Rockets game notes vs. Royals

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets snapped a six game winless streak Thursday night with a 6-3 win over the visiting Vancouver Giants. Two of the four wins this season have come against their BC Division rivals. The Rockets face the Victoria Royals tonight for the third time this season. These two teams met last weekend in Victoria, with the Royals winning by scores of 7-5 and 4-3 in overtime. Following tonight’s game these two teams don’t hook up until November 26^th when the Royals make a return visit. The Rockets are 3-1-0-0 at home this season with the lone setback coming October 12^th in a 4-2 loss to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. Overall, the Rockets have been out-scored 31-21 in their last seven games. Kelowna is in Vancouver tomorrow afternoon (5 PM) before welcoming Prince George on Wednesday October 26^th.

Home Cook’n: After playing six of their first 9 games on the road, eight of the Rockets next 10 will be played at Prospera Place. They include home games over Victoria, Prince George, Kamloops, Red Deer, Edmonton and back-to-back games against visiting Portland. Enjoy this stretch of games at home because after this the Rockets play nine of their final 16 games before Christmas on the road.

This and That: Colton Sissons has seven goals in his first ten games. Last season, as a WHL rookie, it took Sissons 34 games to score his seventh goal of the season….Four of his seven goals have come on the power play…Damon Severson’s five assist effort Thursday night against Vancouver tied at club record set by Colin Long, when the slick skating forward had five assists in one game during the 2007-2008 campaign. Josh Gorges also had a five point game (1+4=5) in 2002-2003…The Rockets have been out-shot in three of the last four games….The Rockets have also failed to open the scoring in three of the last four games…Sissons has worn the ‘C’ on his jersey in all ten regular season games this season, but has not officially been declared the captain by the hockey club ….Shane McColgan earned his 100^th career assist Sunday night in a 3-2 loss in Kamloops….Adam Brown is second – all-time - in games played by a Kelowna Rockets goaltender. Brown has 155 career appearances. The franchise leader is Kevin Swanson, who played in 167 games in 1998-2001…Adam Brown earned his 89^th career win Thursday against Vancouver. Brown is the franchise leader in that category surpassing Kelly Guard’s 83 career wins…The Rockets were 2-8-0-0 after ten games last season…The Rockets have scored 36 goals in ten games this season after scoring just 28 goals in their first ten games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed forty-one goals against in ten games this season after giving up forty-four goals in the first ten games last season….Second year forward Jason Siebert will miss the first half of this season after his broken wrist didn’t heal properly. Siebert missed the final 48 regular season games and the playoffs last season. The Abbotsford product was the team’s first overall pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft….The Rockets are playing their 1451^st regular season game tonight and will hit the 15 hundred mark when they host Red Deer on February 18^th…The Rockets are in the midst of playing nine straight games against teams in the BC Division. This is game five of that stretch (1-2-1-0) …Ryan Huska has 162 wins behind the Rockets bench…Brett Bulmer has played seven regular season games with the Minnesota Wild, picking up two assist. Bulmer had 18 goals as an 18 year-old forward last season...On this date, one year ago today, the Rockets earned a 4-3 shoot-out win over the Everett Silvertips. Tyson Barrie scored the game winning goal…Former Rockets forward Mitchell Callahan is serving a four game suspension after a hit in a AHL game earlier this week. Callahan is playing this season wth Detroit’s minor league affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Who’s Hot: Shane McColgan has a seven game point streak (2+7=9)… Colton Sissons has points in seven of his first ten games. Sissons has 7+1=8 over that period…Fifteeen year-old Tyson Baillie has points in six of his first ten games. Baillie has 3+4=7 over that period….Cody Chikie has one goal in his last five games after scoring four goals in five games…Adam Brown has started in goal in eight of the first ten games…Jesse Less has points in six of his last eight games.

Hay would like to see Bulmer back in Kelowna

Vancouver Giants head coach Don Hay has concerns with 19 year-old Kelowna Rockets forward Brett Bulmer starting the season with the NHL's Minnesota Wild.
Speaking to Hay prior to last night's game, he has witnessed this song and dance before after former Giants forward James Wright made the Tampa Bay Lighting roster, only to be returned to junior hockey.

