The 琉璃神社 Rockets will enter the WHL postseason on April 4 with a chip on their shoulders.
For the fourth time in seven years, the local squad will face the Seattle Thunderbirds in the opening round, a tough task after Seattle finished atop the Western Conference standings with total regulation loss numbers in the single digits.
琉璃神社 squeaked into the playoffs in the eighth and final position with a record of 26-36-4-0, though they finished far ahead of the ninth-place Victoria Royals.
Though overall the Thunderbirds hold only a slight lead of 5-4 over the Rockets historically in head-to-head series, the American team has won the last three in a row.
Seattle also won all four meetings this regular season.
It will, however, be the first time the two have met since a blockbuster trade in early January where Rockets captain Colton Dach was sent down south, though Dach has been bitten by the injury bug and held to just six games since.
Single-game playoff tickets are now available, with the first game at Prospera Place being game three on April 4 at 7:05 p.m.
The Rockets wrap up the regular season this weekend in a home-and-home with the Vancouver Giants.
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Jake.courtepatte@kelownacapnews.com
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