Just three weeks into the season, it乌鸦传媒檚 far from a make-or-break situation for the .

Still, with four games in a five-night span乌鸦传媒攖he last three south of the border乌鸦传媒擩ason Smith乌鸦传媒檚 club is likely to learn plenty about its grit, resolve and resiliency.

After a home date Friday with the Calgary Hitmen, the Rockets will hop the team bus for a nine-hour trip to Portland where they乌鸦传媒檒l go back-to-back with the Winterhawks on Saturday and Sunday.

Then on Tuesday, Kelowna (4-1-0-1) closes out its U.S. tour in Kennewick, Wash against Tri-City.

While the stretch ahead might look somewhat daunting, team captain Cal Foote expects the task at hand to bring out the best in his teammates.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a huge challenge for our team,乌鸦传媒� said Foote. 乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 important for us to just take each game as it comes, just focus on Friday night right now, then we can prepare to go forward after that.

乌鸦传媒淔our games in five nights is a big challenge but I think we乌鸦传媒檙e up for it.乌鸦传媒�

In the Winterhawks, the Rockets will see an opponent that many WHL observers expect to challenge for the Western Conference title.

Portland is off to 6-1-0 start and has outscored its opposition 39-17.

乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檙e a highly-touted team, everybody believes they乌鸦传媒檙e going to be a heavy squad, so we乌鸦传媒檙e going to have to go in there with our 乌鸦传媒楢乌鸦传媒� game, play the best road games that we can,乌鸦传媒� Foote said of the games in Portland.

Foote and the Rockets hope to have some gas left in their tank Tuesday night when they visit the Tri-City Americans, another preseason pick as a contender for the WHL title.

乌鸦传媒淗ockey players, you live for adversity, you live for tests like this,乌鸦传媒� Foote said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 excited and the guys in the locker room are excited, too.乌鸦传媒�

Face off Friday at Prospera Place between the Rockets and Hitmen is 7:05 p.m.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

whenderson@kelownacapnews.com
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