"We didn't think he (Wright) was ready to play but the NHL thought he was ready. He didn't play any NHL games last year as a first year pro and he is back in the American Hockey League this year as a second year pro. It is kinda strange that a guy can go up there and play 48 games one year, as a 19 year-old, and can't make the team the next year. Sometimes teams are weak in some positions and they are looking for a certain guy who can fit that hole and is affordable."

The Giants and Rockets have a common thread over the last few years when it comes to losing 19 year-old players to NHL teams. Most recently the Giants lost Evander Kane to Atlanta while Tyler Myers was plucked off the Rockets roster by the Buffalo Sabres.

"I see nothing wrong with coming back and playing junior hockey. You get leadership, you get different roles and you get to play in a lot of different situations. They are with their own age group and they gain so much more confidence. You just don't want a young player to loose confidence. I would hate to see a young player play in the NHL if they are getting only eight or nine minutes. As much as those players like the lifestyle and like the league and like the paycheck, in the long run you want to play in the NHL a long time and these teams are making these decisions"

Hay says if Bulmer returned to the Kelowna Rockets, he would have more to play for than just his junior team. Bulmer could have the chance of playing for his country at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships.

"He's definitely on the radar. We've talked about him obviously. We have talked about all of the underage's playing in the NHL. They are on a list. We hope he (Bulmer) does come back to play for Kelowna and then has an opportunity to go to the World Junior training camp in December to try out for the team. He doesn't have a spot, nobody has a spot on the team, they have to come to the Christmas camp on December 10th and go through the process."

Severson ties Rockets record

Damon Severson had a career night.
So did rookie Austin Ferguson.
While the second year defenceman tied a franchise record for assists in one game with five, Ferguson scored his first career goal and added an assist as the Kelowna Rockets snapped a six game winless streak with a 6-3 win Thursday night over the Vancouver Giants.
Severson's five assists ties a club record set by Colin Long, who chipped in with five helpers in a game during the 2007-2008 season.
While Severson had a game he will never forget, Ferguson had a smile on his face, and a look of relief, that won't likely vanish off his face until this weekend.
"I was happy to get my first goal. It felt exciting. I got the first one off my back so I think I am going to play a little more relaxed now."
Ferguson, a 10th round pick of the Rockets from the 2010 WHL draft, explains how the goal was scored.
"I was on the bench waiting for a change and I saw a tussle in front of our own net. I just went onto the ice and saw a three on two and tried to get in there. There was a loose puck waiting there for me and I tapped it in".
Despite what looks like a lopsided score, Rockets goaltender Adam Brown had to be razor sharp in the three goal win. The 20 year-old made some outstanding saves and was aided by four Giants shots that rang off the goal post. With any puck luck and a sub par Brown, this game would have been a whole lot closer.
While 16 year-old rookie defenceman Madison Bowey returned to the lineup Thursday night after missing the first nine games with a knee injury, 17 year-old forward Carter Rigby left the game in the second period after crashing into Giants defenceman Blake Orban at centre ice. Rigby had his bell rung on a collision that saw Orban surprisingly tossed from the game after receiving a five minute major and game misconduct for interference.
The win, the Rockets fourth of the season, featured six different goals scorers and included two point efforts from Zach Franko, Myles Bell, Spencer Main and Austin Ferguson.
The Giants have dropped three in a row and are the only team in the WHL without a single point on the road this season.
The two teams meet again Sunday in Vancouver.

Game notes vs. Giants

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets take a six game winless streak (0-5-1-0) into tonight’s game with the Vancouver Giants in a rare Thursday night affair. These two teams are meeting for the second time this season after the Rockets earned a 6-3 win back on Oct 1^st. Following tonight’s tilt, the two teams collide again Sunday afternoon (5 PM) at Pacific Coliseum. The Rockets are coming off a three game in three night weekend where they earned just one out of a possible six points. That one point was in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Victoria Royals Saturday night. The club is coming off a 3-2 loss in Kamloops Sunday night. Overall, the Rockets have been out-scored 28-15 in their last six games after winning the first three games of the season.

Home Cook’n: After playing six of their first nine games on the road, eight of the Rockets next ten games will be played at Prospera Place. They include home games ouver, Victoria, Prince George, Kamloops, Red Deer, Edmonton and back-to-back games against visiting Portland. Enjoy this stretch of games at home because after this the Rockets play nine of their final 16 games before Christmas on the road.

