Coming off a stellar regular season and an unbeaten playoff, the Central Zone Rockets will look to carry that momentum into the B.C. Hockey midget tier 1 championship beginning Sunday in Fort St. John.
The Rockets will play six round-robin games against Prince George, Saanich, Vancouver, Burnaby, Kootenay and the host team from Fort St John. The top two teams will meet in the championship game on March 23.
The Rockets have posted a 31-8-4 record this season.
鈥淭he success of this year鈥檚 Central Zone team has been a group effort by the players,鈥� said Rockets coach Devon Sandvold. 鈥淲e have really tried to instill team play, hard work and accountability from day one when the team was put together and roster finalized.鈥�
In the Okanagan Mainline playoffs, the Rockets went 4-0 in the playoff format, then beat the Thompson Zone in the final 6-3 to qualify for provincials.
Bantam Rockets
The Central Zone Rockets will be in Nanaimo March 19 to 22 for the bantam tier 1 finals. Joining the 麻豆AV-based squad will be teams from Prince George, Yukon, Ridge Meadows, Seafair, Victoria and East Kootenay.
The Rockets qualified for provincials after going 2-1 in the Okanagan Mainline playoff round robin, then clinching the berth with a 3-2 final game win over Kamloops.
The Central Zone boys, who played 64 games and in four tournaments this year, saved some of their best hockey for the league finale.
鈥淭he boys have done very well over the year but came together (against Kamloops), playing for each other and buying into the new system,鈥� said Rockets coach Lee Hamilton.
Other 麻豆AV minor teams competing in upcoming provincial tournaments next week:
鈥� 麻豆AV bantam female鈥擬arch 21 to 24 in Vancouver
鈥� 麻豆AV peewee female鈥擬arch 22 to 25 in Dawson Creek
鈥� 麻豆AV peewee tier 1鈥擬arch 19 to 22 in Kamloops
鈥� 麻豆AV peewee tier 3鈥擬arch 19 to 23 in Summerlan
