Junior hockey: Rockets to play Blazers twice in return from holiday break

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE

With the Western Hockey League’s annual Christmas break now in the rearview mirror, the Kelowna Rockets have a busy stretch ahead of them, with four games in six days.

Kelowna will play a home-and-home set with Kamloops on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the Rockets (13-9-0-3, 29 points) first visiting the Blazers (19-8-0-0, 38 pts.) before hosting them the next night.

Game time in Kamloops on Tuesday is 7 p.m., with Wednesday’s return match at Prospera Place going at 7:05 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, the Rockets will host Victoria (10-13-4-0, 24 pts.) in an afternoon matinee at 4 p.m.

That contest will be followed by Kelowna visiting Vancouver (14-14-1-0, 29 pts.) on Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

The Rockets closed out the first half of the season with a 7-4 home-ice win over Kamloops on Saturday, Dec. 18.

In that game, Andrew Cristall, with two goals, Rilen Kovacevic, Jackson DeSouza, Tyson Feist, Colton Dach and Steel Quiring scored for Kelowna, which led 2-1 after the first period, then busted open a 3-3 tie in the third with four goals.

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DeSouza scored at 7:49 of the third to give Kelowna a 4-3 lead, but Fraser Minten replied at 10:39 for Kamloops to make it 4-4. The Rockets then tallied three answered goals, Feist at 11:22, then back-to-back empty netters by Dach at 18:39 and Quiring at 19:56.

Talyn Boyko made 41 saves for Kelowna, as the Blazers outshot the Rockets 45-27. Dylan Ernst stopped 22 shots for the Blazers.

This season, Kelowna is 4-0 against Kamloops, with the Rockets having outscored the Blazers 18-11.

The Rockets are also 9-3-0-1 in their past 10 games, while the Blazers are 4-6-0-0.

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For this week’s two games, neither team will be at its best.

The Rockets will be without Pavel Novak, who is currently playing for the Czech Republic at the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer.

And the Blazers will be without their leading scorer, Logan Stankoven, and top goaltender, Dyland Garand, who are both playing for Canada. Further, defenceman Marko Stacha is playing for Slovakia.

In related news, the Rockets say they signed a 6-foot-3 goaltender, Jari Kykkanen of Lloydminster, Alta.

Kelowna drafted Kykkanen, 17, in the 2019 WHL Prospect Draft, selecting him in the sixth round, 115^th overall. He appeared in seven games for the Drayton Valley Thunder of the AJHL this season, posting a record of 2-0-3, a save percentage of .896 and a 3.23 goals-against average.

Kykkanen has joined the team, along with goalies Colby Knight and Talyn Boyko.

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Tuesday’s Games (all times Pacific)

• Edmonton at Moose Jaw, 5 p.m.
• Red Deer at Saskatoon, 5 p.m.
• Medicine Hat at Calgary, 6 p.m.
• Swift Current at Lethbridge, 6 p.m.
• Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
• Portland at Tri-City, 7 p.m.
• Everett at Prince George, 7 p.m.
• Spokane at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

• Red Deer at Prince Albert, 5 p.m.
• Winnipeg at Regina, 5 p.m.
• Everett at Prince George, 7 p.m.
• Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
• Portland at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
• Vancouver at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE

After an eight-day break, the BCHL returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 29, with four games.

And two of those games will involve Okanagan and area teams.

The Salmon Arm Silverbacks (19-4-1-0) will visit the struggling Merritt Centennials (1-20-1-0) while the West Kelowna Warriors (16-9-0-0) will host the league’s best team, the Penticton Vees (20-3-0-1).

The Vees and Warriors will meet again on Friday night, at 7 p.m., at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.

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In the league’s scoring race, five players from the region are in the top-10.

Simon Tassy of Salmon Arm leads the race with 22 goals and 41 points. Penticton teammates Luc Wilson (14 goals, 37 points) and Finlay Williams (12 goals, 35 points) are fourth and fifth respectively, while Felix Trudeau of West Kelowna (18 goals, 33 points) is seventh. Josh Nadeau of the Vees (24 goals, 32 points) is eighth.

Wednesday’s Games

• Cowichan Valley at Alberni Valley, 7 p.m.
• Salmon Arm at Merritt, 7 p.m.
• Penticton at West Kelowna, 7 p.m.
• Langley at Chilliwack, 7 p.m.

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KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

Tuesday’s Games (all times Pacific)

• Fernie at Kimberley, 6 p.m.
• Osoyoos at Kelowna, 7 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

• Kimberley at Fernie, 6:30 p.m.
• Creston Valley at Golden, 6:30 p.m.
• Chase at 100 Mile House, 7 p.m.
• Grand Forks at Beaver Valley, 7:30 p.m.
• Kelowna at Osoyoos, 7:35 p.m.

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