A look at this weekend’s junior hockey games.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Two-game weekend road trip for Kelowna Rockets
After a brief homestand, the Kelowna Rockets are back on the road.
The Rockets (7-4-1-0) will visit the Spokane Chiefs (4-4-2-0) on Friday night, then trek west for a Saturday night tilt against the Wenatchee Wild (6-6-1-0).
Kelowna enters the weekend on a four-game winning streak, including two wins last weekend (4-3 shootout over Tri-City, 6-5 against Vancouver) plus a 6-3 decision over Victoria on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are on a three-game losing streak (0-1-2-0), though Wenatchee has won three in a row.
The games will mark the second time this season Kelowna has played both Spokane and Wenatchee. Both were wins: 5-3 over the Wild on Sept. 30 and 6-3 over the Chiefs on Oct. 7.
In related news, Kelowna forward Andrew Cristall was named the WHL’s player of the week on Monday.
Cristall, selected by the Washington Capitals in the second round (40th overall) of the 2023 NHL draft, tallied nine points (1 goal, 8 assists) in three games.
Four of his assists came in a 6-3 win over Swift Current on Oct. 18. He then added two more assists in the shootout win over Tri-City and followed that up with three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in the 6-5 win over Vancouver.
In the WHL’s scoring race, the 18-year-old, five-foot-10 winger from Burnaby is currently third with 26 points (8 goals, 18 assists).
A pair of Prince George Cougars lead the points parade, with Ondrej Becher in first with 27 points (9-18) and Zac Funk in second with 26 points (13-13). Notably, Funk hails from Coldstream in the North Okanagan.
Also, a pair of Rockets were named to NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary players to watch list.
Six-foot forward Tij Iginla is listed as a ‘B’ prospect, while six-foot-three centre Hiroki Gojsic is tabbed as a ‘C’ prospect. Both are 17 years old.
Iginla, from Lake Country, has 13 goals and 21 points in 12 games this season, while Gojsic has three goals and six points in 12 games.
Four other Southern Interior residents playing in the WHL also made Central Scouting’s watch list, albeit without prospect letter grades:
- Evan Gardner of Lake Country (Saskatoon Blades)
- Hunter Laing of Kelowna (Prince George Cougars)
- Nathan Mayes of Salmon Arm (Spokane Chiefs)
- Deagan McMillan of Vernon (Tri-City Americans)
The list is lengthy and available online.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
It’s a light schedule this weekend for Okanagan teams.
Only two area teams are in action on Friday night, but it should be a classic, as Vernon (8-3-0-0) visits Penticton (9-1-1-1).
The Vees lead the Interior Division with 20 points, with West Kelowna in second at 17 and Vernon in third with 16.
On Saturday, the region’s other two teams will be in action.
West Kelowna (8-3-1-0) will trek eastward to play Cranbrook (3-8-1-0) and Salmon Arm (6-5-0-0) heads to the Sunshine Coast to visit Powell River (3-8-0-0).
On Sunday, Vernon (8-3-0-0) will visit Merritt (5-6-1-1).
Regarding NHL Central Scouting’s players to watch list, eight Okanagan players were listed.
B prospects:
- Jack Pridham, West Kelowna Warriors
C prospects:
- Francesco Dell’Elce, Penticton Vees
- Max Heise, Penticton Vees
- Callum Hughes, West Kelowna Warriors
Watch prospects:
- Riley Ashe, Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- Cole Longacre, Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- J.J. Monteiro, Salmon Arm Silverbacks
- Reid Varkonyi, Salmon Arm Silverbacks