End Result Should Have Been Expected vs. Blazers

• The end result of a Kelowna Rockets 6-1 win over the Kamloops Blazers shouldn't have come as a surprise to many who attended Saturday night's game at Prospera Place. The Rockets are playing with a load of confidence while the Blazers are electing to unload some key veterans with the trade deadline just around the corner. With three key veterans traded earlier in the day to Regina and Calgary, two European players missing because of the World Juniors, and three players making their Blazer debuts, the odds were stacked against the visitors earning a win on opposition ice. The Rockets had their own built in excuses without defenseman Luke Schenn and Tyson Barrie.
• The Rockets scored goals 40 seconds apart in the first period to take a 2-0 lead, yet the score after the first period could have been much different had the Blazers capitalized on a missed open net and a shot that hit the goal post. Those missed opportunities early by the Blazers may have been their downfall as they headed into the first intermission down by two.
• Despite the two teams failing to register a shot in the first 7 minutes of the second period, the Rockets would eventually out-shoot the Blazers 15-5 in the second frame. Lucas Bloodoff was rewarded with a penalty shot - which had he scored - may have put the game on ice. Despite Blazer goaltender Justin Leclerc making the save, the momentum shift didn't happen as the Rockets would eventually get a power play goal from Colin Long just minutes later to build up a 3-0 lead. Game over.
• The Blazers did a good job of initiating body contact in the early stages of the first period, but were unable to rattle the Rockets who have now won 4 straight games.
• The most impressive newcomer for the new look Blazers in my opinion was defenseman Spencer Fraipont. A Kelowna resident, Fraipont played physical throughout the game and look the most comfortable of the three new faces.
• While the Rockets have played 43 games this season, it's still interesting to note that they have scored the most goals in the Western Conference. The 150 goals the team has scored is just 6 shy of the number of goals the team scored (156) all of last season.
• The Rockets were 2/5 with the power play against the Blazers and are now 10 for 36 in their last 6 games. That's an efficiency rate of 28 percent.
• I had a great conversation with Blazers forward Brady Calla before the game. I've spoken to him three times prior to last night, and he seemed extremely relaxed in telling me how the trades will affect his team, and how the deals will affect the critical fan base in Kamloops. Calla is a quality individual, and despite not being blessed with an abundance of skill, Calla is guaranteed to work his tail off on every shift.