Character personified

Credit: Brian Liesse photo

"So proud of this group".

Those words from head coach Kris Mallette after his teams 4-3 road win Sunday against the Seattle Thunderbirds. He sure should be. Traveling through the night to meet the T-Birds in a 5 pm start is never easy. No, these junior teams don't fly. They bus. The 6+ hour drive from Kamloops, after losing 6-2 to the Blazers the night prior, meant the team put their sleepy head on a hotel pillow at 4:30 am. You can't sleep all day in an effort to prepare for the early start against the T-Birds. You need to dig deep and try to brush back that foggy feeling to prepare for a showdown against a team that leads you in the standings. Sleep deprived in what can only be described as a gutsy effort, the Rockets woke up Monday morning a point up, not a point behind, in the fight for fourth place in the Western Conference standings. Does the change in positioning mean a lot? You bet it does. If these two teams remain where they are when the regular season comes to a close, the 4th place team will have home ice advantage in round one. Who would have thought that the Rockets fighting major leader would score the biggest goals of his young WHL career? Rilen Kovacevic fired home his third goal of the season with 8 minutes left in the game and the Rockets handed the T-Birds a third consecutive loss with a 4-3 road victory.   

• What's not to like about this win. Being down 2-0 and fighting back to equal the score was impressive. Andrew Cristall opens the scoring on a power play goal against the best penalty killing unit in the WHL. Colton Dach adds his 18th and a 2-0 hole turns into a 2-2 tie. Dach's goal also comes on a power play that couldn't even register a shot on goal in it's opening chance a night earlier in Kamloops. It was Cristall's first goal in seven games. Dach has 3 goals in his last four. Those two need to step up with an illness to power play specialist Pavel Novak. They did with the extra man and it was crucial in the come-back-bid. 
• While timely scoring was huge in this game, it's the high panic threshold that continues to impress me about this group. Down 2-0, you could easily fold your cards and move away from the table. It doesn't seem to be an option with this group, instead staying in the fight. It's a belief in themselves. It is a belief in one another. It's a competitiveness that exists, where in past years, if things weren't going well for the skilled players, it was time to shut down the mill. The fight existed when things were going right, but true character is revealed when things are going wrong. You can turn on each other, or choose to play hard for each other. On a team that is void of an actually superstar, they win or lose as the result of a group effort. It must make the wins so rewarding. 
• With Tayln Boyko starting back-to-back games against the Kamloops Blazers Friday and Saturday night, and playing very well thank you very much, it was time to sit on the bench and let rookie goalie Jari Kykkanen face his toughest competition in his young career. Kykkanen - pronounced Kick-a-nin - was solid in Sunday's T-Bird 40 shot barrage. With the goalie of the future on display, he handed the T-Birds next great hope (netminder Scott Ratzlaff) only his second loss in 14 games.    
• Tyson Feist had a wonderful weekend. The 21 year-old team captain had two goals Friday night in a win against Kamloops. He then picked up another goal - his 12th - in a loss against the Blazers Saturday night. For good measure, he capped off the weekend with two assists in Sunday's victory. The d-core on this years team has 36 goals - combined. The last time we played a normal season was 2019-2020, with that group of defenders manufacturing just 30 goals through 63 games. Want another comparison of how the Rockets d-core is contributing on the scoresheet this season? The BC Division leading Kamloops Blazers have a combined 30 goals from the blue-line.  
• When things go sideways, fans look directly at the head coach. He is easy to blame when the team underperforms. I saw it first hand this season when the team struggled in late November and a few followers suggested on Twitter than Kris Mallette was the reason why the team was starting slowly. Yep, it was a talking point. It blew me away at the very suggestion. Using the word 'struggle' is a joke in itself. The team had 2 wins (2-3-0-1) in six games and some within the fanbase were freaking out. I kid you not. Now with things going extremely well, let's give credit where credit is due. Kris Mallette has done an exceptional job. Reaching 30 wins in 46 games is mind blowing. It's extremely good for someone who is in his first full season as a head coach. I'd argue, Mallette should be considering a nominee for Western Conference coach of the year. He won't, nor does he likely care, but with the 'buy in' of his players, this team is one of the pleasant surprises in the Western Conference. It wasn't suppose to be this smooth. 
• Will Mallette get the credit he deserves? He will from me, but he is under the umbrella of an organization where the bar is set extremely high. When a rookie coach leads his team to a WHL championship - thank you very much Dan Lambert - it's hard to get many accolades. But let's be realistic here. Mallette can't send Leon Draisaitl out on the ice. He can't put the d-pairing of Josh Morrissey and Madison Bowey out on the blueline. Hey, Nick Merkley, hey Rourke Chartier, get me a goal will ya? It isn't happening. That's what makes Mallette's exploits so impressive. Again, when things go well, the head coach is ignored. If the team struggles, the blame game typically centers around one person. It isn't fair, but sadly it's often true. 
• The Rockets were 9 and 3 in 12 games in February. Just say'n. Not bad for a team that has played the entire month without 19 year-old forward Jake Poole who has missed 13 consecutive games. 
• With 20 games left in the regular season, the schedule looks like this. Those 20 games will be played in 47 days. Of those 20 games, 10 are on home ice with 10 on the road. 

What....a...weekend!