This and That: The Rockets have been out-shot in three straight games and five of their last six. The Rockets have also failed to open the scoring in three consecutive games….In their last six games the Rockets have scored just three goals in the third period. The opposition over that same period has scored eight times in the final frame…The Rockets best period during the winless streak has been the first, where the team has scored seven goals….Spencer Main has four goals in nine games this season. Last season it took him 18 games to score his fourth goal of the season….Colton Sissons leads the team in goals scored with six and is on pace to score 48 goals this season…Sissons has worn the ‘C’ on his jersey in all nine regular season games this season, but has not officially been declared the captain by the hockey club ….Shane McColgan earned his 100^th career assist Sunday night in a 3-2 loss in Kamloops….Adam Brown is second – all-time - in games played by a Kelowna Rockets goaltender. Brown has 154 career appearances. The franchise leader is Kevin Swanson, who played in 167 games in 1998-2001…Adam Brown earned his 88^th career win last October 5^th against Tri City. Brown is the franchise leader in that category surpassing Kelly Guard’s 83 career wins…The Rockets were 2-7-0-0 after nine games last season…The Rockets have scored 30 goals in nine games this season after scoring just 23 goals in their first nine games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed thirty-eight goals against in nine games this season after giving up thirty-seven goals in the first nine games last season….Second year forward Jason Siebert will miss the first half of this season after his broken wrist didn’t heal properly. Siebert missed the final 48 regular season games and the playoffs last season. The Abbotsford product was the team’s first overall pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft….The Rockets are playing their 1450^th regular season game tonight and will hit the 15 hundred mark when they host Red Deer on February 18^th…The Rockets are in the midst of playing nine straight games against teams in the BC Division. This is game four of that stretch (0-2-1-0) …Ryan Huska has 161 wins behind the Rockets bench…Brett Bulmer has played six regular season games with the Minnesota Wild, picking up two assist. Bulmer had 18 goals as an 18 year-old forward last season...The Rockets did not lose in overtime on the road last season. In fact, the Rockets were 5 and 0 in overtime road games. The Rockets also won one game in overtime at Prospera Place last season. That winning streak came to an end Saturday night in a 4-3 overtime loss in Victoria.

Who’s Hot: Shane McColgan has a six game point streak (1+6=7) over that period… Colton Sissons has points in six of his last nine games. Sissons has 5+1=6 over that period…Fifteeen year-old Tyson Baillie has points in five of his first nine games. Baillie has 3+3=6 over that period….Cody Chikie has goals in five of his first nine games this season…Adam Brown has started in goal in seven of the first nine games…Jesse Less has points in five of his last seven games.

Things that make me go hmm...

• Now that Saskatoon has been awarded the 2013 Memorial Cup, who should bid for the 2016 tournament? Kelowna will likely give it another try as will Red Deer. My hope is Victoria throws their hat into the ring too. What a tournament that would be in one of the best cities in Canada. Royals President Dave Dakers says they will likely bid in 2016 but believes they are better set up for hosting the ten day tournament in 2019 or 2022.
• Dakers wouldn't commit to improvements to Prospera Place when I asked him directly if the 12 year-old building needs a little more attention. Dakers likes the sight lines and the location of the arena, but doesn't see any improvements anytime soon. A larger visiting dressing room and press box are just two areas that need an upgrade. That takes money and it appears RG Properties are not prepared to dish out the cash for major improvements other than splashing some fresh paint here and there.
  
• On my recent stop in Victoria I had a chat with Royals GM Marc Habscheid. A tour of the dressing room and sitting in his office just talking about life is one of the nice aspects of a relationship that has been built with the fellow Swift Current resident. Funny thing is, Habscheid and my relationship grew in our time together with the Rockets, not in 'Speedy Creek', when Habscheid was still in his playing days and I was a squeaky voiced broadcaster trying to get my feet wet in the business.
  
• Just for clarification, the score clock in Victoria will be replaced with the one that used to be at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack. The current clock in Victoria has no video screen. It's replacement does.
• The arena in Victoria has everything a broadcaster would want. Great sight lines (no camera's limiting vision), Internet, PA feed and a bathroom - not one but two - which is just a stone throw away. Plus, the media room had sandwiches and pizza for those needing a pre-game meal. Victoria may now be the best stop on the circuit.
  
• Was that a fog horn I heard blaring after the Royals scored Friday night? Interesting because I didn't hear it a night later. Or am I hearing things?
  
