The Kelowna Rockets get set to host the Medicine Hat Tigers and close out their season series on Tuesday night at Prospera Place.
After returning home from playing three games in four nights in Alberta, Rockets Assistant Coach Kris Mallette says the team had a strong weekend.
“Anytime you can go on the road and win hockey games the way that we did with tying goals coming late in the game it’s great for your team,” Mallette said. “Our group battled through a lot and we had a pretty good weekend.”
Now entering their Tuesday night bout with the Tigers, this will be the third of three meetings between these two clubs this season. On November 25th Medicine Hat visited Prospera Place in the first matchup between the Rockets and Tigers and Roman Basran made 38 saves to record a shutout in his first career Western Hockey League start. Most recently they met just three days ago on Friday, January 26th in Med. Hat in game two of their three game Alberta road trip. Kelowna scored two goals in the third period that night to erase a 3-1 deficit before Captain Cal Foote scored on a breakaway in overtime and the Rockets edged the Tigers 4-3. Having beaten them twice, one of which was just days ago, Mallette says his team needs to be prepared for a team looking for redemption.
“It’s a team that we just faced. Both teams know that they had a lead and we were able to chip away at it and ultimately come out as victors,” said Mallette. “They’re going to be coming back hungry looking for a little bit of retribution in our building.”
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Kelowna enters Tuesday night with a record of 31-14-3-1 giving them 66 points and placing them in first in the B.C. Division. The Rockets currently sit two points ahead of the second place Victoria Royals, and eight points ahead of the third place Vancouver Giants.
Medicine Hat comes into the Tuesday night meeting with a record of 26-19-6-0 giving them 58 points and placing them first in the Central Division. The Tigers are six points ahead of the second place Lethbridge Hurricanes, and nine ahead of the third place Kootenay Ice.
Puck drop on Tuesday is at 7:05pm.
The Rockets are back in action following their Tuesday night meeting with the Tigers on Friday in the first game of a home-and-home against the Western Conference leading Everett Silvertips. Friday night goes at 7:05pm at Prospera Place. The next evening the Rockets visit the Tips for the second half of the home-and-home.
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