Rockets In WHL Final

In the playoffs, your best players have to play like your best players. Kelowna Rockets defenseman Shea Weber stepped up when his team needed him the most, scoring at 10:13 of sudden death overtime to give the Rockets a 2-1 victory over the Kootenay Ice.

The Rockets win the best of seven Western Conference final 4 games to 2, and advance to their 2nd league championship series in the last three years.

The Rockets dominated the overtime period, outshooting the Ice 8-2. Justin Keller dug the puck out of a scrum in front of the Ice goal and slid the puck back to Weber, who's wrist shot from the slot beat goaltender Jeff Glass high to the glove side.

Ryan Russell gave the Ice a 1-0 lead less that 2 minutes into the game when his wrist shot from the left wing beat Derek Yeomans to the far side.

It looked like the goal may hold up until Mike Card tied the game up on a slapshot from outside the Ice blueline. The puck appeared to dip, and fooled Glass. It was Card's 2nd goal of the playoffs, and 2nd in as many games.

The Rockets outshot the Ice 40-23. Kelowna was 1-2 on the power play, Kootenay 0-2.

The Rockets will face either Prince Albert or Brandon in the league final. Prince Albert beat Brandon 3-2 in overtime Sunday to force a seventh game in that series on Tuesday night.

Game's 1 and 2 will be played at Prospera Place Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7. Both games will begin at 7:00 pm.

A complete schedule will be released by mid week. Tickets for the first and second games of the series will begin selling Tuesday, May 3 at 9:30 am at the Prospera Place Box Office, or charge by phone at (250) 762-5050 or via the web at www.selectyourtickets.com.