Rockets' golden honourees

Photo: Marissa Baecker

The Kelowna Rockets will honour their "golden heroes" prior to tonight's Western Hockey League game at Prospera Place.

Captain Cal Foote and Dillon Dube return to the lineup for tonight's game versus the Spokane Chiefs after helping Canada win gold at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo.

For Dube, it's his second medal from the world juniors, following a silver last year.

The Rockets were 7-3 during the 10 games the two missed. Dube had 13 goals and 25 points over 15 games, prior to leaving.

Goaltending coach Adam Brown says their return is a welcome boost.

"Obviously, adding two players of world junior quality, that are NHL draft picks and NHL signed players back into your locker room and into your lineup makes a huge impact," said Brown. 

"Not just on the ice, but off the ice as well, leading by example, really getting the team going, getting the team focused and ready to play.... That added firepower is going to be huge for us."

The Rockets enter Wednesday's game deadlocked with the Vancouver Giants atop the B.C. Division. Both teams have 53 points, three better than third place Victoria.

Kelowna holds three games in hand on both.

Following tonight's game, the Rockets hit the road for a pair in Seattle Friday and Vancouver Saturday.