Pavel Novak - one of the best ever to wear Rockets colours

• Call it a Kelowna Rockets rally. Or was it a Tri City Americans collapse? Can we all agree the entertainment value was extremely high following a 5-4 come-from-behind overtime win last night at Prospera Place? After an emotional win the night prior to the WHL point leading Everett Silvertips, the Rockets didn't come out flat, but they were clearly not at their best either. I'd argue the Americans deserved a better fate, but real good teams always find a way to win. The Rockets did just that. Conversely, teams that struggle often find ways to lose. The Americans crumbled in the third period when they looked in total control when leading 4-2. A power play goal from Pavel Novak makes it a one goal game. Head Coach Kris Mallette pulls the goaltender with 90 seconds remaining and rookie Andrew Cristall scores and it's 4-4. We go into overtime and you could sense the home team was going to rise from the ashes and win it. Yep, they did, with Cristall setting up Novak for his third goal of the game and the Rockets skated away with another overtime victory. That is now 4 overtime games on home ice. Each one has ended the same way - with the Rockets celebrating.
• This is a game where the Rockets had to earn everything they got. They were down 3-1 after giving up a shorthanded goal six minutes into the third period. They made it a one goal game only to see Samuel Huo score his second goal and his 100th career point to make it 4-2. What we've seen from this group this season is resilience. I can look back to a game in Portland in late November when the Rockets trailed the Winterhawks 5-1. Game over right? Nope. Four consecutive goals tied the score before eventually losing it in a shootout. The belief to battle back clearly exists in that dressing room.
• Jake Lee celebrating his 250th career WHL game last night had a two assist effort. Logging massive minutes and showing his offensive flair, the 20 year-old matched his career high with another 9 shot game. For my money, Lee has been the gem in the blockbuster trade the team made with the Seattle Thunderbirds in May, 2019 when they picked up Dillon Hamaliuk, Cole Schwebius and Lee. Hamaliuk was the prized possession at the time, but I'd suggest Lee has made a greater impact in his time in Kelowna. Lee has 74 points in 114 games with his new team. Hamaliuk had 44 points, in far fewer games played mind you, but you get the idea that the soft spoken d-man has had a far greater impact in a deal that saw a first round WHL bantam pick and Conner Bruggen-Cate go the other way. Lee is the teams best defenceman. He should pick up the honour at the teams awards banquet at the conclusion of the season. While that trade was precipitated to build for a strong appearance at the 2020 Memorial Cup that never materialized, that deal is still giving back three years after the fact. 
• Andrew Cristall is a very impressive player. The skill set is above average. What kills you as a coach is often his ill advised cross ice passes or clearing attempts that are not executed with authority. Instead of getting ticked off at the parts of his game that need improvement and stapling his butt on the bench like coaches did in the 'good old days', Kris Mallette plays him, not punishes him in an effort to correct the mistakes. What happens? Cristall rewards the coach. He is in on all three crucial goals when the team needs offensive production to battle back in the game. How many 16 year-old's are put into that position late in a game? I hope Cristall realizes the long rope he has been given and the faith the Mallette shows by putting him on the ice when the chips are down. I think he does. He rewards the coach by setting up Novak's power play goal, scoring the tying marker and then feathering a pass to Novak for the game winner. If you think it's normal for a 16 year-old to be that instrumental in a come-from--behind win, let me be the first to tell you, it's not!!
• The Rockets had to dig deep in this one after losing second leading point producer Colton Dach to a five minute major for a check to the head of Americans forward Sasha Mutala. Losing Dach was impactful. The 19 year-old is always a threat to score. He shoots the puck a ton and is good at the face-off circle. Others needed to step up and they did.
• The ugly stat? The Americans have 1 regulation win in their last 20 visits to Prospera Place. That's a record of 1-16-1-2 over that stretch.  
• In case you haven't noticed, Pavel Novak is closing in on 100 games played in the WHL. With 93 games under his belt, the 19 year-old has 110 career points. That puts him second all-time in points by a European forward in the Kelowna Rockets record books. Novak is only bettered by Vaclav Varada, who had 173 points in two seasons from 1994-96. Tomas Oravec had 87 career points over two seasons and sits third - all-time. Novak, even today, has to be considered as one of the best players from overseas to skate at Prospera Place.
• Coming into this season, goaltending was considered a weakness with the 2021-2022 edition of the Kelowna Rockets. It had to be addressed with two overage goalies in Cole Schwebius and Roman Basran. It took some experimentation with Colby Knight and maybe a risky trade with 19 year-old Tayln Boyko, but it appears things have worked out wonderfully. Why was the Boyko deal risky? While drafted by the New York Rangers, Boyko was unproven as a starter. At the time of the trade, the Drumheller product saw sporadic duty behind the likes of Beck Warm. Being consistent with an increased workload isn't easy. Fortunately for the Rockets, Boyko has been brilliant and it now looks like a tremendous deal made by GM Bruce Hamilton. I'd trade a third rounder back to Tri City in a heartbeat considering how steady Boyko has been since his arrival. With Jari Kykkanen as his sidekick, that position hasn't looked this solid in a long, long time. Even when the backup is required to play, you don't have that feel in the pit of your stomach that disaster is close at hand. Kykkanen is no shrinking violet either.
• Summing up the weekend in one word? Spectacular. The win against Everett was the biggest of the season without question. It just solidified the belief that the team can indeed play with the elite. While still not considered a top tier team by some, the Rockets have put together a 26 win season while sitting tied for 4th with the fewest goals allowed in the entire WHL. The last 18 games likely explains it all - 13-2-1-0. This team is for real.

January blues? I don't think so!

Remember the children's book, 'The Little Engine That Could'?

The phrase often used was - I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

It appears the 2021-2022 edition of the Kelowna Rockets have taken it a step further.

I know I can, I know I can, I know I can.

We witnessed it again last night in a 3-1 win over the visiting Vancouver Giants. Trailing 1-0 after 40 minutes, the home team played to a quicker pace, put the foot on the accelerator and scored three unanswered goals in their 22nd win of the season. The Giants lost for the first time in 15 games when holding the lead after two periods. One common theme is this teams ability to elevate in the third period. Again, the numbers only punctuate my point. Not only has this team allowed a league low - 23 - third period goals against - they've scored 49 times in the final frame. The third period, specifically, is when the Rockets play at their best.

