Junior hockey: Rockets to host Thunderbirds, two home games for Vees 

A look at upcoming action this weekend for junior hockey teams in the Okanagan and area.

Two days after shutting out the Victoria Royals earlier this week, the Kelowna Rockets are back in action.

On Friday night, Kelowna (2-1-1-0) will host the Seattle Thunderbirds (2-0-0-0) at Prospera Place. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

The Rockets enter the tilt on a two-game winning streak, having blanked Victoria 3-0 on Wednesday. In that game, Kelowna outshot the Royals 31-19.

That followed a 5-1 win in Prince George last Saturday night — the second half of a weekend double-header against the Cougars. Prince George won the opener, as they doubled up the Rockets 6-3.

Last spring, Seattle eliminated Kelowna from the playoffs, with the T-Birds winning the first-round series 4-1. Seattle outscored the Rockets 24-10 en route to advance to the WHL championship series, where they lost to Edmonton.

“Not much has changed over there from last year for them,” Rockets head coach Kris Mallette said this week.

“We know they’re a team that is very skilled, very hard to play against. Players obviously with our returning roster are well aware of what Seattle brings. We’re going to have to bring our A-game, there’s no secret there.”

In related news, the Chicago Blackhawks announced on Friday that they were reassigning forward Colton Dach, 19, back to Kelowna.

A six-foot-four-inch forward, Dach had 29 goals and 79 points last season with the Rockets. This fall, he played in one NHL preseason game. That game was on Thursday, against Minnesota, where he logged 14 minutes of ice time and had five shots on net.

The Rockets didn’t know if Dach, 19, will be available to play against Seattle, but is expected to suit up against Victoria next Tuesday.

Friday’s games (all times PT)

• Saskatoon at Brandon, 5 p.m.
• Lethbridge at Red Deer, 6 p.m.
• Winnipeg at Regina, 6 p.m.
• Prince Albert at Swift Current, 6 p.m.
• Victoria at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

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Saturday’s games

• Prince Albert at Lethbridge, 6 p.m.
• Winnipeg at Moose Jaw, 6 p.m.
• Calgary at Red Deer, 6 p.m.
• Swift Current at Regina, 6 p.m.
• Medicine Hat at Portland, 6 p.m.
• Victoria at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
• Seattle at Vancouver, 7 p.m.

Sunday’s games

All four teams from the Southern Interior will also be in action this weekend.

The defending league champion Penticton Vees (4-0-0-0) will host Merritt (2-2-0-0) on Friday, then Salmon Arm (3-1-0-0) on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the West Kelowna Warriors (3-1-0-0) are on the road, as they visit Cranbrook (3-1-0-0) on Friday night, then Trail (1-3-0-0) on Saturday.

Salmon Arm will host Vernon (1-3-0-0) on Friday, then visit Penticton on Saturday.

And lastly, Vernon will host Salmon Arm on Friday night, then Victoria (1-2-0-1) on Saturday.

Penticton leads the Interior Division with eight points, with Cranbrook, Prince, George, Salmon Arm and West Kelowna tied for second with six points.

Friday’s games

• West Kelowna at Cranbrook, 6 p.m.
• Cowichan Valley at Nanaimo, 7 p.m.
• Merritt at Penticton, 7 p.m.
• Coquitlam at Powell River, 7 p.m.
• Victoria at Prince George, 7 p.m.
• Wenatchee at Trail, 7 p.m.
• Salmon Arm at Vernon, 7 p.m.
• Chilliwack at Surrey, 7 p.m.

Saturday’s games

• Surrey at Chilliwack, 6 p.m.
• Salmon Arm at Penticton, 6 p.m.
• Victoria at Vernon, 6 p.m.
• Wenatchee at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
• Cowichan Valley at Alberni Valley, 7 p.m.
• Coquitlam at Powell River, 7 p.m.
• Merritt at Prince George, 7 p.m.
• West Kelowna at Trail, 7 p.m.

Sunday’s game

Friday’s games

• Fernie at Kimberley, 6 p.m.
• Princeton at Chase, 7 p.m.
• Osoyoos at Sicamous, 7 p.m.
• Beaver Valley at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
• Nelson at Revelstoke, 7 p.m.
• North Okanagan at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
• Castlegar at Grand Forks, 7 p.m.

Saturday’s games

• Beaver Valley at 100 Mile House, 7 p.m.
• Nelson at Sicamous, 7 p.m.
• Grand Forks at Castlegar, 7 p.m.

Sunday’s game

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