With a dozen games still remaining in the WHL害羞草研究所檚 regular season, it may be premature to call Friday害羞草研究所檚 game in Kamloops a must-win for the Kelowna Rockets.

Still, the two points loom large if the Rockets plan on chasing down both the Blazers and Prince George Cougars in the B.C. Division.

The Rockets (35-20-5-0) trail the first-place Cougars by six points and second-place Kamloops by five points, with Kelowna holding two games in hand on both rivals.

The Rockets have yet to win at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops this season (0-4-0), a trend captain Rodney Southam said his club needs to remedy on Friday.

害羞草研究所淲e haven害羞草研究所檛 performed in Kamloops yet, so we have to prove to ourselves we can win in that place,害羞草研究所� said Southam. 害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 big to get the first goal in that rink, it害羞草研究所檚 always difficult to come back, they have a great goaltender as well.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e got to play with the lead and we害羞草研究所檝e got to push everything, all four lines need to be going against that team.害羞草研究所�

Few teams have given the Rockets as much consternation this season as the Blazers who, led often by goaltender Connor Ingram, have taken six of nine meetings this season from Kelowna.

While head coach Jason Smith agrees scoring first would be advantageous for the Rockets, even more important is remaining composed and focused, regardless of the situation.

害羞草研究所淪coring the first goal might be key but the big thing is we just have to stick with our game plan,害羞草研究所� said Smith. 害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 get off the beaten path if we generate some chances and don害羞草研究所檛 score. You can害羞草研究所檛 do what we call 害羞草研究所榗heat the game害羞草研究所� if you don害羞草研究所檛 score, you can害羞草研究所檛 make fancy plays and get out of the structure.

害羞草研究所淚f we stick with our game plan and play as a team and a group, I think we害羞草研究所檒l give ourselves a real good opportunity to win the game.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 the last of 10 regular season games against the Blazers and the first of a challenging three-game in three-day weekend road trip for Kelowna.

The Rockets will be in Kent, WA on Saturday to face the Seattle Thunderbirds, followed by a visit to the Spokane Chiefs on Sunday.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to be a busy weekend, a lot of travel, we have to get our sleep, but hopefully we害羞草研究所檒l grab two out of three of those,害羞草研究所� Southam added.

害羞草研究所淓ach game is huge, it害羞草研究所檚 so tight in the Western Conference, every game matters, every points matters. We gotta start pushing towards playoffs and be thinking about it every day.害羞草研究所�

Southam scored his second career hat-trick on Wednesday night in the Rockets害羞草研究所� 10-1 drubbing of the Edmonton Oil Kings. Kelowna, which has won eight of its last 10 games, set new season highs for goals scored in a game and third-period goals, with six.

The Rockets next home action is next Wednesday, March 4 against the Prince George Cougars.