• It has been amazing to watch this team galvanize together, where no one player is a star. They likely won't have a top 10 scorer on the roster this season. Pavel Novak just cracks the top 20. This may be the first team I've seen in my 25+ years of calling games for the Kelowna Rockets where 'strength in numbers' is personified. I'd suggest this team plays one of the best 'team games' I've witnessed. The data backs me up. The Rockets have 12 players with 20 or more points. 12! It is a diversified attack. By comparison, the Edmonton Oil Kings have 13 players with 20 or more points. The Winnipeg Ice have 12 players while Kamloops has 11. The WHL's best team - the Everett Silvertips - have 10 players. The Rockets are NEVER mentioned in the same conversation as those four teams because they don't play a sexy game. It's lunch bucket, but effective.
• Again, it isn't one, two or three players doing the heavy lifting here. Pavel Novak has points in 9 of his last 11, but it goes far beyond the 19 year-old's exploits. Colton Dach has points in 9 of his last 10. Jake Lee has points in 11 of his last 13 games. Andrew Cristall is chipping in with points in 11 of his last 15. Mark Liwiski has points in 11 of his last 15 games too and has six goals in his last 9 games. The big surprise is the elevation in play of Jake Poole. The 19 year-old is riding a career high 7 game point streak and has goals in 7 of his last 10. He started the year with 4 goals in his opening 19 games and was basically a non-factor. Coach Kris Mallette made him a healthy scratch and since that point moving forward, Poole has made an impact. 
• I'd like to share a story of how Mallette is pulling the right strings for a new coach with under 70 WHL games under his belt. I won't share it right now on this blog, but Mallette is making far more great moves in getting the most out his team than you might think. Some of them are gutsy or bold in my eyes, but I like the success he is seeing by making the ballsy call.
• When did the team turn the corner from being a pretender to a contender? Was it the deal that saw the team solidify its goaltending with the acquisition of Tayln Boyko? Acquired November 7th from Tri City, the team is 16-7-1-2 under his watch. That's points in 19 of 26 games. Boyko is 15-5-0-2 as the teams #1 starter. Let's remember Boyko wasn't lights out terrific in his first few starts and even was pulled a few times by Mallette. The New York Rangers draft pick worked through the kinks in his game and is well on his way to earning a pro contract. 
• Boyko better not argue about ice time. He has started 20 of the teams last 22 games.
• Team chemistry is hard to create. Either you like each other or you don't. This group, in my small observations, really like one another off the ice. It's a big deal that no coach can create. Wanting to play for each other and celebrating the accomplishments of a teammate is very underrated. Watch the video from last night's game and the celebration when Jake Poole scores his third period goal. Everyone on the ice wearing Rockets colours are as happy as Poole that he found the back of the net. Tyson Baillie was such a good teammate that way. While a gifted scorer, his face would light up when a line-mate had success. I want more Tyson Baillie's. I think this team has more than a few.   
• I can look back to Colton Dach's first game with the Rockets in Victoria on the first weekend of the regular season as the defining moment for me. I didn't know Dach, but I assumed he would come back to the WHL with a certain swagger after spending time with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks. Again, this is only observation, but the 18 year-old quickly acclimated himself into the group. It looked seamless. It was right then and there that I thought to myself, this player and this group is going to have tremendous chemistry moving forward.
• It was the Rockets 6th consecutive win last night. Sure, sure, four of those victories came against the Victoria Royals, but you still have to beat the teams that the schedule maker puts in front of you. That 6 game winning streak is the longest of the season and ties the mark set by the 2017-2018 team. The 2016-2017 edition of the Kelowna Rockets won 7 straight games.
• The Rockets 22 wins this season, is the exact same number of victories as the non-playoff team in 2006-2007. Yikes, that was an awful season, but it paved the way to WHL championship success two seasons later. Again, you have to lose before you can win. 
• The Rockets played back to back games against the Giants without second leading scorer Colton Dach, power play assist leader Nolan Flamand and captain Tyson Feist. Don't worry folks, all three are out with injuries and their absences are not the result of COVID. 
• The Rockets have 21 wins against teams in the BC Division. That is impressive considering first place Kamloops also has 21 victories. 
• What I like about this years team is the ability to score even strength. The team has found the back of the net 138 times, with only 27 goals coming on the power play. That means only 19.6 % of the goals scored are coming with the extra man. By comparison, Victoria has scored 114 goals with 36 of them coming with a opposition player in the penalty box. That means the Royals are scoring 32% of their goals with the man advantage.  
• The Rockets are now 9-3-1-0 in the second game of back-to-backs.
• The Rockets end off the month of January with a record of 7-1-1-0 in 9 games. Not bad considering three games were postponed and the team had to pause after a few cases of COVID-19. Some ask me if the team will catch Kamloops for first place in the BC Division in the final two and a half months of the regular season. If the mental approach remains a constant of - 'I know I can, I know I can, I know I can, it leaves no doubt in my mind that it's best not to bet against them.

Rockets a handful on home ice

Rookie Marcus Pacheco unloading one of his career high 6 shots on net 

Wrestling fans would call it an old fashioned beat down.

The old timers would categorize it as taking the opposition to the woodshed.

The mathematicians in the crowd would use these numbers: 15-5.

Whichever way you want to slice it, the Kelowna Rockets showed little mercy Saturday night in a 9-1 dismantling of the Victoria Royals. Out-scoring them 15-5 in back-to-back games, the nine goal outburst saw Jake Poole put up 5 points (1+4=5) while Pavel Novak and Adam Kydd scored twice in the lopsided win. The accelerator was applied early in this one with the home team building up a five goal first period lead. Unlike the previous night where the Royals scored three of its four goals on the power play in a 6-4 loss, it appeared the visitors just ran out of gas in this one and not even its power play could keep them close. Dealing with injury and players in COVID protocol, the Rockets took full advantage. Before we feel sorry for the opponent, let's remember the home team was playing without its best d-man (Jake Lee), it's fifth leading scorer (Nolan Flamand) and arguably it's best forechecker (Mark Liwiski). Lee was ill. Flamand is hurt and Liwiski was serving game two of a two game suspension. To suggest the Rockets were at full strength and the Royals were not would be inaccurate. 

• Up until last night, the Rockets highest goal total was 7. They beat Vancouver 7-6 in overtime and earned a 7-4 win against Kamloops prior to the Christmas break. The team hasn't scored 9 goals since January 2017 when they beat the Royals 9-2. That season they put up 10 goals in one game in a 10-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings.
• Do the Rockets have scoring depth? Well, the team has 8 players with 20 or more points. Tyson Feist and Gabriel Szturc are one point shy of joining that group. By comparison, the Royals have just three. First place Kamloops has 9 players with 20 or more points.
• He may be the quietest player on the team. Heck, he sits behind me in the bus so I should know. It is likely the reason why I really like Marcus Pacheco. As a shy, quiet teenager myself, I can relate. I was so pleased to see him score his first career goal last night. 'Patches' as he is known by his teammates, the 16 year-old is such an elite skater, but his lack of finding the back of the net had to be weighing heavily on him. I loved the fact that head coach Kris Mallette wasn't going to take him off the power play in an effort to get that elusive - first one! I also enjoyed the celebration from his teammates when they rallied around him when he found pay dirt. It is one of those regular season 'memorable moments' for me. I can only image how the 16 year-old felt with the monkey off his shoulders. 
• Small observation. Is goaltender Talyn Boyko tracking the puck better? In my opinion he is. In dealing with traffic, he is able to make saves and look around opposing forwards more proficiently. Maybe goaltending coach Eli Wilson gets credit here. The extra work has paid off. 
• Boyko has one loss in his last 9 starts. The 19 year-old has started a career high 10 straight. 
• He can't complain. Boyko has started 17 of the last 18 games. He leads the league in saves and is second in minutes played. 
• Tyson Feist had a nice weekend. Physical and setting the tone early. No less than six big hits were applied at his own blue line. Word to the wise. Keep your head up!!
• Do I dare say the Rockets have once again re-established themselves on home ice? Remember when opposition teams had little hope when entering Prospera Place that they would exit with two points? The Rockets used to be one of the best home ice teams in the league. They lost that certain something when they went 14-15-4-1 in 2018-2019. It felt odd to see the team be so ordinary on home ice. It appears now, with 13 home ice victories, the mojo is back. The 13 wins ties them with Everett for the Western Conference lead. 
• With much uncertaintly in this COVID world, the plan is for the team to begin a stretch of five straight games on the road. It starts Friday night in Everett followed by a stop in Vancouver Saturday. Then it's off Victoria for two games before another stop against the Giants on January 28th. That is 5 games in 8 nights for those counting.   
• I did some digging. Royals forward Bailey Peach has 21 goals in 32 games. He is currently on the exact same pace as Matthew Phillips, who scored 50 goals with Victoria in 2016-2017. That season, Phillips had 50+40=90 points. 

"We are taking every day as a blessing"

"We are taking every day as a blessing that we can play and hopefully that continues."

Those words from Kelowna Rockets head coach Kris Mallette after it was learned three of his teams games have been postponed due to cases of COVID-19.

Friday's home games was postponed against the Vancouver Giants while this Tuesday and Wednesday's road games in Prince George have also been put on hold.

In both cases, the Giants and Cougars had an abundance of positive cases and couldn't ice a team. 

"It is still around (Omicron). It has been a long time since it has been around. It's unfortunate. I have my booster set for Monday, so I am doing all I can and I know other people are doing the same thing. I just hope we can get through this," Mallette added.

The Rockets have had a few cases of COVID, but not enough to force a complete shutdown. The Rockets are one of the lucky ones. Fifteen other teams across the WHL, and one point, have been put on pause due to the pandemic.

"Isn't it ironic? We were the only team to get it last year in the bubble. You don't want to say not if, but when. I don't want to be a pessimist but studies show that once it gets into a team environment that it goes through you real quick. Hopefully if we do have that amongst our group, it is nothing serious and all of us get through it."

The WHL has said all along, all postponed games will eventually be played. Some are suggesting the season may have to be extended beyond April 3rd for that to happen.

3 out of possible 4 points

Jake Lee hits 100 point plateau

• Golf is a game of inches. So is hockey. Just ask the Kelowna Rockets d-man Jake Lee. In  overtime Sunday afternoon, the soft spoken defender rings one off the goal post. The puck comes the other way and Zach Ostopchuk scores seconds later. Game over! Call it bad luck. Or call it a point in the standings. Frankly, I left the Langley Events Centre feeling ok with the effort and result considering the team was trailing 3-2 heading into the third period. The statistics were against the Rockets in earning a point. They had only one win after trailing after two periods and the Giants were 7-0-0-0 at home when leading after 40 minutes. Getting a clutch power play goal from Colton Dach to tie the score just 7 seconds into the man advantage was massive. This team has no quit. I've seen it too many times to doubt them. I am awfully impressed by the will this team has to fight back when the chips are down. That belief to win may be the reason why the coaches and players - as a collective group - were dissatisfied with Sunday's result. They believe they should have won the game. They were sour with the end result. That is a great thing. 
• You may want to watch the video of Dach's tying goal. The beauty isn't the shot, which is drilled into the net with proficiency from the 19 year-old. It's the picture perfect pass from 16 year-old Andrew Cristall that makes this goal possible. At the top of the right face-off circle, Cristall threads the needle with a tremendous - flat pass - through no less than two Giants sticks to find Dach at the left dot. Dach, in one tremendous motion, fires it home and it's a new game. Cristall is such a special player. His skill level is elite. I don't want to take it for granted. I want to continue to me mesmerized by his soft hands. Remember, he is 16. 16!! Not since Nick Merkley or Shane McColgan, have we seen such a young player do so many veteran type things.
• Cristall has 6+5=11 in the last 8 games. By comparison, leading scorer Pavel Novak also has 11 points (3+8=11) in his last 8 games.
• Positives? Lots in my seat from the press box. The Rockets opened the scoring in this one. They had gone 7 straight road games without the opening goal. Heck, the visitors had a 2-1 lead after one period, impressive considering the team was on the bus in the early morning hours for the 4 pm start time. 
• Jake Lee hit the 100 point mark with an assist on Dach's power play goal. The 20 year-old has played 105 games with the Rockets since being acquired from Seattle in a blockbuster deal at the WHL bantam draft in 2019. Lee has almost been a point a game player this season. I didn't see that coming. He easily will surpass the 30 points he had in 2019-2020. He already has a career high 8 goals after scoring 5 times two years ago. Oh, did we mention, Lee is riding a 8 game point streak (2+9=11), the longest point streak (tied with Novak) of any Rockets player this season. 
• Who is the next Rockets played to reach 100 points? Pavel Novak has 92. 
• The Rockets would have won this game had Justin Sourdif not played. The 19 year-old returned after playing for Team Canada at the world juniors and was typically noticeable. I've never see him take a game off. The third round NHL draft pick is always a factor. The Giants captain had two assists and a team high 5 shots on net. In the seasonal series, Sourdif has 2+8=10.
• I was hoping the Rockets could capitalize with Fabian Lysell absent from the Giants lineup. The first round NHL draft pick of the Boston Bruins is back in Sweden taking more time off after playing for his country - for a limited time mind you - at the world juniors. It's not a great look. His countrymen, Giants goalie Jesper Vickman, didn't go home after playing at the prestigious tournament. He played Sunday against the Rockets.  Lysell isn't expected to play this Friday when the two teams meet again - this time at Prospera Place.
• Head Coach Kris Mallette wanted to see his team play disciplined against the G-Men. Man, did they ever comply. Jake Poole took the only penalty for the road team. Coming into the game, the Giants had scored 7 goals on 15 power play chances. 
• It was hard to believe but Talyn Boyko was making his first start at the LEC - ever! The 19 year-old has been on a roll as of late, with 5 consecutive wins up until Sunday's overtime defeat. 
• It was the Rockets first overtime loss this season. They had won four consecutive games in OT with two coming against Victoria and one each vs. Kamloops and Vancouver. 
• The Rockets are 15-5-1-0 against the BC Division this season. 
• Impressive in the second of back-to-back games. The Rockets are 6-3-1-0 this season in that situation. 
• Hold onto your hat. This Friday will be the start of 12 games in 23 days including two home games this weekend against Vancouver and Portland before traveling up to Prince George for two games against the Cougars one week from today. 

