Talyn Boyko shares a laugh with Jari Kykkanen during practice Tuesday. Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Optimism high despite short staffed

Rockets hoping prairie air translates into wins

Dec 14, 2022 | 6:00 AM

The air is colder.

The wind seems to have more bite.

It’s a tradeoff for the sun shining so brightly on the prairies, with the sky often a clear, gorgeous blue.

The climate is familiar for several Kelowna Rockets players, including veteran goaltender Talyn Boyko, who was born in Drumheller, Alberta.

“It is God’s country”, Boyko’s eyes lighting up when he speaks about being back on the flatlands. “It is awesome to be back here, and I am really excited to see some family at the games, and it is always special playing back in Alberta.”

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When the team walked out of the hotel Tuesday morning, they were met by a frigid temperature of -17 that made the leather seats on the Kelowna Rockets bus rock hard.

“I don’t know if they can”, Boyko laughed when asked by RocketFAN if some of his B.C teammates can handle the prairie cold. “Some guys are complaining quite a bit. It hasn’t been that cold yet, so I don’t know if they are going to make it the whole trip.”

The weatherman says mother nature will be gentle on this trip. The forecasted high temperature in Swift Current today, the site of the opening game of this Central Division Road swing, will be a reasonable -6.

Thursday, an off day, which will likely include a skate at Medicine Hat’s Co-op Centre, will see temperatures again near -6 before warming up to -3 on Friday as the team heads to Lethbridge to face the Hurricanes.

The Rockets will get out of dodge just in time, with Environment Canada suggesting Sunday night’s low will be -26.

“I think everyone is excited”, Boyko admitted after a workout Tuesday in Strathmore, where the team spent the night before busing into Medicine Hat, where they will base for the next four days.

“We are playing in lots of places many guys never played, or in cities where guys haven’t played Western league games. We need to go into the Christmas break with a couple of wins here and that will make everyone’s holiday break that much better”.

Swift Current is the first arena the team will experience.

It is unique, as one of the oldest buildings in the WHL, opening its doors in 1967.

Having been renovated, with among other things, wraparound seating at one end, just over 28 hundred patrons can shoehorn themselves into the home of the Broncos, who relocated from Lethbridge in 1986.

The most unique aspect of the arena, which opened in Canada’s Centennial year, is the benches which are situated across from each other.

Only Brandon, on the WHL circuit, has the bragging rights of having the old-school configuration.

All other WHL arena’s have benches beside each other.

When the puck drops tonight in Swift Current (pre-game show on 104-7 – The Lizard – starts at 4:35 pm Pacific time – or stream that game on RocketFAN), the team will play without three key veterans, with Colton Dach (Canada) and Gabriel Szturc (Czechia) competing at the world junior hockey championships while Adam Kydd (injured) won’t return to the team until the new year.

The good news is Turner McMillen, who didn’t play last Saturday in Vancouver and d-man Noah Dorey, who was sick, will dress for the visitors against the Broncos this evening.

“We need some guys to step up”, Boyko added. “I am confident we have the personnel to do that. We have some good young guys that are eager to get more minutes, so I think it’s by committee here.”