The Kelowna Rockets control their fate going into the final weekend of the regular season.
乌鸦传媒淗uge games for sure, we need four points,乌鸦传媒� said Rockets leading goal scorer Tij Iginla. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 like playoff hockey before the playoffs.乌鸦传媒�
Going into the weekend, the Rockets sit sixth in the Western Conference and could finish the regular season anywhere from fourth to eighth.
乌鸦传媒�4th - Wenatchee Wild - 70 points
乌鸦传媒�5th - Vancouver Giants - 68 points
乌鸦传媒�6th - Kelowna Rockets - 67 points
乌鸦传媒�7th - Victoria Royals - 67 points
乌鸦传媒�8th - Spokane Chiefs - 64 points
All five of these teams have two games this weekend except for Victoria, who only has one game remaining against Wenatchee.
The Rockets take on Vancouver in a massive home-and-home series, which starts Friday night (Mar. 22) at the Langley Events Centre.
乌鸦传媒淭his weekend is huge, we乌鸦传媒檙e looking to get two big wins,乌鸦传媒� said Rockets leading scorer Andrew Cristall. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 going to be playoff intensity and playoff atmosphere, it乌鸦传媒檚 going to be a lot of fun.乌鸦传媒�
Both Iginla and Cristall see this weekend as an advantage for the team ahead of the playoffs.
乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 good going into playoff with high-intensity games but at the same time, we got to win these ones,乌鸦传媒� said Iginla.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 huge, to get the chance to take matters into our own hands and if we win two games, we get the positioning that we want so it乌鸦传媒檚 pretty exciting and we乌鸦传媒檒l be ready to go,乌鸦传媒� added Cristall.
Last season, the Rockets got bounced in the first round of the WHL playoffs but the players gained some playoff experience to bring into this year. For being a 17-year-old, Iginla also brings playoff experience as he was with the Seattle Thunderbirds last year, who won the WHL and went to the Memorial Cup.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檒l let the guys know the crowd might be louder and everything might be a little more amped up but at the end of the day, it乌鸦传媒檚 the same game, we乌鸦传媒檙e still out there playing hockey so I think we should just be confident in ourselves and it乌鸦传媒檒l translate onto the ice,乌鸦传媒� said Cristall.
With this, they乌鸦传媒檒l help out some of the younger players like the team乌鸦传媒檚 rookie of the year Hiroki Gojsic, who will be experiencing the playoffs for the first time.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 pretty excited, I乌鸦传媒檓 pumped, I乌鸦传媒檓 ready to get things going,乌鸦传媒� said Gojsic. 乌鸦传媒淭hese two games this weekend are huge for us.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚n the room, I think we乌鸦传媒檙e as confident as ever no matter who we play,乌鸦传媒� said Cristall.
The second half of the home-and-home will take place at Prospera Place on Saturday night, where the Rockets will be wearing specialty jerseys with their mascot, Rocky the Raccoon on them.
乌鸦传媒淭he jerseys are super cool and he had a pretty viral moment which was really funny but glad he乌鸦传媒檚 okay and it should be good to wear those, they乌鸦传媒檙e pretty sweet,乌鸦传媒� said Cristall.
Fans have until puck drop to get their names in to win a jersey off the player乌鸦传媒檚 backs. The fans whose names are drawn from the ballot will be collecting specialty jerseys from the Rockets themselves.
The jerseys are a part of the team乌鸦传媒檚 Fan Appreciation Night. The Hip Replacements will be providing live music all night long while the 50/50 starts at $10,000, with the proceeds supporting Kelowna Minor Hockey. Every fan will receive a free team poster. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.m.
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