The Vancouver Giants did not play some of their top talent Saturday night against the home-team Kelowna Rockets and it showed on the scoreboard.
Kelowna skated off with an 8-1 shellacking of the Giants.
The first-place Rockets finished out the regular season with five straight wins. The head coach hopes the streak gives the team momentum as they prepare to tangle with the Tri-City Americans in the first round of the playoffs.
“They’re a big, physical team,” says Jason Smith. “They’ve got some real gifted offensive defencemen who like to join the rush and they’ve got some high-powered guys up front. We have to make sure we’re willing to put the work in to battle their physical play.”
Working in Kelowna’s favour is a mostly healthy lineup.
“We’re close to being back to 100 per cent, got a couple guys out,” says Smith.
On Sunday, the organization handed out its individual player awards.
Cal Foote claimed two pieces of hardware as Top Defenceman and Most Valuable Player.
“I feel very honoured, I’m grateful,” says Foote. “For MVP, I thank my team-mates most of all. For the defensive one, we have a great d-core and it goes to our coaching staff too.”
There’s a new award this year.
Veteran forward and team captain Dillon Dube won the inaugural President’s Award for an extra special achievement in his junior hockey career.
“He’s the first Rocket to ever play in two World Juniors and he’s the first one of our organization to ever be the captain up there,” says team president Bruce Hamilton. “We felt it was something we could mark. It isn’t something we will give away every year. It’ll be if somebody does something special.”
Dube scored twice Saturday night. The squad is hoping he keeps that goal scoring touch going Thursday when Kelowna hosts Tri-City in game one of their first-round playoff series.