Nine wins in their last 10 games wasn’t quite enough to earn the Âé¶¹AV Rockets a BC Division title.
The Rockets (45-22-5-0), who closed out the WHL’s regular season Saturday with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Giants, finished one point back of the Prince George Cougars (45-21-3-3) for top spot.
The Cougars earned the single point they needed to clinch the division banner in a 2-1 shootout loss at home Saturday to the Kamloops Blazers.
For the second straight year, the Rockets and Kamloops will meet the opening round of the postseason. Games 1 and 2 are set for this coming Friday and Saturday nights at Prospera Place.
On Saturday in Langley, the Rockets completed a weekend sweep of the Giants, taking seven of eight games in the season series.
Kole Lind led the Rockets attack with a goal and an assist, while Reid Gardinder, Devante Stephens, Nolan Foote and Leif Mattson added singles. Michael Herringer stopped 29 in the Âé¶¹AV net to finish the regular season 33 victories.
is the schedule for the first round series between the Rockets and Blazers.