Saving the best for last

Alex Swetlikoff, like his team, finished strong  

It could have been ugly hockey.

The energy level could have been low.

It could have been a fight filled affair.

It was anything but.

The Kelowna Rockets brought it last night. So did the Victoria Royals.

Playing for nothing but pride with their respective gas tanks pretty much empty, the two teams were amazingly marvelous.

Showing junior hockey fans one last time why the WHL is such a great league, they played with proficiency, focused on purely one thing  - finishing strong. 

Essentially, no regrets.

While skating away with a hard-fought 3-2 win, the Rockets and Royals should be proud of what they were able to accomplish in the finale of this abbreviated season.

• It was the final game in the junior careers of 20 year-old's Sean Comrie, David Kope and Dillon Hamaliuk. All three took the pre-game skate together before teammates joined them for warmup. While it was sad to see them unable to play this season with the potential for a successful playoff run, all three knew what they were getting into when the season started. Playoffs were not going to happen. I felt terrible for the overage players last year that had their dreams shattered when COVID-19 struck in March and ended hopes of winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup and playing in the Memorial Cup.
• Roman Basran had a strong showing in goal. The 19 year-old's best save came on a glove hand grab. It came on a shot from Royals forward Graeme Bryks with time ticking down and Victoria goaltender Adam Evanoff on the bench for the extra attacker.  When I saw Basran as the starter, I wondered about his future with the team. Is this the last time we see him wearing Kelowna Rockets colours? It doesn't take a 'hockey insider' to know it is one of either Basran or Cole Schwebius that will be released or traded this off season. You can't have two-20 year-old goalies claiming two of three overage spots.
• How good was Jake Lee in this abbreviated season? Two of the three goals he scored were tremendous individual efforts. It was that type of deceptive moves with the puck that must have been evident when the Seattle Thunderbirds selected him in the first round of the 2016 WHL bantam draft. Lee finished strong, recording a career high 9 shots on goal in last night's one goal win.
• The Rockets played the game without marquee d-man Kaedan Korczak. The 19 year-old was a healthy scratch as he travels today to join the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights.  The pride of Yorkton, Saskatchewan had little to prove this season. Signed by the Vegas Golden Knights, Korczak played 215 games in the WHL and will be regarded as one of the top defenceman ever to grace the Kelowna Rockets blueline. He won't be back next season. Pro hockey and pursuing an NHL dream is his next step.  
• The Rockets ended the abbreviated season with a 10-5-1-0 record in 16 games. 
• Trevor Wong was the leading scorer. Wong had 16 points in 16 games. Mark Liwiski had a team high 9 goals. 
• The top rookie was Turner McMillen. The 18 year-old had 8 points in 16 games. 
• Alex Swetlikoff finished strong. The 19 year-old made a bid to be in the conversation as a 20 year-old next season with goals in three straight games. 
• It was nice to see Noah Dorey score his first career WHL goal. His bomb from the blueline beat Adam Evanoff after a clean face-off win by Swetlikoff. 
• What did we learn over the 16 games? The future is indeed bright. The rookies, who I underestimated, really looked good. Coach Kris Mallette gave them every chance to succeed and they took full advantage. I would say the rookies impressed me more than the veterans. I am not saying veteran players didn't stand out, but I would suggest the vast majority of the rookies made significant strides in this developmental season.
• I think Tyson Feist took a step forward in his evolution as a player. He seems to make better decisions with the puck and wasn't just this one dimensional player, who's best attribute up until this season, was being a physical force and keep the other team honest.  
• Decisions, decisions, decisions. The Rockets staff have many in deciding who will be the three 20 year-old's next season. The 2001's are Mark Liwiski, Tyson Feist,  Jake Lee, Alex Swetlikoff, Roman Basran and Cole Schwebius. You can only keep three.      

Blazers backlash

Some days are diamonds, some days are stones.

Those lyrics from a John Denver song from 1981.

That tune could have been blaring out of the loudspeakers at Prospera Place last night after a 10-2 drubbing at the hands of the Kamloops Blazers. 