• Brett Bulmer plays his 5th NHL regular season game tonight for the Minnesota Wild. Still no word on if he is staying with the big team or coming back to junior. I guess until they say, "Hey, Bulmer, go get a place to stay", the 19 year-old may just make his way back to the Okanagan. Truth be told, the Rockets could use him. It would be the emotional lift this team needs.
• One of my favorite players on the Rockets roster is Zach Franko. The personable forward is off to a slow start, and as one of the returning point producers from last season, his lack of production doesn't go unnoticed. Just one goal in the first nine games has to be disappointing. If Franko can get out of the early season funk, he provides the team with another weapon outside of what Shane McColgan and Colton Sisson's bring to the table.
  
• Speaking of Sissons, the second year player obviously isn't affected in an adverse way with wearing the 'C' on his jersey. Sissons already has six goals this season and is on pace for 48 goals if he continues at this pace.
  
• The Rockets early season struggles doesn't concern me considering the team is icing several new faces on the defensive core that are still getting their feet wet. Cole Martin and Jesse Lees are still adjusting to the pace of the WHL and Madison Bowey, who could be in the top four, has yet to play a game. I think Myles Bell is now finding his stride, so these early hiccups will dissipate by the time the calender turns to November.
  
• Don't you feel even a little bit of joy in the Kamloops Blazers quick start? I mean, this team has been kicked, spat on and then thrown to the curb for dead over the last couple of years and has received little in the way of respect. I gave them props during a pre-season panel on Dan Russell's Sportstalk, when I was the only broadcaster of the six to pick the Blazers to finish first in the division. Am I saying, I told you so? Ya, I am. Blazers head coach Guy Charron had to have felt the noose around his neck tightening, but he must be breathing a little easier these days with the solid start.
• I caught Hockey Night in Canada's 'Hot Stove' Saturday night where one of the topics of discussion was a proposal to increase the age of players drafted by NHL teams. Right now junior players that are 18 can be selected, but the change would see teams being able to draft players starting at 19. The one proposed suggestion is allowing 18 year-old's to be eligible in the opening round before 19 year-old's can be chosen between rounds two and seven. If I saw the data correctly when it was flashed on the screen, only 6 percent of players drafted in the last six years have played a game at the NHL level when they are 19. Brett Bulmer would be one of those players.
  

No puck luck at all

• When things are going right, pucks seem to find the back of the net. When things are going wrong, like they are with the Kelowna Rockets right now, scoring goals is extremely difficult.The Rockets winless streak reached six games (0-5-1-0) last night with a 3-2 loss in Kamloops. The Blazers, winners of seven of their last eight, scored two of three goals that had a bit of an odor to it while the Rockets couldn't find a favorable bounce with the pucks they directed towards Blazers goaltender Cole Cheveldave. As an example, Colin Smith's goal in the first period hits Rockets defenceman MacKenzie Johnston and goes in and Brendan Ranford losses control of the puck on his back hand in the second period and it goes through the legs of Rockets goaltender Adam Brown. You earn your breaks, no question, but the Rockets aren't getting many right now.
  
• Considering the Rockets were playing their fourth game in five night's with a significant day of travel thrown into the mix, the effort for the most part was there. Sure, they experienced a letdown in the second period when they were out-scored 2-0 and out-shot 16-4, but they showed some good urgency in the third period as they attempted to battle back from a two goal deficit. Damon Severson made it a one goal game halfway through the third period but they were unable to find the equalizing goal. A shot that rang off the goal post by Carter Rigby was as close as the Rockets would come.
  
• Everyone see's the game differently, but for my money Rockets defenceman Myles Bell had a solid game. He came out of no-where to knock away a good scoring chance in the third period and made a terrific pass from the side of his own net and hit an awaiting Shane McColgan at centre ice in the same period. The 18 year-old also had some good scoring chances.
• Despite Adam Brown's bad luck, he did manage to make some solid saves including a desperation stop when he somehow got one of his pads on a second period goal mouth scramble and cooly and calmly secured the puck in his catching glove. Only on video replay could you enjoy the true magnitude of the save.
  
• Defenceman Kevin Smith was expected to be reevaluated by team doctors after suffering an upper body injury in warm up in Friday night's loss to the Victoria Royals. Smith did not play in either of the three games.
  
