Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Rockets' crucial road trip begins

Rockets’ crucial road trip begins

Feb 25, 2025 | 6:00 AM

When the Kelowna Rockets boarded their team bus for Prince George yesterday morning, securing wins was their top priority. With only 10 points separating them from the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, the urgency to perform on the road has never been greater if they want to extend their season beyond their final regular season game on March 23rd, when they face the Vancouver Giants. 

That’s just 27 days away, and it will come quickly. The team faces the Cougars twice, tonight and Wednesday, at CN Centre before making a long trek along Highway 16, marking the first time the team has traveled this route into Central Alberta for a Saturday night clash with the Red Deer Rebels. 

Motivation won’t be lacking, given the Rockets’ position, but the trip also offers extra incentive for several players. While it’s a common experience for Eastern Conference teams to play in the arenas of NHL teams like the Oilers and Flames, for those in the West, skating in these large buildings—where stars like Connor McDavid and Jonathan Huberdeau shine—is always a thrill. 

The Rockets boast six players from Alberta: Nate Corbet, Jake Pilon, and Owen Folstrom from Calgary; Kayden Longley from Wainwright; Carter Kowalyk from St. Albert; and Rhett Stoesser from Carstairs. 

For Stoesser, the game in Red Deer will hold special meaning. Acquired from the Rebels in November after the team released overage netminder Jari Kykkanen, Stoesser played 65 games with Red Deer after earning a spot via tryout. His last appearance with the Rebels came on November 15th, when he was named the second star in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Portland Winterhawks. Just six days later, he was traded to the Rockets for two fourth-round picks. If Stoesser gets the start in that game, he’ll be highly motivated, especially coming off his best performance with the Rockets in Saturday night’s road win in Vancouver. 

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Further south, the Rockets will visit Lethbridge, also known as the ‘Windy City’. There, defenseman Will Sharpe will face his former team, the Hurricanes, who traded him to the Rockets in the Caden Price deal earlier in January. Sharpe, drafted 11th overall by Lethbridge in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, made his debut for the Hurricanes in January 2023. Now, he’ll be eager to play well against his old team, especially with family and billets in attendance. 

When the team stops in Medicine Hat to face the Tigers in game three of their Central Division swing, Nate Corbet will look to make a statement against his former team. Corbet, who was acquired from the Tigers in a November trade for Ethan Neutens, was selected in the third round by Medicine Hat in 2022. 

Carter Kowalyk, who played 104 regular-season games for the Edmonton Oil Kings, will also have a noteworthy experience when the Rockets visit Edmonton. Kowalyk, now 19, will suit up in the visitors’ dressing room for the first time, having previously won a WHL championship with the Oil Kings during their 2022 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Kowalyk was later traded to the Rockets in a rare three-team deal involving Kelowna, Saskatoon, and Edmonton, with Ismail Aboughouche and John Babcock also involved. 

On top of all that, Rockets interim head coach Derrick Martin, who was born and raised in Vermilion, Alberta (population 10,659), will be eager to see his team perform well against the Oil Kings. The first-year WHL coach will undoubtedly want to show his team’s strength in Edmonton. 

Before heading into Alberta, though, the Rockets will face the Cougars in two games (tonight’s game can be heard on 104-7 The Lizard starting at 6:40 p.m. with the pre-game show). The Cougars have been somewhat unpredictable over the past month, adding an intriguing element to this road trip. 

With playoff hopes on the line and several compelling storylines, this road trip, with less than a month remaining in the 2024-2025 regular season, promises to be an exciting and critical stretch for the Kelowna Rockets.