Hockey in town, hockey out of town, and a possible playoff clinch highlight Kelowna sports this weekend.
Kelowna Rockets
For the first time this new year, the Kelowna Rockets are spending the whole weekend on home ice as they welcome the Vancouver Giants and Prince Albert Raiders to town.
On Friday night, they welcome Vancouver, to complete a stretch of five games in 15 days against one another. In the four previous games, the teams are 2-2 against each other. They’ve also shown that they don’t like each other as they’ve combined for 186 penalty minutes between the two of them.
In their last match-up six days ago, Carson Golder collected a third-period hat-trick to cap off a 5-1 win for the Rockets.
Vancouver lost to Prince Albert earlier this week as the Raiders complete their B.C. road trip.
Going into the weekend, the Rockets still hold the final playoff spot in the WHL’s Western Conference with a record of 15-26-3-0. They are nine points behind the seventh-place Giants in the standings (18-22-4-2). Meanwhile, the Raiders are 11th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 19-25-3-0.
The Rockets will continue to be without leading scorer Andrew Cristall and forward Ty Hurley as they are week-to-week with lower body injuries.
Both Friday and Saturday night’s games are at Prospera Place with puck drop at 7:05 p.m. Friday night is also the Rockets’ annual mental health awareness game, in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association.
West Kelowna Warriors
The West Kelowna Warriors are on the road again as they make a trip to the Lower Mainland.
After two losses last weekend, the Warriors are looking to get back into the win column as they take on two Coastal Conference opponents. Despite the losses, West Kelowna continues to sit third in the Interior Conference, 21-12-4-0.
On Friday night, they’ll be in Langley to take on the Langley Rivermen for the first time this season. The Rivermen have struggled this season, currently sitting eighth in their conference (11-23-1-2). Puck drop on Friday night at George Preston Arena is at 7:15 p.m.
On Saturday night, the Warriors play the Chilliwack Chiefs who are fourth in the Coastal with a record of 19-16-0-2. It is also the first time these two teams are playing each other this season.
Puck drop is at 6 p.m. at the Chilliwack Coliseum.
UBCO Heat
Playoffs are on the line for the UBCO women’s basketball team this weekend.
The team is 9-9 on the season but can make the playoffs with a win this weekend or with a University of Lethbridge loss.
This weekend they welcome the University of Victoria Vikes (7-9) to The Furnace (UBCO Gym) with Friday night’s tip-off at 7 p.m. and Saturday night’s at 5 p.m.
READ MORE: 4 new faces for West Kelowna Warriors
READ MORE: Major high school basketball tournament tips off in Kelowna
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jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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