 3 p.m. on game day.
JDS PROJECTED LINEUP
The Rockets will post the JDS Mining Projected Lineup complete with line combos at least half an hour prior to puck drop for all games this season. You will be able to find the graphic on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram stories.
All fans attending Rockets games will need to abide by the BC Provincial Health Authority, Prospera Place and the Western Hockey League‘s recently announced COVID-19 health and safety requirements which includes masks, double vaccination and their vaccine card.
