The Okanagan Rockets followed up a record-setting regular season with a dominant effort in the opening round of the B.C. Major Midget League playoffs.
The Rockets outscored the overmatched Fraser Valley Thunderbirds 17-2 over two games to sweep the best-of-three quarterfinal series 2-0.
“I’m really pleased with the way we played this weekend, I know most people felt we were going to look past Fraser Valley, but as a staff we knew that this was an important weekend for us to establish our effort in the playoffs,” said Rockets’ GM David Michaud. “I thought we played really well and were able to use our depth and roll our lines. Having the series finished in two games was key as well for us. It will allow us just a little extra rest and in the playoffs you take it where you can get it
The Rockets, who won a club record 32 games this season and finished second overall in the BCMML, subdued the seventh-place Thunderbirds 7-0 on Friday night at Prospera Place.
The top line of Tyson Jost, Liam Finlay, and Jake Kryski combined for four goals and 10 points. Jost, the BCMML’s leading scorer with 44 regular season goals, and Finlay, each had two goals and two assists.
Linden Hora added a pair of goals for the Rockets, and while captain Branden Wagner had the single.
Brendan Barry stopped all 19 Thunderbirds shots in the Rockets net for the shutout.
On Saturday at the Capital News Centre, another blowout saw the Rockets prevail 10-2.
Jost was a catalyst again with two goals and four points, while Finley and Tanner Campbell each added two goals and an assists. Cory Santoro scored twice while Mitchell Oliver and Jake Kryski rounded out the scoring.
Barry notched his second win in net, stopping 37 of 39 shots over the weekend.
The Rockets will take on the Valley West Hawks this weekend in the league semi-finals.
Game 1 goes Friday at 8 p.m., Game 2 goes Saturday at 3:30 p.m., and a third game, if needed, would be played Sunday at 10 a.m. All games are set for CNC.
The other semifinal will feature the defending champion Vancouver Northwest Giants and the Greater Vancouver Canadians.
