KELOWNA PUTS HOT STREAK ON THE LINE
By Kevin Parnell
The Kelowna Rockets are back in action Wednesday night looking to continue a streak of play that has seen them climb out from under a tough start to the season into a battle for first place in the WHL BC division.
The Rockets host the Chilliwack Bruins at Prospera Place Wednesday in the midst of a stretch of games against BC division opponents. On the weekend the Rockets won twice, extending its win streak to six in a row, the second time the club has pulled that feat in a remarkable stretch of hockey dating from the second month of the season.
After starting the year 4-and-10, the Rockets have dusted themselves off and have put together a record of 25-10 in its last 35 games, giving the team a 29-20-0-0 record. Head coach Ryan Huska said the Rockets have been competing more as a team and receiving excellent goaltending in that time.
“I think after that start we have received consistent goaltending that has allowed our players to be in hockey games,” said Huska. “Once we started to be in games we started to win a few in a row and our guys got the confidence that they could win. Then they started working hard as a team and not as individuals.”
The Rockets first six game winning streak came after the club’s 4-10 start and brought their record to an even 10-10. In the following months they have been winning more than losing and after last weekend they sat in first place in the BC division, the second time the team had found itself in first place.
The Vancouver Giants defeated Medicine Hat Tuesday, moving a point ahead of Kelowna in the back and forth battle for first. However Kelowna now has three games in hand on the Giants. Finishing first is important although Huska said he is more concerned with having his team playing its best hockey when the playoffs arrive.
“Finishing first is important for your organization,” he said. “This year especially it gives you the second seed in the conference and keeps you away from the big three in the conference in the first round. Other than that you want to be playing your best hockey at the end of the year so we try to gear our players to how we are playing at the end of the year and if we are getting better every day.”
The Rockets are in the midst of a stretch of seven straight games against teams in the WHL BC division and nine of 11 games within the division. Last weekend they defeated Prince George and Vancouver. Wednesday they are hosting Chilliwack before heading north to Prince George for a double-header against the Cougars this weekend. The following weekend it will be a home and home series against Chilliwack.
“Every game is a four point night so we have an opportunity to try and separate ourselves from some of the teams below us,” said Huska. “If we are winning our divisional games we can keep pace with Vancouver and hopefully get ahead of them as the season moves on.”