On a night when nothing went right, the Blazers exploded for 5 power play goals in the setback, which fortunately had no fans in the stands to witness.

It was the first time in franchise history that the team surrendered 10 goals against on home ice. 

• The game started out decently for the home team. Sure, they were down 2-0 after 1 period but the game was still in doubt. That all changed when the Blazers scored three-second period power play goals and blew the game open. Down 6-0 after 40 minutes, the game was essentially over.
• The Rockets changed goalies after 40 minutes, with Cole Schwebius replaced by Roman Basran. It seemed to jump start the offense with two quick strikes from Alex Swetlikoff and Dillon Hamaliuk to make the score 6-2. Any comeback bid was doused when the Blazers  - again - scored on the power play three minutes later and the rout was on.
• Blazers rookie forward Connor Levis will want to play the Rockets all the time. The 16 year-old had two-three goal games against them. At seasonal series end, Levis had 6 goals and 10 points in four games against the Blazers arch rival. 
• The game started with a bang. Tyson Feist dropped the gloves with Western Conference tough guy Montana Onyebuchi. The tilt caught me off guard as we don't typically see these type of premeditated tilts anymore shortly after the opening faceoff. The two tangled 11 seconds into the game. If it did one thing, it woke up the Blazers but, sadly, did little for the home team.
• How good was the Blazers power play against the Rockets in the four game seasonal series? They scored 12 times with the extra man for an efficiency rate of 57%.
• Dylan Ernst earned the win in goal for the Blazers. Making his first start against his older brother, Ethan's team, the 17 year-old was steady and sharp early on in the game when the Rockets had some good looks. 
• The Rockets were playing their third game in four nights, with two of those games played in Kamloops. Was that a factor in last night's lethargic effort? 
• What's next? The abbreviated season comes to an end tomorrow night against the visiting Victoria Royals. The Royals are on the road tonight in Kamloops where they face the Vancouver Giants. The hope is several players will have solid showings, including 20 year-old's Sean Comrie, Dillon Hamaliuk and David Kope, who will all play their final games in junior hockey. The same holds true for Kaedan Korczak, who will turn pro next season. We will also likely see the end of either Roman Basran or Cole Schwebius too. Both will be 20 year-old players next season and the team won't be keeping both. 

Lite night leads to road loss

Allen Douglas Photo 

If the Kelowna Rockets were compared to an alcoholic beverage after last night's effort - a lite beer comes to mind. Mild in flavour. Few calories. Head Coach Kris Mallette had a hard time swallowing what he witnessed in a 6-2 loss to the Vancouver Giants. Often considered as a heavy team, the Rockets threw grit and physicality out the window in the lopsided loss. The Giants were able to free-wheel and use speed to execute several pretty passing plays. Giving 20 year-old Tristan Nielsen that amount of space and time allowed the overager to fire home two goals and collect two assists. The loss extended the Rockets winless streak to three games (0-2-1-0) heading into Sunday's encounter - again in Kamloops - but this time against the Prince George Cougars.

