Rockets open WHL pre-season with games against Blazers
The Western Hockey League has released its 2023 pre-season schedule, which will include 46 games beginning Tuesday, September 5 and ending Sunday, September 17.
The Kelowna Rockets will visit the Kamloops Blazers Friday, Sept 8 for both team’s pre-season opener, and then will stage a rematch at Prospera Place in Kelowna on Saturday, Sept. 9.
KELOWNA ROCKETS 2023 PRESEASON SCHEDULE (games are subject to change)
Friday, Sept. 8 @ Kamloops Blazers Sandman Centre 7:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 9 vs. Kamloops Blazers Prospera Place 7:05 PM
Friday, Sept. 15 vs. Vancouver Giants Prospera Place 7:05 PM
Saturday, Sept. 16 vs. Victoria Royals Prospera Place 7:05 PM
“Fans will get their first chance to see Hiroki Gojsic and Tij Iginla, who were acquired earlier this spring, in a Rockets uniform during the preseason,” the Rockets website stated.
The Rockets will open the regular season at home to the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday, September 23.
The WHL’s first pre-season game on Wednesday, September 6 will see the Prince Albert Raiders hosting the Saskatoon Blades at Big River First Nation Arena in Debden, Sask., located approximately 100 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.
The Jon Baillie Arena in Port Coquitlam, B.C., will be the site for two WHL pre-season games featuring the Prince George Cougars, including Friday, September 8 vs. the Vancouver Giants and Saturday, September 9 vs. the Victoria Royals.
Cam Neely Arena in Maple Ridge, B.C. will welcome the Giants and Kamloops Blazers on Saturday, September 16.
The pre-season schedule also features two tournaments, including events hosted by the Everett Silvertips and Tri-City Americans.
Everett’s six-game pre-season tournament is scheduled to begin Friday, September 9 and will include appearances by all six U.S. division clubs, including the Wenatchee Wild. All six games will be hosted at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.
Tri-City’s four-game pre-season tournament is scheduled to begin Friday, September 15 and will include appearances by Wenatchee, the Spokane Chiefs, and Portland Winterhawks.
The Wenatchee Wild will make its WHL pre-season debut Tuesday, September 6, visiting the Spokane Chiefs at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
The 2023-24 WHL regular season schedule will be unveiled Tuesday, June 27.
| Game # | Home | Visitor | Date | Time | Location |
| 1 | Lethbridge | Medicine Hat | September 5 | 7 p.m. MT | Enmax Centre – Lethbridge, Alta. |
| 2 | Prince Albert | Saskatoon | September 6 | 1 p.m. MT | Big River First Nation Arena – Debden, Sask. |
| 3 | Spokane | Wenatchee | September 6 | 2 p.m. PT | Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena |
| 4 | Swift Current | Moose Jaw | September 7 | 7 p.m. MT | Innovation Credit Union iPlex |
| 5 | Seattle | Spokane | September 8 | 2 p.m. PT | Angel of the Winds Arena |
| 6 | Everett | Tri-City | September 8 | 6 p.m. PT | Angel of the Winds Arena |
| 7 | Calgary | Red Deer | September 8 | 7 p.m. MT | Siksika Deerfoot Sportsplex |
| 8 | Kamloops | Kelowna | September 8 | 7 p.m. PT | Sandman Centre |
| 9 | Regina | Brandon | September 8 | 7 p.m. MT | Brandt Centre |
| 10 | Vancouver | Prince George | September 8 | 7 p.m. PT | Jon Baillie Arena – Port Coquitlam, B.C. |
| 11 | Spokane | Portland | September 9 | 2 p.m. PT | Angel of the Winds Arena |
| 12 | Everett | Seattle | September 9 | 6 p.m. PT | Angel of the Winds Arena |
| 13 | Brandon | Regina | September 9 | 7 p.m. CT | Westoba Place |
| 14 | Edmonton | Calgary | September 9 | 6 p.m. MT | Enoch Recreation Centre |
| 15 | Kelowna | Kamloops | September 9 | 7:05 p.m. PT | Prospera Place |
| 16 | Medicine Hat | Lethbridge | September 9 | 7 p.m. MT | Co-op Place |
| 17 | Moose Jaw | Swift Current | September 9 | 7 p.m. MT | Southland Co-op Centre – Assiniboia, Sask. |
| 18 | Prince Albert | Saskatoon | September 9 | 7 p.m. MT | Art Hauser Centre |
| 19 | Victoria | Prince George | September 9 | 7 p.m. PT | Jon Baillie Arena – Port Coquitlam, B.C. |
| 20 | Wenatchee | Tri-City | September 9 | 6 p.m. PT | Town Toyota Center |
| 21 | Portland | Seattle | September 10 | 12 p.m. PT | Angel of the Winds Arena |
| 22 | Everett | Wenatchee | September 10 | 4 p.m. PT | Angel of the Winds Arena |
| 23 | Red Deer | Edmonton | September 10 | 2 p.m. MT | Peavey Mart Centrium |
| 24 | Vancouver | Victoria | September 10 | 4 p.m. PT | Ladner Leisure Centre – Ladner, B.C. |
| 25 | Regina | Saskatoon | September 13 | 7 p.m. MT | Brandt Centre |
| 26 | Seattle | Everett | September 13 | 7:05 p.m. PT | Accesso ShoWare Center |
| 27 | Calgary | Lethbridge | September 14 | 7 p.m. MT | Seven Chiefs Sportsplex – Tsuut’ina Nation |
| 28 | Spokane | Portland | September 14 | 6 p.m. PT | Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena |
| 29 | Wenatchee | Spokane | September 15 | 3:05 p.m. PT | Toyota Arena |
| 30 | Tri-City | Portland | September 15 | 7:05 p.m. PT | Toyota Arena |
| 31 | Brandon | Moose Jaw | September 15 | 7 p.m. CT | Westoba Place |
| 32 | Kamloops | Victoria | September 15 | 7 p.m. PT | Sandman Centre |
| 33 | Kelowna | Vancouver | September 15 | 7:05 p.m. PT | Prospera Place |
| 34 | Medicine Hat | Swift Current | September 15 | 7 p.m. MT | Co-op Place |
| 35 | Prince Albert | Regina | September 15 | 7 p.m. MT | Art Hauser Centre |
| 36 | Red Deer | Calgary | September 15 | 7 p.m. MT | Peavey Mart Centrium |
| 37 | Edmonton | Prince George | September 15 | 7 p.m. MT | Grande Cache Recreation Centre – Grande Cache, Alta. |
| 38 | Portland | Spokane | September 16 | 2:05 p.m. PT | Toyota Arena |
| 39 | Tri-City | Wenatchee | September 16 | 6:05 p.m. PT | Toyota Arena |
| 40 | Kelowna | Victoria | September 16 | 7:05 p.m. PT | Prospera Place |
| 41 | Lethbridge | Red Deer | September 16 | 6 p.m. MT | Enmax Centre |
| 42 | Moose Jaw | Brandon | September 16 | 7 p.m. MT | Moose Jaw Events Centre |
| 43 | Saskatoon | Prince Albert | September 16 | 7 p.m. MT | Legends Centre – Warman, Sask. |
| 44 | Swift Current | Medicine Hat | September 16 | 7 p.m. MT | Innovation Credit Union iPlex |
| 45 | Vancouver | Kamloops | September 16 | 7 p.m. PT | Cam Neely Arena – Maple Ridge, B.C. |
| 46 | Prince George | Edmonton | September 17 | 1 p.m. MT | Grande Cache Recreation Centre – Grande Cache, Alta. |