Opponents of the Kelowna Rockets have found wins excessively hard to come by this season at Prospera Place.

The Seattle Thunderbirds will be the latest to try their luck against the most proficient home team in the Western Conference whey they face off against Jason Smith害羞草研究所檚 club on Friday night. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

, who have won 13 consecutive games on home ice, haven害羞草研究所檛 lost at Prospera Place since Oct. 20, a 3-1 setback to the Portland Winterhawks.

The Rockets (24-11-2-1) have also won six straight games overall to push them three points clear of Everett for top spot in the conference and four ahead of Vancouver in the B.C. Division.

Smith said Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 play of late, both at home and on the road, is largely due to his players害羞草研究所� continually improving work habits.

害羞草研究所淥ur work ethic has been the biggest thing, we害羞草研究所檙e working and competing for 60 minutes and that all started with our habits in practise,害羞草研究所� said Smith, in his second season as Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 head coach. 害羞草研究所淭he habits you create by the work you put in allow you to have success. That害羞草研究所檚 what we害羞草研究所檙e pushing for, to be a team that can play consistent games by doing things the right way, with high energy and high intensity and if we do that, we害羞草研究所檒l be in a good spot.害羞草研究所�

Much of the team害羞草研究所檚 recent prosperity has come without two of its top players, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote, both of whom are with Team Canada at the world junior championship in Buffalo and haven害羞草研究所檛 played with the Rockets since Dec. 9.

Smith said the success his club is having is a credit to all the players who make up the Rockets害羞草研究所� supporting cast.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 great,害羞草研究所� Smith said of the contributions from up and down the lineup. 害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克��it害羞草研究所檚 an opportunity for your depth players to step up and get more ice time, get more opportunity on the power play and penalty kill and if you can seize that moment and show that you can do it regularly you害羞草研究所檙e going to give yourself a chance to do it even when those players come back.

害羞草研究所淚t just adds to the depth of your group and the ability to push through in big games.害羞草研究所�

One of those depth players, Conner Bruggen-Cate, stepped up with the first two-goal game of his career on Wednesday, leading the Rockets to a 13th straight win at home, 5-4 over the Tri-City Americans.

Following Friday害羞草研究所檚 game against Seattle, the Rockets will head east for a Sunday matinee against the Hitmen in Calgary.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .