The Kelowna Rockets
are a Major Junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League (WHL), out of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). They play their home games at Prospera Place.
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KELOWNA ROCKETS TICKETS
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Franchise history
Established in 1991, the team started out as the
Tacoma Rockets, previously playing in
Tacoma,
Washington, and playing their home games at the
Tacoma Dome. Prior to the
1995–96 season, the team relocated to Kelowna, playing their home games at the
city's Memorial Arena. Following the
1998–99 season, they moved into their then-new home arena,
Skyreach Place.
1991–94: Early years
The
season marks the first season of the Rockets in
Tacoma, Washington. Playing in one of
North America's largest hockey arenas, the
Tacoma Dome, the expansion Rockets blasted their way to one of the most memorable inaugural seasons in the 25 year history of the
Western Hockey League. Attendance of 14,975 and 15,240 at two heated contests against their then arch rival, the
Seattle Thunderbirds, assisted the Rockets in chalking up the highest per game average for a first year expansion team under the
Canadian Hockey League umbrella.
In 1992–93, the Rockets startled everyone in the league by winning 24 straight home games for an all-time Western Hockey League record. Tacoma held first place in the
West Division for three months and finished with a promising 45–27–0. In addition to the winning streak, the Rockets home record of 36–6–0 and collecting 37 more points than the previous year, proved them serious contenders in the WHL. Once again the Rockets attendance of 13,769 saw them defeat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2 in win number 24 and marked the third largest crowd in the history of the WHL. Three Rockets won best in the WHL West. Goaltender,
Jeff Calvert – Most Valuable Player;
Michal Sykora – Most Valuable Player; and
Jamie Black selected as Most Sportsmanlike Player.
The 1993–94 season marks the year of transition for the Rockets, with the graduation of high scoring veteran
Allan Egeland, solid forward,
Trever Fraser and netminder, Jeff Calvert. The Rockets's third season also brought forward some of the league's best rookies and a phenomenal base of nine
NHL drafted players. Six alone were selected in
1994, bringing the total to thirteen Rockets drafted in three seasons. Rockets finished third in the West with a 33–34–5 record.
With a strong finish in the 1993–94 season, the Rockets strive to compete at a higher level of excellence. They launched their third season boasting size in defense and the strength of nine NHL draft picks. Adding the skill and talent of one of
Europe's top young forwards,
Vaclav Varada who slotted 50 points and tied the team's rookie scoring record.
Todd MacDonald,
1993 Florida Panthers draft choice, became the team's top goalie, nominated for the best in the West award. Veteran
Dallas Thompson became team
Captain. This combination brought the Rockets to a second place finish in the West.
1995–2004: New ownership
The 1995–96 season brings significant change to the entire Rockets organization: not only the loss of defenceman Alexander Alexeev and Captain Dallas Thompson due to age, but the decision to bring the Rockets to Kelowna, British Columbia. After long deliberation and consideration for the City of Tacoma and the many dedicated fans who supported the Rockets, the 22,000 seat Tacoma Dome was no longer a long term viable home for the Rockets. Key dates became more difficult to secure, leaving the Rockets in search of home ice for play-offs at the end of each regular season. No future of change for the poor site lines in the arena brought the Rockets organization to the conclusion the team needed to be moved. There were several viable choices prospected. Kelowna's rich history in hockey and the prospect of a new arena made Kelowna the natural choice. Since the move to Kelowna, the Rockets are right at home in their beautiful new city. They have been accepted by the community with open arms and strong local support. With that brings the talent of first round NHL draft pick,
Kyle McLaren and fifth round pick Dale Purinton and the hometown talents of
Jason Deleurme, Ronny Grimmard and Trevor Lornson.
2004: Memorial Cup Champions
Kelowna went to three straight
Memorial Cup tournaments in the years
2003,
2004 and
2005. They won the Memorial Cup for the first time in franchise history in
2004, coincidentally the same year they were selected to host the event.
Fans lined up outside Prospera Place for hours to witness the 2-1 victory for the Kelowna Rockets in the championship game at the MasterCard Memorial Cup. Every game of the tournament was sold out and an enthusiastic host city cheered wildly as their home team claimed their first Memorial Cup victory. The Rockets are the first team since the Ottawa 67's in 1999 to win the Memorial Cup on home ice and the victory marks the first time the host team has gone undefeated in the tournament.
