The Kelowna Rockets are preparing for a battle with the top ranked Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
Before the postseason gets started, the team hosted their annual awards ceremony on Sunday, March 26 from the Kelowna Community Theatre.
With catering from Train Station Pub, attendees were treated to a terrific spread of food.
Team president and GM, Bruce Hamilton thanked the Rockets staff and doctors for keeping the team sa国际传媒渞eady to go.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淲e should all be excited that wesa国际传媒檝e got the opportunity to continue to play,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 think our brightest days are ahead of ussa国际传媒�
Head coach Kris Mallette also spoke, thanking his staff, along with their sa国际传媒榟erosa国际传媒� bus driver Shane, for sa国际传媒済etting us from A to B as safe as possible.sa国际传媒�
He also shouted out their social media manager, Paige Bednorz, calling her a special talent and that sa国际传媒渋n dark times you brought us out and put us on the map more than we already are.sa国际传媒�
The three overage players; Talyn Boyko, Adam Kydd and Carson Golder, each said their thanks to fans and coaching staff, before the captain, Gabriel Szturc addressed the audience.
sa国际传媒淚 really want to thank the billets for helping out this year in Kelowna,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭o my teammates, itsa国际传媒檚 been a pleasure and I really enjoyed every single day so thank you for that, but job is not done.sa国际传媒� He ended his speech with thanking the fans.
The awards winners are listed below:
Scholastic player- Trae Johnson.
Most Improved Player- Jari Kykkanen (14 wins this year, compared to eight a season before).
Top Scorer- Andrew Cristall (39 goals, 56 assists for 95 points in just 54 games).
Unsung Hero- Carson Golder (40 points in 40 games after coming over from the Edmonton Oil Kings).
Top Defensive forward- Gabriel Szturc.
Top defenceman- Caden Price (40 points, 35 assists).
Most sportsmanlike- Adam Kydd (just 37 penalty minutes in 50 games).
Rookie of the Year- Ismail Abougouche (five assists in his rookie year).
Humanitarian Award- Mike Babcock.
MVP- Andrew Cristall (finished sixth in the WHL in scoring).
Abougouche said that it was sa国际传媒渦nexpectedsa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒渁 big honoursa国际传媒� to win the rookie of the year award.
sa国际传媒淚 wasnsa国际传媒檛 expecting the award, but it was a bonus for all the hard work I put on and off the ice.sa国际传媒� While Abougouche will be unable to play in the playoffs due to undergoing surgery, he promised to cheer on his team as loud as possible.
Cristall, the MVP for the Rockets, called getting the award an sa国际传媒渉onour.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚t has been a crazy season, but I am looking forward to the playoffs.sa国际传媒�
The Rockets playoff series against the Thunderbreds will begin in Seattle on Friday, March 31 for game one, and Saturday for game two.
The series will shift back to Kelowna on Tuesday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 5. You can purchase playoff tickets at .
READ MORE: Kelowna Rockets to face familiar foe in first round