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Tayln Boyko ain't scared of the big bad wolf

• Who's afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf. Remember that song made famous by Disney in 1930? Clearly the Kelowna Rockets are not afraid of the Kamloops Blazers. A 6-0-0-0 record this season is a clear indicator they don't feel intimidated. But can you not blame them if they felt the Blazers were the 'big bad wolf' heading into this season? Failure was common place. Eleven straight losses at Sandman Centre. A play-in game collapse on March 19, 2019 was a devastating blow. Thankfully only current 20 year-old Mark Liwiski was in the lineup on that dreaded night when the Blazers came from a long way back to catch the Rockets for the final playoff spot before gladly ending the Rockets succession of 11 straight playoff appearances by sending them packing with an humiliating loss. But that was then. This is now. Whatever is happening, the Rockets are not cowering to a team that is significantly more skilled. I think physicality is an issue. I think determined play is a factor. The Rockets have it right now. The Blazers, surprisingly, don't. 
• The Rockets enjoyed a 6-2 win over the Blazers last night at Prospera Place. Again, Talyn Boyko was solid and was a key reason why the home team was able to pull away with four goals in the third period. The 19 year-old goalie is now 5-0-0-0 against Kamloops with a 2.39 goals against average and a save percentage of .935.  
• Who holds the hot stick for the Rockets right now? That honour is bestowed on Andrew Cristall. Goals in three straight games, the highly skilled forward doesn't get much attention because the draft class he was apart of was so heavily stacked with Conner Bedard taken 1st overall in 2020. Playing in his shadows may be a blessing in disguise though. Cristall's blind - spinning backhand last night to Mark Liwiski was nothing short of filthy. The composure he showed in his overtime wraparound goal a night earlier is unteachable. The kid just has it. With 10 goals this season, you would think a 20 goal rookie campaign is in reach. He reminds me a bit of Nick Merkley. 'Merks' was more of passer than a shooter. His best season, goal scoring wise, was his rookie campaign when he struck for 25 goals. Merkley had a career high 70 assists and 90 points a few seasons later. Both Merkley and Cristall are pass first players. Both are good on their edges. Both have great on-ice vision. Both are smaller but are able to use their body to leverage themselves against bigger players. 
• Cristall was the 6th forward chosen in the 2020 WHL bantam draft. When you compare his offensive production (10+10=20) with his 16 year-old colleagues, he is pretty much on par with those chosen before him. Regina's Connor Bedard (1st overall) has 24 points. Riley Heidt of the PG Cougars (2nd overall) has 21. Brayden Yager (3rd overall) of the Moose Jaw Warriors is the eye popper with 15 goals and 28 points. Kalan Lind (6th overall) with Red Deer has 13 points. Sam Oremba of the Seattle Thunderbirds (7th overall) has 2+3=5.  
• The Rockets earned back-to-back wins with their top two forwards out of the lineup. Pavel Novak and Colton Dach did not play. Instead, six different players stepped up last night and got involved in the scoring. The Blazers were also playing short staffed. No Logan Stankoven or Dylan Garand. Marko Stacha is absent on the back end,. In my opinion it was a level playing field. No excuses could be used in this home and home series in late December. The Rockets were just better.
• Before we get too excited here, let's remember that hockey teams go through funks during the season. It is never a clean sheet of excellent hockey. The Blazers are struggling scoring goals right now. They have found the back of the net 14 times in their last 7 games. That's not normal. This will indeed pass. It happens to even the most gifted teams. While we won't see the Blazers for another month, I suspect they will look different when the trade winds blow through the 'Tournament Capital'. They will be better and will be a force down the stretch. Remember, no one remembers games in December. We only recall what happens in April and May. At least we do in this neck of the woods. When the bar is low, you go crazy when you win games at this time of the year,. If the bar is high, you quickly move on to the next opponent,.   
• It was nice to see Jake Poole find the back of the net. It was his first goal in 12 games. Poole missed several games with an upper body injury, so his goal last night was his first since November 5th. No pressure, but Poole is the only remaining 19 year-old player on the roster from the 2017 WHL bantam draft. The team had no first rounder. It's second round selection was Ethan Bowen, who elected to play in the BCHL. The third round pick was Ethan Ernst, who was traded to Tri City. The 4th and 5th round selections were players that never materialized. The only saving grace from that 2017 draft class is the fact that the team was able to hit the bullseye with Pavel Novak in the CHL Import Draft later that spring. The team has only three-2002 born players on its roster. Poole, Novak and Talyn Boyko.
• Congrats to Scott Cousins for recording his 1st point of the season on a helper on Steel Quiring's third period breakaway marker. 
• The Rockets are now 14 and 5 against teams in the BC Division. It is the best interconference record of any of the five teams.
• The Rockets ended December with a record of 5-4-0-1. Two of the four losses were decided by a single goal. 
• As we close the books on 2021 - thankfully - the team went 25-14-1-3. That takes into account a 10-5-1-0 record in the abbreviated season and the 15-9-0-3 record in 2021-2022.  
• The Rockets ring in the new year, Saturday January 1st against the Victoria Royals. January brings with it a great set of challenges. The team will play 14 games in 31 days. It includes 5 games against Victoria, who are arguably the most improved team in the division if not the conference. By my records, Dan Price has his team with 10 wins, 2 losses and three overtime losses in their last 15 games. Look out!!!!