• The good news? The rookie line of Dylan Wightman, Scott Cousins and Steel Quiring was the teams best line. All three were engaged and were rewarded by getting first line power play time in the third period. While that sounds good on paper, it often isn't a great sign when those guys are the best you've got. It tells you that the older players aren't competing at the level they need too with the season quickly coming to an end - with much to play for.
• Wightman was 7 for 10 in the face-off circle and for my money, may be the most improved player since the team returned to action. To be honest, Wightman didn't show me much when he played a handful of games a season ago. You were looking for small windows of, 'wow this guy can play'. It didn't materialize. This season is a different story. He has been noticeable and even got into a second period scrap. Do you not think scouts write a note beside #24 in their binder by what they saw? Guaranteed. It is worth watching this player, who has come miles since we saw him in 10 games as a call-up last season. 
• It's often said in hockey, 'your best players have to be your best players'. Or, 'there best players were better then our best players'. That saying would also describe what went on last night. Tristen Nielsen had a 4 point game while veteran Justin Sourdif has 3 points. Two older forwards combined for 7 points. Rookie Steel Quiring opens the scoring with a great effort in front of the Giants net and Kaedan Korczak pots a power play goal late in the game to make the score 6-2. On this night, lots of passengers with the older players, who wanted to play a perimeter game against an elite goalie like Trent Miner.
• How off were the older players? Dillon Hamaliuk is the teams leading shooter. The 20 year-old didn't register a shot on goal and was a minus 2. Tristen Nielsen, undrafted, led all skaters with 7 shots on net. David Kope, another overager, also didn't fire a puck on net. It's not a good look with scouts in the standings watching. 
• The Rockets wanted a better start and had it gift wrapped for them less than 2 minutes into the game. Instead, Nielsen scores a shorthanded goal and it's 1-0 Giants. The Rockets had back-to-back power plays just 11 minutes into the game, but again gave up a shorty and didn't do much to manufacture offense when Marko Stacha went to the penalty box for slashing.
• With the Rockets failing to score on two-first period power plays, the G-Men were afforded a 5 on 3 advantage in the second when the score was 2-1. What happens? They score once to make it 3-1 and then fire home another goal 43 seconds later and it's 4-1. Essentially game over. If it wasn't a done deal by then, it was after Justin Sourdif scored a shorthanded goal courtesy of a favourable bounce off of Kaedan Korczak.
• Roman Basran surrendered 5 goals on 21 shots. The Giants had several good looks on net, but this was a game where you hoped the goalie would steal a game for you. If the team is flat, or isn't at its best, that one player in that crucial position can really bail out his teammates. It wasn't to be. 
• Without doing higher mathematics, the Rockets need some help if they indeed want to claim the BC Division title in this abbreviated season. They need the Kamloops Blazers to lose no less than two of their remaining three games, which includes a head-to-head meeting Monday at Prospera Place. Ideally, the Rockets must be flawless in their final three games too. It all starts tomorrow with the final road game of the season against a Cougars team that beat them 2-1 just a few days ago. 

If it was golf, award a mulligan on this hole

You could see it happening. 

The hope was it would fade after five minutes.

No, wait. Ten.

Maybe it was first period flatness?

Nope, it was pretty much through 60 minutes, maybe outside of 3 minutes in the dying moments of the third period when ‘urgent hockey’ was initiated.

To be critical would be too harsh though. While disappointing, are the Rockets not afforded the luxury of laying an egg in this abbreviated season? I will give them a mulligan on this one. A one off. Just a flat game after a weekend of playing against two teams that are above you in the standing over three consecutive nights. That said, play without jam, life or passion on Friday, one can be less lenient. Playing sluggish hockey with just three games left on the schedule - at least in these parts where the bar is set high - is simply unacceptable.

• Let’s give the Cougars credit here. Short staffed and built-in excuses were there before puck drop. Yet, a 16 year-old opens the scoring and a veteran pots a short handed goal and its 2-0 for the road team before you knew it. With a lack of urgency offensively and Taylor Gauthier making it hard for a possibly rally, the Cougars ended the Rockets winning ways at home. It was Kelowna’s first loss at Prospera Place in 6 attempts.
• The turning point was clearly three consecutive power play chances in the second period. The Rockets were unable to score on any of them. Instead they surrendered their 7th shorthanded goal against. The team allowed just 6 shorthanded goals all of last season.
  The Rockets power play went 0 for 5. It’s the first time in 7 games they failed to score with the extra man.  
• Mark Liwiski was able to find the back of the net late to make it a one goal game. The 19 year-old leads the team in goals with 9, which equals his total from all of last season. ‘Louie’ had a career high 11 goals two seasons ago. 
• A clear indicator of how softly the game was played? From start to finish it took 2 hours and 8 minutes. It was the quickest Rockets game on record this season.
• Mark my words people. The Cougars will destroy a lot of teams in the future. Not next year, but in two years time when this core of younger players learns to win as a group. It’s keeping them together that is paramount. Win together. Hate to lose together. Keep Mark Lamb intact to cultivate a winning culture there. They’ve got the right man at the head of it all. If you think Lamb isn’t a forward thinker, look at how he was able to build the Swift Current Broncos into the powerhouse they became in 2018. Lamb could have traded away first round picks for short term gain to save face. Instead he chose to rebuild. Putting his pride in his pocket, he built through the draft and didn’t mortgage the future. That allowed Manny Viveiros to do it when he traded away Lamb’s players/prospect if you will, in the teams WHL championship season. 
• What’s next? A much better effort this weekend. Veterans and rookies alike. Make Tuesday’s effort an anomaly on what can only be considered an above average season. In the minds of many, this group is better than what the naysayers had envisioned. It’s up to the players to make sure that theme resonates in our heads even after the lights at Prospera Place have been turned out for the summer and the ice plant has been shut down until the fall.

