A peek at the Kelowna Rockets 2019-2020 schedule provides some interesting insights into the path the organization will travel leading up the 2020 Memorial Cup in May.
The upcoming campaign will mark head coach Adam Foote’s first full season behind the bench. Kelowna will be tested early, playing nine of its first 14 games on the road.
The unbalanced Western Hockey League schedule means the East and Central Division teams do not visit B.C. and US Division cities every year. Last season, East Division teams all made the trek through British Columbia. This season, it’s the Central Division teams on the road through the Rocky Mountains.
However, the Swift Current Broncos, who visited Kelowna on Oct. 23 last season when the Rockets prevailed, 3-2, will play at Prospera Place again this season. The realignment due to the Kootenay Ice move to Winnipeg resulted in the Broncos switching over to the Central Division.
The Broncos, Edmonton Oil Kings and Medicine Hat Tigers will visit Kelowna during the first half of the season, while the Calgary Hitmen, Red Deer Rebels, and Lethbridge Hurricanes will drop in during the New Year.
The divisional realignment also means the Rockets will play a second game in Manitoba this season, when its trip through the East Division includes games against the Brandon Wheat Kings and Winnipeg Ice on Dec. 10 and 11 respectively. That’s part of an eastern swing that includes six games in nine nights.
In recent years, the players have gone their separate ways before the holiday season following the team’s annual run through Saskatchewan or Alberta. However, this season, the Rockets will return to Kelowna for a home game on Dec. 18 against the Vancouver Giants before the break.
Kelowna will play 13 times during a busy January, which includes playing three games in three nights on three separate occasions.
All told, the Rockets will play three games in four nights on six occasions. Kelowna winds up the month of February with six games in nine nights, five of those being on the road.
The traditional doubleheaders in Prince George take place in early October and late February. There will be two ferry rides to Vancouver Island to take on the Victoria Royals – doubleheaders in October and February.
A total of nine Wednesday games at Prospera Place await the local faithful this season, along with one Tuesday affair. A couple of rare Monday contests are also on the slate, Dec. 30 against Prince George and a Family Day weekend tilt on Feb. 15 against Calgary.
Last season, Kelowna compiled a 28-32-6-2 record, including an unlikely late-season collapse that led to a 5-1 loss in the western conference tiebreaker game to the Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets missed the post-season for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
Kelowna will play host to the 2020 Memorial Cup, May 22-31.