Pavel propels Rockets to win

Pavel Novak  

• Did the Kelowna Rockets deserve to win last night against the Victoria Royals? Did they deserve to lose to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds Saturday night? Hockey and sports in general are not always fair. Sometimes you play well and lose. You see it all the time. Play poorly or subpar and still earn two points. Out-shot 18-3 in the third period in last night's 5-4 win, Steel Quiring's determined effort tied the score before Pavel Novak, who is unquestionably the teams most dangerous player, fired home the game winner snapping a season high 4 game winless streak. It was Novak's final game with his junior team before playing for the Czech Republic at the world junior hockey championships. It was Novak's 13th goal of the season. In Novak's rookie campaign, where he led the team in scoring with 25 goals and 58 points in 55 games, the point producing dynamo had 13 goals at the Christmas break. You can't make this stuff up. 
• With someone so proficient in scoring - it was surprisingly - Novak's first game winner of the season. He had 5 game winners in his rookie campaign.
• The Rockets snapped a four game winless streak. It likely felt longer as losses weigh heavily on a team. Can you imagine being winless in 16 games? Just ask the Medicine Hat Tigers. They went through before beating Red Deer in a shootout on the weekend. 
• The Rockets enjoyed the lead for the majority of the game. Even when Victoria either tied it or finally grabbed it, the home team got it back in a hurry. Evan Patrician tied the score at 1 before Noah Dorey scored :39 seconds later to make it 2-1. The Royals took a 4-3 lead in the third period before Steel Quiring tied the score :54 later. I don't know if the word 'bump up shift' is still used in todays game? It refers to the next shift after allowing a goal being a pivotal one. Getting the goal back after being scored upon on the very next shift is an admirable quality. It was Quiring's first goal in 10 games. 
• I thought both goalies were good despite 9 goals being surrendered. No less than two were tipped with one going off Royals forward Evan Patrician and into the back of the net. At the other end, Victoria back stopper Campbell Arnold was sharp early with several big stops when the Rockets were awarded three consecutive power plays. The ugly goal came when Noah Dorey's wrist shot hit Wyatt Wilson in the leg, ricocheted off Arnold and found the back of the net. No shot was a bad shot.  
• Dorey was a health scratch Saturday against Seattle. He had his first two goal game of his career. Of the three goals he's scored this season, two have been on the power play. The last Rockets d-man to score three goals in a game was Tyson Barrie. Yep, it doesn't happen often. Barrie found the back of the net three times in 2010.
• The Rockets have been to overtime 7 times this season. The WHL high is held by Victoria and Portland, who have played extra time - 8 times. The Royals went into overtime for the 6th time in their last 8 games and for the 8th time in its last 12 contests.
•  It was the sixth time the Rockets have scored 5 or more goals. They are 5-0-0-1 in those games.
• The Royals set a new high with 47 shots on net. It was the second highest total of shots allowed by the Rockets this season. They allowed 48 last Wednesday against Everett in a 5-3 loss.
• It was a rare Tuesday game. It is the only Tuesday home game this season.
• For what it's worth, it was the teams 5th game in 8 nights. Pass me a lozenge. 
• Are you ready for the Teddy Bear Toss game this Saturday against Kamloops? It is the 8th year the team has held the event. The first goal scorer in Kelowna Rockets franchise history was Ryan Olsen back in 2013. Here are a list of the Teddy Bear Toss goal scorers over the years:                   

          2013: Ryan Olsen          
          

          2014: Dillon Dube  

          2015: Dillon Dube

          2016: Nick Merkley 

          2017: Conner Bruggen-Cate

          2018: Mark Liwiski

          2019: Nolan Foote

          2020: No game 

          2021: ?

Rough stretch for Rockets

Goal judges at Rockets games are toast

• With Christmas two weeks away, the Kelowna Rockets and Seattle Thunderbirds were in a giving mood Saturday night at Prospera Place. Big boy hockey was played. Not for the faint of heart hockey was on display. Two fights in the opening three minutes. Big hits at every turn. It was as physical a game we've witnessed this season. In the end the T-Birds stole victory from the hands of defeat with two goals in a span of :57 seconds late in the third period in a 5-4 win. It looked like the Rockets had this one in the bag when Tyson Feist scored with essentially 6 minutes left in the game, but the T-Birds had other ideas. The visitors scored the tying goal just :17 seconds later and the game was lost less than a minute after that when Mekia Sanders fired one home on a two-on-one for the T-Birds 10th road win of the season. This one stings because the Rockets dodged a bullet. Outplayed in the opening 20 minutes, they still enjoyed a 2-0 lead. Only good teams are able to buckle down and fight back. Seattle did just that after feeling good about themselves after handing the Blazers a loss in Kamloops the night prior.
• While it looks like a third period collapse, which on the surface it was, I hate to say it, but a save is required at that crucial point in the game. The game winning goal has Rockets goaltender Tayln Boyko in the right position to make the stop. He is coming across the net, but is set and square to the shooter. I watched it several times on replay. Sanders wrist shot beats him glove side, short side. Good shot? Sure. Big save needed? Yepper.
• Getting into shooting lanes. Damned if you do. Damned if you don't. Two T-Bird shots come from the point that make its way through to the back of the net. Are those stopped with less emphases on blocking them and a better visual for the goalie? I am sure the analytics show shot blocking is more of a help than a hinderance.  
• This game had as much jam as anticipated. We saw two tilts in the opening three minutes. Mark Liwiski takes on 6'9 Matthew Rempe before John Babcock took on a big boy in Reid Schaefer. Much like Tuesday, down at Showare Centre, you had to show courage if you wanted to play in this game. If the puck was on your stick, you had to be prepared to be hit. The T-Birds are as physical as the Rockets, if not more.
• If you were surprised at Seattle's confidence level on the road, you shouldn't have been. They had 9 road wins coming into the game. Only Kamloops (12) had more victories away from home ice.  
• Kris Mallette doesn't like to tinker with his lines. In an astute move, he separate Colton Dach from playing alongside Pavel Novak Saturday night. Ideally, I think it makes the team more lethal to have them apart. Why? When Novak plays with Dach, he becomes less of a shooter and more of a passer. The 19 year-old has to be trigger happy because he can score. You don't get 25 goals in your rookie season by fluke. I like Dach playing with 16 year-old Andrew Cristall. Cristall's skill set is still extremely high in an ability to get Dach, a shooter, the puck. And lets face it. Dach has to get used to playing without Novak anyway. The Minnesota Wild draft pick will be gone for close to 9 games when he plays for the Czech Republic at the world juniors. 
• The Rockets are winless in 4 games. It is the biggest slide of the season. The team has one win in their last 5 games (1-4-0-1). That victory came in Kamloops against the Blazers. During this recent slide, three of the regulation losses and the shootout loss came against teams above them in the standings. The setback that really stings for me was the 3-2 game against Prince George. It can't happen. Why? You've been so good on home ice and the Cougars were playing the final game of six straight on the road. 
• The Rockets are 1-4-0-3 in 8 games against US Division teams this season.
• Saturday's loss was the teams 4th game in 5 nights. It's been a busy schedule of late. But remember, this has been a soft launch to the season for the Rockets, who at the Christmas break will have played just 25 games. 25! Only Tri City and Victoria have played fewer (22) heading into this week. 
• It was nice to see the Rockets open the scoring Saturday night. It was the first time in 6 games it happened. It is only the 7th time this season where the Rockets lit the lamp first.
• If you didn't notice, goal judges weren't used for the first time ever at Prospera Place this weekend. Yep, the goal judges have gone the way of the dodo bird. Many buildings didn't have them from the start of puck drop on the 2021-2022 season. In Kelowna, we finally eliminated them starting with Friday's 3-2 home ice loss to the Prince George Cougars. Let's just say, video didn't only kill the radio star, they also killed the role of the goal judge. The NHL hasn't used goal judges since the 2018-2019 season.
• The Victoria Royals provide the opposition Tuesday. Man, that team has resurrected from the dead. Weren't they 1-11 when they last made an appearance at Prospera Place? Now healthy and busy making trades, the Royals are back in the hunt with points in 9 straight and sit only 6 points back of Kelowna for third place in the BC Division. The only saving grace during this four game slide is the fact that the teams above them in the standings - Kamloops and Vancouver - are also sucking slough water.