A man of his word

Kris Mallette is a man of his word.

In an interview before the puck even dropped on this abbreviated season, Mallette told me he would not sacrifice development over winning.

As competitive as they come, Mallette wanted to use this season as a tool to evaluate talent, look for success by winning games while allowing rookie players to be given the chance to shine in the spotlight if the opportunity warranted.

Oh, what an opportunity Mallette has given them.

Do many of them realize what they've been given?

I counted no less than two rookies getting a shift in overtime in a 4-3 loss last night to the Kamloops Blazers. 

Two!! 

In five minutes of overtime, playing three on three, would any other coach do what is considered the unthinkable? Did the Blazers have a rookie hit the ice in OT? I think not. 

Mallette is showing great trust in his players, young and old, believing they can get the job done, whether you've played 200 games in the WHL or a handful in major junior hockey. 

Mallette's words are not hollow. They aren't shallow. He means what he says and is being rewarded for it with his team following his lead. How can you not when he puts that type of trust in you? No agenda. No massive punishment if you screw up. A players coach. As he often says - he wants to be 'fun but firm'.

Getting the tap on the shoulder to play in crucial situations is fun. A sense of trust coming from your coach is fun. Winning is fun.

Mallette has provided his players with that exact formula.

Is their any other explanation on why the 2020-2021 Kelowna Rockets are having this much success?

It's easy to blame the coach when the team is losing, but let's not lose sight of the fact Mallette is one of the real reasons why the team is winning.

The contribution of new faces on this roster has been a real nice story, but the way Mallette has handled himself with less than 30 games coached at the WHL level shouldn't be overlooked either. 

• Overtime loss...yes. But let's look at the big picture here. The Rockets earned 5 out of a possible 6 points in three games in three night's over two teams ahead of them in the standings. To recap, a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Vancouver, a 6-1 triumph over Kamloops before losing last night's game, despite a solid effort in a 4-3 overtime loss. Mallette had this to say after the game. "Our players didn't sit back. It wasn't like the Blazers ran all over us. We created offense. To tie it up after chasing the game all night....the resilience of this group is great". 
• Remember the Rockets trailed 2-0 at one point in this one before getting back-to-back power play goals to tie it. It's the third time this season the team has fought back from being down by a pair of goals to get back in the game. The belief system with a little bit of 'no quit mentality' has served this team well in the opening 11 games. 
• David Kope led the way with 2 goals and an assist. Kope leads the team in scoring. While his breakaway goal with Mark Liwiski was well executed, it was the opening goal that jump started the offense. For my money, the first goal of the game is always a true indictor of who is a difference maker. Scoring the 5th goal in a 6-0 triumph doesn't given me the sense you are determined to make a difference when the game is in doubt. Nice to see Kope elevate when his team needed him most.
• The Rockets scored two power play goals last night. That is 6 consecutive games with at least one power play goal. While giving up a shorty last night, which is never good, the team was able to score shortly after giving up what some would consider a back breaker.
• Despite the loss, a solid effort from goaltender Roman Basran. The 19 year-old made some solid saves early to keep the game scoreless in the first period. I was hoping that Basran could steal a game for his team in a building where wins have been few and far between.
• Ample chances to score. Firing 38 shots on net was impressive, with Dillon Hamaliuk and Trevor Wong hitting goal posts in this one. Blazers goaltender Dylan Garand was on his game, so the Rockets weren't the recipient of any soft goals. 
• The loss snapped the Rockets five game winning streak, yet the team has points in 8 of their last 9 games. (7-1-1-0). With the point, the Rockets are now two points up on Prince George for third in the BC Division and still hold the best winning percentage of the five teams. 
• A well deserved rest. A little sunshine on the face today and the Rockets are back at work Tuesday against the Prince George Cougars. I won't lie. Coming to the rink is fun for even this broadcaster. It seems like every game, something new and exciting happens. Like a good novel, I can't wait to read the next chapter.

