Rockets hang on to #4 ranking

The Kelowna Rockets remain the fourth ranked team in Canadian Major Junior Hockey.

The Rockets, who earned seven of a possible eight points during a gruelling four games in five nights stretch, sit fourth for the second week in a row.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo

Ben Walker, who was tended to by emergency personnel during a game in Kelowna Jan. 2, has returned to the Victoria Royals lineup.

They trail Portland (1), Halifax (2) and London (3).

The Rockets, unbeaten in 21 straight at home and unbeaten in regulation time in their last 16 games (14-0-2-0) sit second in the Western Hockey League, five points in back of the Portland Winterhawks.

They also find themselves seven points better than second place Kamloops in the BC Division.

Kelowna's six game winning streak was snapped Monday night when they fell 6-5 in overtime in Kamloops.

After two well deserved days off the Rockets return to the ice Thursday to begin another stretch of three games in three nights when they host the Victoria Royals.

Kelowna travel to Vancouver Friday and host the Giants Saturday.

Saturday's game concludes a stretch of seven games in 10 days.

Thursday's tilt is the third between the Rockets and Victoria this month at Prospera Place.

The Rockets were victorious 4-2 (Jan 2) and 6-1 (Jan 9).

Victoria will be without the services of rugged defenceman Tyler Stahl Thursday.

Stahl was given an eight game suspension by the league for a hit to the head in a game against Vancouver last weekend.

It's the third time this season and sixth time over his four year career Stahl has been suspended by the league.

Those suspensions totalled 21 games.

It was also Stahl who inadvertently took out teammate Ben Walker in the game here on Jan. 2.

Stahl left his feet to throw a high hit on Rockets Tyrell Goulbourne but caught his teammate in the head instead.

Walker returned to the Victoria lineup Tuesday night.