The Rockets learning as they go

Alex Swetlikoff faced his old team Wednesday night 
Photo courtesy Kristin Ostrowski

• You can learn a lot from winning. You can also glean a lot of information about yourself when you lose. The Kelowna Rockets have a better understanding about areas of improvement after a 5-3 loss Wednesday night to the best team in the Western Conference. The Everett Silvertips began to take over in the second period and the pace appeared to quicken. The Rockets, who played the night prior in a physical affair in Seattle, seemed to be a little slow-a-foot. The Tips have lots of hurry and hustle in their game. That and the ability to be physical added up to the Rockets making ill advised plays with the puck. Against the better teams like Everett, who could have four players at the upcoming world juniors, they can eat you alive if you don't match the pace and intensity. Despite the onslaught, the Rockets were still within a goal until the Tips manufactured a power play goal 6:10 into the third period. 
• The Rockets are 5-2-0-0 in the second of back-to-back games this season.
• It was one of the better opening periods I've seen from the Rockets in Everett. Sure, goaltender Tayln Boyko had to be sharp, but it was a 1-1 game after 20 minutes and the shots were just 12-10 for the home team. Avoiding colossal damage in the first period against the Tips is paramount. They've out-scored the opposition 30-12 in the first period heading into last nights game. 
• Max Graham made an impression against his old squad. Traded from the Tips to the Rockets for Alex Swetlikoff and a 6th rounder, the draft eligible Graham had two goals. His opening goal caught Tips goalie Braden Holt sleeping, but his second of the game in the third period was a beautiful shot from between the hash marks on a setup from Turner McMillen. Coming into last night's game, Graham had just two shots in his previous seven games. That's an ugly stat. Wednesday night, the Kelowna resident fired four pucks on net which ties a season high for him. 
• Pavel Novak is a clutch player. A perfect example came when the 19 year-old was awarded a shorthanded penalty shot when the game was tied at one. Instead of wilting under the pressure, Novak seized the moment by making it look easy by shooting, not deking to find the back of the net. Lesser players shoot the puck wide or make a move and lose control of the puck. Novak scored his 11th goal of the season, tying him for the team lead with Colton Dach. Novak is a pressure player. 
• I love the deployment of Colton Dach at the point when the goalie is pulled for the extra attacker. The 18 year-old's quick release can come screaming at the goalie and appears to have the velocity of some players who take the massive windup for a slap shot. Those are often blocked. Dach is also able to get shots through with traffic in front of the opposition goaltender. To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen Dach take a slap shot. I'm serious. All of his shots this season are primarily snap shots.
• The Rockets allowed a season high 48 shots against in the 5-3 setback. The previous high was 39 in a 2-1 shootout win to Spokane November 26th. Heading into the game, the Rockets had allowed the 6th fewest shots on goal - per game - at 29.8. 
• Tayln Boyko has made 7 consecutive starts. The last Rockets goalie to play 8 straight games was Michael Herringer in 2015-2016. With Jackson Whistle's season ending with hip surgery, Herringer started a whopping 18 straight. 
• The Rockets seem to play their best when they make the quick, five to six foot passes when transitioning up ice. It not only looks good, but it is often effective in preventing turnovers in the neutral zone. It was on wonderful display Saturday in Kamloops but seemed tougher to execute against Seattle and Everett.   
• Give the Tips credit. They did not take a single penalty until less than a minute remaining in the game with the score 5-3. That's a tough feat in today's game, but the Tips took a delay of game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass and then a holding minor when the games was clearly in the bag.
• The Rockets played this one without forward Mark Liwiski. The 20 year-old was suspended for two games for a hit against Seattle the night prior. Liwiski is eligible to return when the two teams meet again Saturday night at Prospera Place. Liwiski has been suspended twice before, for three games for boarding in 2019 and one game for the accumulation of kneeing minors. 
• With a three game road trip behind them, where the Rockets earned 3 out of a possible 6 points, it's time for four straight home games before the Christmas break. Prince George is on the menu Friday followed by the Seattle Thunderbirds only visit to Prospera Place on Saturday. 

Ignorance is bliss

Allen Douglas photo credit

• I wasn't totally convinced. I had my doubts. I wanted to believe that what I've been witnessing is indeed real. My confidence level in the 2021-2022 edition of the Kelowna Rockets took a significant step forward following a road win last night over BC Division leading Kamloops Blazers. I still had question marks despite two wins earlier this season against them. Could the Rockets win a game on the road, something that hasn't been accomplished in 11 consecutive visits to Sandman Centre? It happened last night, much to my delight in a 4-3 come from behind win. When the buzzer sounded, for the first time since Lassi Thomson patrolled the blue-line, the Rockets stepped off the ice in front of a hostile crowd with two points in their back pocket. While head coach Kris Mallette was pleased with his groups effort on our AM 1150 post game show, he wasn't getting overly excited about what the win meant for the psyche of his team. He quietly sounded like he expected the end result. If his bar is set that high for his team, the players must feel too that they have what it takes to compete against the Western Conference's elite. Don't be fooled. The Rockets didn't hold on for the one goal win in this one. Some anxious moments in the dying seconds for sure, but it was that bend but not break mentality that made the road victory that much more rewarding. 
• As mentioned, the Rockets didn't escape with the win. They deserved what they got. They surrendered the opening goal just 1:18 into the game. The Blazers are 15-1-0-0 when that happens, but no one told Kris Mallette's crew. Colton Dach, playing in his 100th career WHL game, found the back of the net from the lip of the crease just 3:41 later and it was proof the visitors were not going to wilt like a flower thrown into the freezer. Heck, they've been resilient all season long, why would we doubt them now? Well, you cast doubt because the opponent up until last night's game were 39-7-0-1 in the last three seasons playing at the Sandman Centre. I've seen the Blazers throw a knock out punch so many times in that building when it looks like the visitors are under control. The Rockets in their last 12 appearances were a dismal 1-7-3-1. 
• What may benefit this group, specifically, is many have not been around to witness the lack of success in Kamloops over the last few years. Ignorance is bliss. Colton Dach has no idea about futility in the building. Talyn Boyko too. The crushing setback during the 11 consecutive losses appeared to be the tie breaker game when the two teams were tied at the end of the 2018-2019 regular season. March 19, 2019 saw the Blazers beat the Rockets 5-1 on that night, with the home team exploding for four-third period goals which included two shorthanded in less than a two minute span. The Rockets have one - one player that remains on the roster from that fateful night. His name is Mark Liwiski.
• The Blazers and Rockets play such contrasting styles. That may explain why the Rockets are 3-0-0-0 in the seasonal series. The Blazers resemble a Supercar. They are flashy and fast. They catch your attention thanks to the top three scorers in the Western Conference. They have a world junior goalie with a team that's allowed the fewest goals against in the entire WHL. What's not to like? The Rockets, by contrast, play a physical style of game. Very physical, but the difference with being aggressive is playing within the parameters of the rules. Mallette and the leadership group have them playing that way. They have some flash and dash in their game, but they are like a reliable 4X4 pickup truck. A sturdy exterior, but it's what's under the hood, while concealed by the naked eye, that really counts. The rougher the terrain, the more they are likely to succeed.
• In a gutsy effort, it only seemed fitting that Turner McMillen had a significant role in the one goal win. McMillen, playing on the fourth line with Max Graham and 16 year-old Marcus Pacheco, had a glorious game. McMillen, a rookie in his own right, scored the go-ahead goal to give the Rockets a 3-2 lead and then muscled home the winner with 4:30 left on the clock. Pacheco had his first multiple point game of his young WHL career with two assists. The fourth line didn't sit idly by in the biggest road win of the season.
• Colton Dach has 5 goals against the Blazers in the seasonal series. Conversely, Blazers leading scorer Logan Stankoven hasn't figured in the scoring in any of the three games. 
• The Rockets scored 4 goals last night. Impressive, considering the Blazers allow the third fewest goals against - per game - at 2.00. Only Winnipeg and Everett allowed fewer goals per game entering Saturday's action.
• I thought the more the game became physical, the more a player like Noah Dorey stood out. While taking two penalties, playing in the trenches works right into his wheel house. The same holds true for Tyson Fiest and Jackson DeSouza. 
• Has the bar been raised with last night's win? In my eyes it has, but I'm guessing the coaching staff and players were thinking the bar was set that high before the season even started. 