Doubt no more!

Turner McMillen

Are you a Doubting Thomas?

Doubt no more.

The Kelowna Rockets are indeed for real. 

They showed it last night in a 6-1 win over the top team in the BC Division circuit - the Kamloops Blazers.

Six different goal scorers got into the act with rookie Turner McMillen leading the charge with a three point effort.

The Rockets exploded for four goals in a span of 2:44 in the first period and the game was essentially over. The key the rest of the way was not allowing the Blazers any chance of rallying back. They are a quick strike team, so caution must always be taken. This time the tables were turned. Goaltender Cole Schwebius made sure no rally was in the cards with a brilliant outing.

• The win, the Rockets 7th in 8 games, improves their record to 8-2-0-0 on the season. That is good for sole possession of third place in the division, one point up on Prince George and two points back of second place Vancouver.
• This game didn’t have the bite, nor intensity we typically see in games between these two teams. Is Connor Zary to blame? Without the skilled yet feisty forward in the lineup, the game didn’t have much ‘snarl’, which played into the Rockets hands. The home team didn’t get rattled, instead keeping their cool, playing composed and not allowing the Blazers to generate offense on the power play. The Blazers scored five times in an earlier meeting, so the Rockets knew trips to the penalty box would be their demise. Choosing to turn the other cheek and play within the rules, they handed their arch rivals only their fourth loss of the season.
• Of the six goals scored last night, three came off the blades of rookies. Turner McMillen’s wrister from the hash marks was set up wonderfully after rookie Scott Cousins won a battle against the end boards. Dylan Wightman, who has had a strong campaign in the ‘Hub’, scores on a wraparound and rookie Nolan Flamand fires one home, his first in the WHL, on the power play late in the game. These rookies are not taking a backseat to the veterans.
• Do you not start Schwebius again tonight in the rematch after that performance? Just asking.
• Nolan Flamand was due. He really was. Hitting the pipe skating down the left hand side in the first period was a sign of things to come. But the chances have been there all along. It was just a matter of when. 
• Dillon Hamaliuk keeps shooting - and scoring. Now with 4 goals in his last 5 games, ‘Hammer’ leads the team in shots on net. His decision to shoot on a slow developing two-on-one was the right decision as he was able to sneak one past Dylan Garand - five hole. 
• I’m a fan of John Babcock. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just ‘Steady Eddie’ back there. This player knows his best friend is the ‘glass’. Up and out!!
• Cole Schwebius was at his best in the 2nd period when the Blazers came to play. The likeable goalie, who is as good an interview as you will find in junior hockey, made 18 straight stops. He was dialed in from the drop of the puck and essentially outplayed the guy at the other end of the ice.
• It was a rare win over the Blazers. You don’t have to look at the numbers to know Kamloops has walked away with a ‘W’ on most nights between these two teams. Clearly another step forward with this group. Now, can the Rockets beat the Blazers in their building? Like a thin hair on my every increasing bald spot, its been a rarity in the last two seasons. Let's see if they can pull off the feat tonight at Sandman Centre. 
• Note! Don't read the press clipping about how 'good you are'. Do that, it 100% comes back to bite ya. If I am a player, I hope they have no clue this blog even exists.