Rockets' 10-day odyssey

Photo: Wayne Moore/file

The Kelowna Rockets are on their longest road trip of the season.

The Rockets left Thursday on a 10-day sojourn that will take them through Washington state, Central B.C. and Alberta before they return home next weekend.

It's the first road trip for new head coach Adam Foote, and the first extended bus trip for the former NHL blueliner since his junior days with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the late 1980s.

"I can't remember the bus back then. All I can remember is the big, mean captain taking my lunch," said Foote.

"It'll be good for us to get out on the road after everything that's happened and all the emotions of the last couple of weeks."

The Rockets open the road trip with three games in three nights south of the border. They open up tonight in Seattle before travelling down I-5 for back-to-back games in Portland, Saturday and Sunday.

This will be the third meeting of the season between the Rockets and T-Birds. Seattle swept a home-and-home set, winning 4-1 and 9-6 earlier in the season.

Since then, the Rockets have gone 6-2, including a perfect 3-0 since Foote took over the coaching reins from Jason Smith Oct. 23.

"They're good teams, and they play well at home. We have to manage the weekend and manage it well, " said Foote. "We have to worry about what we want to do first, and take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead."

Following Sunday's tilt in Portland, the Rockets will head north for a Wednesday date in Prince George. They wrap up the trip with games in Red Deer Friday and Edmonton Saturday.