Monday afternoon musings

Colton Sissons

• I sure like the Rockets discipline so far this season. They are playing like the mature team they are on paper. Penalty minutes are low, and when they are fingered to the box the shorthanded unit has played as close to perfect when down by a man. 
• Slowly....and I mean slowly, the Rockets d-core is getting more aggressive and down right abrasive when treating opposition forwards entering the offensive zone. How about Damon Severson's hard hit in the first period Saturday night after pasting an unsuspecting Cougars forward with a bone crunching hit. A Cougar teammate wanted to fight Severson, who simply  skated away and went about his business. 
• Jordon Cooke is clutch. The 20 year-old is in a zone and it playing with tremendous confidence just ten games into the season. Cooke is playing so well, it has to be hard for the coaching staff to take him out of the net to give Jackson Whistle more playing time. Remember, wins now are just as important as they are later in the season. No win is underrated. 
• Justin Kirkland isn't raising a lot of eye brows with his play just yet, but isn't it nice to have a rookie forward in the line up that stands 6 foot 3? It is very odd for a the Rockets organization to ice a player that while lanky, also plays a finesse game with an above average skill set. Brett Bulmer is the last 6 foot 3 player to wear Rockets colours that was dangerous with the puck. Geordie Wudrick was also 6'3 and had high end skill. I am not sure if those players are hard to find, but I am intrigued at Kirkland's evolution as a player into what could be a darn good power forward down the road.
• Just to put into perspective the start rookie Nick Merkley is having this season, Shane McColgan, arguably the best 16 year-old forward to ever wear a Rockets uniform, collecting 4 goals and 13 points in his 10 games as a raw rookie. Merkley has 14 points in ten games.
• If you want to complain about the early attendance totals at Rockets home games, look at some of the disturbing numbers elsewhere across the WHL. Only Portland, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver have had bigger crowds. The Giants are playing before just over 5 thousand fans, with some of those games under that total. Things aren't as bad in Kelowna when you look at the other 21 teams across the league.        
• A nice start for Colton Sissons. The Rockets ex-captain has two goals and two assists in four games with the Milwaukee Admirals. With Sissons heart/hustle, he will play in the NHL.