Opponent: Kelowna Rockets
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Skyreach Place, Kelowna, British Columbia
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
The Silvertips travel to Kelowna tonight to face the team with the best record in the Western Hockey League. Kelowna (43-17-4-0) already has clinched the B.C. Division championship and is on the brink of claiming the Western Conference title, too.
Kelowna’s success is predicated on an airtight defense that has allowed a league-low 111 goals this season. Everett was second going into Tuesday night’s game at 132.
Twenty-year-old goalie Kelly Guard (40-12-4, 1.56 goals against average, .926 save percentage, 11 shutouts) leads the WHL in every goaltending statistic, and he is supported by a defensive unit led by 19-year-old Josh Gorges, a member of the Canadian junior national team.
However, Kelowna is without one of its key defenseman, 18-year-old Shea Weber. Weber, recently voted the top stay-at-home defenseman in the Western Conference in the annual Best of the West poll, is out after suffering a concussion against Portland last week.
Kelowna’s defense allows the Rockets to succeed without having any offensive stars. Randall Gelech, a 19-year-old right wing, leads the Rockets in scoring with 43 points (26 goals, 17 assists) and 17-year-old left wing Justin Keller (21 goals, 20 assists) is the only other player on the team with either 20 goals or 40 points. Cam Paddock (17 goals, 19 assists), a 20-year-old center, is considered one of the best defensive forwards in the league.
Nick Patterson
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