• The only disappointment, outside of the loss, was the crowd. While the paid attendance was just over 35 hundred, the number of blue seats was significant. It appears no matter how well the Blazers play, fans won't believe in this team until they get past the first round of this springs playoffs. Maybe not even a +45 win season will get jaded junior hockey fans back in the seats. Fortunately for the Blazers, deep pocketed owners can absorb the smallish crowds as the backlash continues .This sure wouldn't go over well if this was a community owned team.
  

Unlikely source plays hero

• Overtime often brings out the unlikeliest of hero's. Saturday night in Victoria was a great example. Eighteen year-old Jesse Zgraggen scored the game winning goal just 35 seconds into overtime, lifting the Victoria Royals to a 4-3 win over the Kelowna Rockets. It was Zgraggen's second career goal after scoring just once in 62 games as a member of the Chilliwack Bruins last season.
  

• The loss was another tough pill to swallow considering the Rockets' had a 3-2 lead after Cody Chikie's third period wrap around goal. But, untimely penalties shortly thereafter allowed the Royals to get back in the game less than two minutes later.
  

• Despite the loss, again some positives to take out of this one. The work ethic was solid, the breakdowns defensively were minimal and some good players were made in the offensive zone. I just wonder how much gas is in the tank at games end when you are killing off eight power play chances by the opposition? The Rockets were one player under the 18 player limit.

• The Rockets don't often lose in overtime. In fact it was a rarity last season. The Rockets were 5 and 0 in overtime games last season including 4 and 0 on the road.

• Marc Habscheid's scouting staff have found a pretty good player in Logan Nelson. The 18 year-old, who played most recently in the USHL, plays a lot and produces. While he will be overshadowed by Kevin Sundher and Robin Soudek this season, Nelson is making a statement in his rookie season.

• Speaking of Sundher, what a skater. It was all Sundher on the Royals game tying goal and on the game winner in overtime. The 19 year-old can be such a difference maker, but often is invisible on the ice with some lethargic play. But when he's in the zone and he's playing at maximum speed, he is a threat to score every time he's on the ice.

• Another great atmosphere inside the Memorial Arena. The fans in Victoria know how to have fun and have embraced the team. Sure its early, and the honeymoon will eventually end, but two exciting games will even have the casual fan coming back for more. It wasn't a full house Saturday night, but over 6 thousand strong is nothing to shake a stick at.

• The painful part of the loss is the fact the Rockets had to get up this morning to catch at 9 am ferry. It means a full day of travel in an effort to arrives on the doorstep of the Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops for the third game in three night's and fourth game in five days. Such is life in the WHL!

Rockets game notes vs. Royals

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Victoria Royals are meeting for the second of eight times this season. These two teams faced off last night in a 7-5 Royals win. The Rockets had a 5-2 lead before Victoria scored five straight goals in the win. Following tonight’s game the Rockets conclude the weekend with a stop in Kamloops on Sunday. The Rockets return to Victoria again for back-to-back games on January 6^th and 7^th. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having lost four straight, after losses to Tri City, Spokane, Medicine Hat and Victoria. Over that stretch the Rockets have been out-scored 21-10. After this weekend, the Rockets return home Thursday October 20^th to entertain the Vancouver Giants.

Giving Up Seven: The Rockets gave up seven goals in last night’s 7-5 loss to the Victoria Royals. The Rockets didn’t give up seven goals on the road all of last season. They did surrender 7 goals in a 7-5 home loss to the Vancouver Giants on October 20/10.

This and That: Spencer Main has four goals in seven games this season. Last season it took him 18 games to score his fourth goal of the season….Colton Heffley snapped a 28 game goal scoring drought in last night’s loss to the Royals…Shane McColgan has 99 career assists…The Rockets are 5 for 12 (41.7%) in their last two games…Rookies Jesse Lees and Tanner Moar each earned career first’s last night. Lees scored his first career WHL goal while Moar chipped in with his first career WHL point, an assist, in last night’s loss…Adam Brown is second – all-time - in games played by a Kelowna Rockets goaltender. Brown has 154 career appearances. The franchise leader is Kevin Swanson, who played in 167 games in 1998-2001…Adam Brown earned his 88^th career win last October 5^th against Tri City. Brown is the franchise leader in that category surpassing Kelly Guard’s 83 career wins…The Rockets were 1-6-0-0 after seven games last season…The Rockets have scored 25 goals in seven games this season after scoring just 18 goals in their first seven games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed thirty-one goals against in seven games this season after giving up twenty-nine goals in the first seven games last season….Second year forward Jason Siebert will miss the first half of this season after his broken wrist didn’t heal properly. Siebert missed the final 48 regular season games and the playoffs last season. The Abbotsford product was the team’s first overall pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft….The Rockets are playing their 1448^th regular season game tonight and will hit the 15 hundred mark when they host Red Deer on February 18^th…Seven of the Rockets first twelve games are on the road…Ten of the Rockets first 15 games are against BC Division rivals…Ryan Huska has 161 wins behind the Rockets bench…Brett Bulmer has played three regular season games with the Minnesota Wild, picking up one assist. Bulmer had 18 goals as an 18 year-old forward last season...Happy birthday to Rockets d-man MacKenzie Johnston, who officially turns 18 today.

