The Redvers Rockets secured a pivotal victory over the Oxbow Huskies on Friday night, edging them out 5-4 to claim their semifinal series and advance to the Big Six Hockey League finals. Co-manager Dallas Jonassen said the team was eager to close out the series and avoid a return trip to Oxbow for a Game 4.
"We really didn’t want to go back to Oxbow," Jonassen said. "But hey, it’s never over till it’s over. Got to give Oxbow credit—they came out hard with a full squad. We just managed to come out ahead by one goal."
The Rockets now await the winner of the other semifinal series between the Moosomin Rangers and the Carlyle Cougars, a rematch of last year’s final. With Moose Mountain holding the edge so far, Jonassen is not counting out Carlyle just yet.
"Don’t count Carlyle out. They’re a good team. They got their defenseman back," he said. "I know Moosomin is the favorite, but I’m not counting Carlyle out yet. We’ll be ready for whichever team wins."
If Carlyle does advance, Jonassen acknowledged their goaltending as a key factor in making them a tough opponent.
"They’ve got a lot of offense and probably the best goalie in the league," he said. "But they’re a little hurt on defense—that’s the only problem they have."
The Rockets won’t be idle as they wait for their opponent. They will face the Milestone Flyers in provincial playoffs this weekend. Redvers defeated Milestone 7-3 last Friday, and Jonassen said the team is preparing for another battle.
"They’re a good team. They run three lines, and I think we can wear them down," he said. "That’s our advantage."
Jonassen also spoke about the scheduling challenges of playing both provincials and Big Six playoffs at the same time, saying it takes a toll on players.
"They gotta start provincials sooner, so it’s done sooner. March is just really hard if you’re involved in both," he said. "The guys get worn down."
As for whether the Rockets can lift the Big Six championship trophy this year, Jonassen remains cautiously optimistic.
"It’ll be a battle. It’s going to be close," he said. "Whoever we play, it’ll be a tough series. I don’t know what will happen in the final, but I’m hoping we can hoist the cup this year."