Kelowna Rockets lend helping hand after Seattle T Birds’ bus hits ditch

Normally stout opponents, the Kelowna Rockets came to the aid of the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday night. The two WHL teams are set to play in Kelowna on Wednesday evening, but Seattle’s team bus slid off the road en route to the Okanagan and hit the ditch. 1:35 Moose Jaw Warriors reflect on experience at World Juniors The bus hit the ditch around 50 kilometres from West Kelowna, sometime around 7 p.m., with the Thunderbirds saying on social media that no one was injured.

Police say the bus hit an icy patch. Story continues below advertisement The Rockets say they heard about the incident, then contacted the Thunderbirds, with Kelowna president and GM Bruce Hamilton sending out his team bus to pick up Seattle. Get the latest National news. Sent to your email, every day.

“We got wind through the tow truck company and I called (the team),” Hamilton said. “I told them we’d send our bus up. And away it went, picked them up and got them here.” On the way to Kelowna today, ahead of tomorrows matchup, our team bus slid off the road and into a ditch. All on board are safe.

We’d like thank the emergency services and the @Kelowna_Rockets for all of their help — Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) January 10, 2024 Incidents involving junior hockey team buses are rare — considering how many junior teams there are across B.C. alone, and how often they’re on the road.

But when they happen, rival teams quickly step in to help. Trending Now Montreal teens hailed as heroes for saving couple from drowning in Barbados ‘He was a hero’: N.B. mother mourns son killed in devastating encampment fire “You know what? We’re all partners,” Hamilton said. “They would do the same for me.

You help out because you don’t want anybody sitting up there for an extended period of time.” Story continues below advertisement Global News has reached out to the Seattle Thunderbirds for comment. Road conditions along sections of the Okanagan Connector are slippery, as witnessed by DriveBC webcams .

Weather conditions along the Okanagan Connector as of Wednesday morning show nine centimetres of new snow and temperatures around 12 C. Nearby, the Coquihalla Summit received 30 cm of snow on Jan. 8 9. Following Wednesday’s game, the Rockets are off to Prince George for two weekend games and will leave Thursday.

Meanwhile, Seattle will travel back home, as they host Portland on Friday. Further, Environment Canada is forecasting a cold snap that will chill B.C.’s Interior. Temperatures on Friday for Kelowna feature a high of 18 C and an overnight low of 25 C. In Prince George, it’ll be even colder at 28 C and 36 C.

“With this weather that’s coming in, and the cold, we don’t want to be travelling in the evening,” Hamilton said. “We want to go up in the daytime.” More on Sports Raptors coach goes on epic rant about ‘outrageous’ officiating after loss to Lakers Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl out indefinitely Minor soccer referees in Quebec to wear body cameras to prevent abuse Mary Lou Retton says she was almost put on life support after health scare.