Who’s Hot: Shane McColgan has a four game point streak with five assists over that period… Colton Sissons has points in five of his last seven games. Sissons has 4+1=5 over that period…Fifteeen year-old Tyson Baillie has points in four of his last seven games. Baillie has 2+3=5 over that period….Cody Chikie has goals in four of his first seven games this season…Myles Bell has points in four of seven games this season…Adam Brown has started in goal in six of the first seven games. Jordon Cooke played in five of the six pre-season games, posting a goals against average of 2.30 and a save percentage of .930.

Third period meltdown

• The Kelowna Rockets are a good team when they follow the game plan to a tee. Deviate off that game plan and disaster is soon to follow. That's exactly what we witnessed Friday night in a 7-5 loss to the Victoria Royals. A textbook road game saw the Rockets with a 5-2 lead midway through the second period only to see the Royals charge back with five unanswered goals. The result extended the Rockets losing streak to four games. It also marked the first time since October 20th of last season that the Rockets surrendered seven goals in one game. It was on that date that the Vancouver Giants came into Kelowna and beat the Rockets by a 7-5 final.
• Part of the collapse was the result of taking penalties. The Rockets took four of six minors in the third period and were promptly out-shot 15-3.
  
• I thought 17 year-old Rockets defenceman Damon Severson had a solid game back on the blue line. A three assist effort gives him six points on the season. All of his points have been registered in two games.
• Twenty year-old Kevin Smith injured himself in warm up. With Smith being scratched, rookie Austin Ferguson was pressed into action.
  
• Colton Heffley snapped a 28 game goal scoring drought with the Rockets second goal of the night. Originally credited to rookie Jesse Lees, Heffley earned his 3rd goal of his young career. Lees scored his first career goal minutes later, on the power play, on a nice pass from the corner boards.
  
• I thought both goaltenders struggled in this one. Twelve goals combined would lead you to that obviously conclusion. But in saying that, Royals netminder Keith Hamilton made two significant saves in the win. A nice glove hand save off of Shane McColgan in the second was followed by a desperation pad save in the third period against Colton Sissons when the Royals had a one goal lead.
  
• The Rockets scored three of their five goals on the power play. The team has scored five goals in their last 12 opportunities for a success rate of 41 percent.
• A really good vibe inside the arena on Friday night. With the home team drawing closer to tying the game, the fans made a ton of noise. The Royals players didn't get that type of reception last year in Chilliwack from the hometown faithful. Two fans dressed in NHL hockey jersey's were often seen jeering the Rockets players as they sat in the penalty box. In some respects, it was good old fashioned hockey in a terrific facility.
  

Welcome to Victoria

Welcome to Victoria.
What a trip!
We left Kelowna shortly after 11 am Thursday morning, after a bite to eat, and we arrived at the hotel in Victoria at around 7:30 pm. Keep in mind that we made a stop to eat along the way and had to wait over an hour at the ferry terminal before boarding, but to say it was a long trip would be an understatement.

While the ferry ride was a breeze, I can't imagine making that trip as many times as the Royals do during the season. That trip would get monotonous after a while with all the waiting around and the early morning hours necessary to catch a lift to the mainland. I am sure the Royals will toe the party line by saying it is no big deal, but the fact is, it sucks.

So after a marathon day of travel, is it much worse than the eight hour bus trip north we take twice a year to Prince George? No. It isn't as painful because at least when you arrive in Victoria, you are glad to be here. Sorry Prince George, but you don't hold a candle to the beauty that this city provides, even in the month of October when the sun fades and the tourists leave town. Victoria is as spectacular as advertised. Victoria is such a great city, how can it not be a leading candidate when the WHL hosts the Memorial Cup in 2016?

