
The Kelowna Rockets make their first journey outside the Southern Interior this week, travelling north to face the BC Division-leading Prince George Cougars.
The furthest the Rockets have travelled this season was their first pre season game in Kamloops. They have played five straight inside the friendly confines of Prospera Place since.
The Cougars, who finished second in the BC Division to the Memorial Cup host Kamloops Blazers, have come out of the gate hot, winning three of their first four games, including a 9-0 whitewashing of Tri-City on opening night and an 11-2 drubbing of Victoria last weekend.
They've averaged 7.25 goals a game on the back of a trio of players who lead the league in scoring over the first week of the season.
Rookie Terik Parascak leads the league in goals (8) and points (12) while veteran import Ondrej Becher is next with 11 points, including a league-leading nine assists.
Veteran Zac Funk has chipped in with 10 points.
Overage defenceman Hudson Thornton produces offence from the back end, leading the league with eight points.
The Cougars have also been lethal on the power play, scoring on nine of their first 21 opportunities, a 42.9 per cent clip.
The Rockets have also had some early power play success, scoring twice in each of their two games with the man advantage and are four of 10 overall.
It's only two games in but at 1-0-1-0, the Rockets are one of two teams in the league who have yet to lose in regulation time.
The Rockets also have much of their roster now intact with the return of Andrew Cristall and Jari Kykkanen from NHL training camps last week.
Only defenceman Caden Price (week-to-week) and forward Marcus Pacheco (one to three weeks) remain out of the lineup nursing lower body injuries.
The Rockets and Cougars face each other Tuesday and Wednesday. Kelowna head home after the brief road trip to face the Spokane Chiefs.
They'll host Victoria on Thanksgiving Monday. That game is a rare 12:35 start.