Justin Keller scored the game winning goal late in the third period as the host Kelowna Rockets won their first ever MasterCard Memorial Cup by defeating the QMJHL Champion Gatineau Olympiques. Despite numerous chances on both ends of the ice through the first two periods of play, neither team could find the back of the net until the third. With six and a half minutes gone in the third and Gatineau on the power-play, Jean Michel Daoust slapped a pass to Guillaume Fournier, who tipped it past Kelly Guard for his first of the tournament. Less than four minutes later, Kelowna tied things up after a rebound from a Brett Palin slap shot went straight to Randall Gelech who chipped it in past Gatineau goaltender David Tremblay for his third of the tournament. Kelowna had a chance to take the lead just seconds later but found the post instead.
With 13:38 left to play in the period, Keller streaked in from the right side and tucked the puck between the pads of Tremblay, bringing the largest-ever crowd to attend Kelowna's Prospera Place to their feet. The Canadian Hockey League was proud to announce more than 1.2 million viewers tuned in to Rogers Sportsnet and RDS coverage of the championship tournament, including 410,000 for the final game when the Kelowna Rockets defeated the Gatineau Olympiques to win the 2004 MasterCard Memorial Cup.
Team uniforms
Since 2000, their uniforms have featured a logo resembling the legendary
Okanagan Lake monster,
Ogopogo. Their current third jersey features the monsters head, taken from their shoulder patch design. The team's colours are jaguar teal, athletic red, copper gold, orange sun, black, and white. In 1998, their team jerseys changed from their traditional "Rockets" logo, to more localized jerseys.
Season-by-season record
Note:
GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
| Season
| GP
| W
| L
| T
| OTL
| GF
| GA
| Points
| Finish
| Playoffs
|
| 1995–96
| 72
| 35
| 33
| 4
| –
| 338
| 309
| 74
| 4th West
| Lost Western Conference quarter-final
|
| 1996–97
| 72
| 35
| 35
| 2
| –
| 298
| 314
| 72
| 4th West
| Lost Western Conference quarter-final
|
| 1997–98
| 72
| 33
| 35
| 4
| –
| 234
| 253
| 70
| 5th West
| Lost Western Conference quarter-final
|
| 1998–99
| 72
| 25
| 42
| 5
| –
| 224
| 282
| 55
| 6th West
| Lost Western Conference quarter-final
|
| 1999–00
| 72
| 25
| 40
| 4
| 3
| 193
| 228
| 57
| 5th West
| Lost Western Conference quarter-final
|
| 2000–01
| 72
| 37
| 23
| 7
| 5
| 259
| 240
| 86
| 1st West
| Lost Western Conference quarter-final
|
| 2001–02
| 72
| 31
| 26
| 10
| 5
| 257
| 232
| 77
| 4th B.C.
| Lost Western Conference final
|
| 2002–03
| 72
| 51
| 14
| 6
| 1
| 311
| 164
| 109
| 1st B.C.
| Won Championship
|
| 2003–04
| 72
| 47
| 21
| 4
| 0
| 185
| 115
| 98
| 1st B.C.
| Lost Western Conference final; Won Memorial Cup
|
| 2004–05
| 72
| 45
| 13
| 12
| 2
| 215
| 139
| 104
| 2nd B.C.
| Won Championship
|
| Season
| GP
| W
| L
| OTL
| SOL
| GF
| GA
| Points
| Finish
| Playoffs
|
| 2005–06
| 72
| 46
| 22
| 1
| 3
| 243
| 188
| 96
| 2nd B.C.
| Lost Western Conference semi-final
|
| 2006–07
| 72
| 22
| 41
| 5
| 2
| 156
| 245
| 53
| 5th B.C.
| Out of playoffs
|
| 2007–08
| 72
| 38
| 26
| 2
| 6
| 248
| 215
| 84
| 2nd B.C.
| Lost Western Conference quarter-final
|
| 2008–09
| 72
| 47
| 21
| 1
| 3
| 267
| 178
| 98
| 2nd B.C.
| Won Championship
; Lost Memorial Cup
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Team records
| Team records for a single season
|
| Statistic
| Total
| Season
|
| Most points
| 109
| 2002–03
|
| Most wins
| 51
| 2002–03
|
| Most goals for
| 338
| 1995–96
|
| Least goals for
| 156
| 2006–07
|
| Least goals against
| 125
| 2003–04
|
| Most goals against
| 314
| 1996–97
|
| Individual player records for a single season
|
| Statistic
| Player
| Total
| Season
|
| Most goals
| Jesse Schultz
| 53
| 2002–03
|
| Most assists
| Marty Flichel
| 79
| 1996–97
|
| Most points
| Robb Gordon
| 114
| 1995–96
|
| Most points, rookie
| Tomas Oravec
| 65
| 2000–01
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| Most points, defenceman
| Burt Henderson
| 74
| 1995–96
|
| Best GAA (goalie)
| Kelly Guard
| 1.56
| 2003–04
|
| Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played
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Current roster
Updated September 13, 2008.
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