The picture you see above is a photo I took of the Kelowna Rockets bus on the ferry. It is a tight squeeze. It also comes with an expensive parking pass. It will cost the Rockets over 500 bucks - one way - to ride the ferry.

If you don't follow me on twitter, you missed my observation Thursday where I wondered where our provincial government was when it came to the Kelowna Rockets bid for the 2013 Memorial Cup? Saskatoon's bid came with provincial funding attached. So did Red Deer's. Hello, Christy Clark! Where was the Liberal government? It would have also been interesting to see if the City of Kelowna came up with any cash to boost the bottom line of the local bid. Considering the Rockets recently released economic impact study showed that the economy thrives thanks to the organization, you would think the City of Kelowna would have bucked up? If they didn't, shame on them!

Is Brett Bulmer returning to the WHL? Less than five minutes of ice time last night has me wondering if it is only a matter of time before the 19 year-old returns to the Rockets. Is it worth having a prospect play small minutes in a fourth line role or big minutes in crucial situations with the team that holds his major junior rights? I think we all know the answer.

Tough start, better finish

• It's not how you start but how you finish, right? In hockey, not necessarily. The old saying simply didn't apply last night for the Kelowna Rockets in a 4-2 home ice loss to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. Badly out shot for the first half of the game, the Rockets got increasingly better as the game wore on, but despite the second half surge, getting pucks past Tigers goaltender Tyler Bunz didn't come easy.

• Despite generating little in the way of offense early, Spencer Main opened the scoring for the Rockets with a power play goal. The goal came with a power play unit that had just one goal in their last 12 chances. The Rockets would end the night with both of their goals coming with the extra man. Colton Sissons scored in the third.
  
• The Tigers used 19 year-old Emerson Etem with 17 year-old sensation Hunter Shinkaruk. Etem was a force and was a threat to score every time he touched the puck. The Western Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League player of the week didn't disappoint. A three point effort, which including setting up Shinkaruk on two of his three goals, the California resident now has 13 goals in eight games. When I suggested if 50 was on his radar this season, Etem let me know it is clearly on his mind. Do you blame him?
• Physical maturity. If their is one major junior player ready to play at the pro level it's Etem. Sporting a black left eye after a fight on Monday in Kamloops, Etem says he put on ten pounds of muscle this summer. It shows.
  
• Getting back to the second half surge; the Rockets had several glorious chances in the third period when the game looked out of reach. Goal mouth scrambles had Zach Franko and Damon Severson with great chances from close range on Bunz.
• Let me state that the overall battle level and urgency was much better from the Rockets from what I witnessed Saturday night. The coaches deserve credit for the appropriate response to the unacceptable effort and for the players to follow the coaches lead.
  

• A spirited tilt in this one between Rockets 18 year-old Jessey Astles and Tigers 20 year-old Cole Grbavac. The two traded punches in a split decision. Grbavac engaged with Astles after taking exception to an Astles hit on a teammate in the second period.
• Speaking of hits, Rockets d-man Mitchell Chapman laid the hammer down with a thunderous hit in the third period. A clean hit like that can be momentum changing. I would like to see more of that physical play, specifically from Chapman, earlier in the game. Nonetheless, a great piece of body contact.
• Shane McColgan jump started the Rockets to a certain degree with good work on an early third period penalty kill. McColgan hemmed the Tigers in their own zone with a solid fore check and received the appropriate applause from the crowd for the inspired effort.

• After making 20 year-old Kevin Smith a healthy scratch against Spokane, it was 18 year-old MacKenzie Johnston's turn against the Tigers. The learning curve is a steep one for these defenceman, who's rolls are expanding with increased ice time.

• After winning their first three games of the season, the Rockets have now dropped three in a row. They will try to right the ship with a ferry ride to Victoria for back-to-back games with the Royals this weekend.

F.Y.I

My records indicate this is not your first stop with your morning coffee in hand. So, with that said, I will post my thoughts on Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers later on Thursday as we make our way to Victoria.

Close, but no cigar

The Saskatoon Blades will play host to the 2013 Memorial Cup.
Western Hockey League governors made the announcement this afternoon after hearing from presentations from the Red Deer Rebels, Kelowna Rockets and Saskatoon Blades.