Choo-choo, 1/4 through

• What have we learned 1/4 through the Kelowna Rockets regular season? This team is better than we envisioned. Sorry, I don't want to speak for you. Let me state, I did not see this team earning points in 12 of it's opening 17 games. This group has surprised be. Having watched this team for essentially 6 weeks, they've pretty much showed up for all but two games. A 2-0 loss in Langley wasn't good nor was a 7-2 setback to the Giants, again at the LEC, in late October. That's pretty consistent hockey for this group, who are playing what can only be described as a heavy game. Can they skate with the best teams in the WHL? Maybe. Can they trade scoring chances with the elite teams? Probably not. Can they physically wear the opponent down like a prized boxer, who provides the knock out punch in the late rounds? I think we've hit the nail on the head. This team isn't flash and dash. They will hustle and try to outwork you. Purposely try to punish you and finishing checks is likely the mantra of this group. While not the biggest physically, they have a certain team toughness that can take them far. That ability to physically dominate has to be tempered though by playing disciplined hockey for the fear of the more skilled teams pulling away with an electric power play. So far so good. The Rockets are the 7th least penalized team in the WHL. That can't change if more success is to come their way before the Christmas break.
• Sitting in second place in the BC Division at the 1/4 mark is an impressive feat. The fact that the first place Kamloops Blazers have a 12 point lead is no shocker. Frankly, while lots of hockey is yet to be played, they won't be caught. Sure, the Rockets have the bragging rights of handing the top team in the WHL/BC Division both of it's losses, but until they show me they can beat them on the road at Sandman Centre, it's best to concentrate on the teams below them, not on the closest geographical rival who have scored the second most goals in the league while surrendering the second fewest against. Again, show me you can beat the Blazers -on there turf - and then I will change my tune. The team hasn't won a game on the road in Kamloops in it's last 10 appearance. That includes two losses in the abbreviated season, four losses in 2019-2020, two pre-season losses, a play-in loss/tie breaker and 2-1 shootout loss dating back to the 2018-2019 campaign. The Blazers are 11-1-0-0 in the last 12 regular season games between the two teams on home ice.
•  GM Bruce Hamilton pulled off two significant trades in the opening 17 games. On September 28th the team swung a one for one deal with the Saskatoon Blades. In a trade that saw 1st round bantam pick players exchanging hands, the Rockets picked up 18 year-old Colton Dach for 18 year-old Trevor Wong. Dach made his debut in the second game of the season in Victoria and did a nice job of working his way into the group with an outgoing personality and an 'A' on his jersey. Dach has been a point a game player since arriving in the Okanagan while Wong has 12 points in 20 games with his team team. Fast forward 40 days after the Dach deal, the team acquired 19 year-old Talyn Boyko from the Tri City Americans for a third round bantam pick and goalie Cole Tisdale. Tisdale has appeared in just one game since the trade while Boyko has assumed the number one duties here with a 4 and 1 record. 
• The team was a quick starter in the opening 7 to 8 games and then slow starts were common place. The Rockets have scored the opening goal just 6 times this season. Only Medicine Hat has scored fewer (5). Winnipeg leads the league by opening up the scoring a whopping 21 times.
• The most impressive statistic for me is how the team has preformed in the third period. Several times they have rallied from two goals down to tie. A shootout loss in Portland may be one of the most impressive comebacks in recent memory. The team battled back from being down 5-1 to earn a point. The number that stands out is 7. The Rockets have surrendered just 7 - third period goals so far this season. No WHL team comes close, not even Winnipeg with 13 allowed goals in the final frame. 
• Jake Lee has really impressed. He's dangerous player with his ability to generate offense with his quick edge work and skating ability. The 20 year-old is easily going to surpass his career high point total of 30 set two seasons ago. Lee has already set a new in goals with 6. He leads the team in +/- with a +14. Tyson Feist, another overager, has generated much needed offense from the blue-line, but through his shot and his ability to blast it past the goalie rather than threading it threw traffic. Pavel Novak has been the most consistent player, which is no shock. Novak has a point in 14 of the 17 games this season and leads the team in goals, assists and points.   
• Did you know the Rockets have scored, on average, the 5th most goals per game in the WHL? You do now. The team averages 3.53 goals per game. Kamloops leads the BC Division at 4.79, which is second best. Winnipeg is #1 with over 5 goals per game. The Rockets also allow the 6th fewest shots against.
• Hard to believe the Rockets have already played more games this season (17) then they did during the abbreviated campaign. (16).
• We will learn much more about the Rockets over the next week. The team faces 3 of the top teams in the Western Conference in three of their next four games. Saturday is a date with BC Division leading Kamloops followed by back-to-back games in the US Division against Seattle next Tuesday and Everett next Wednesday. Throw into the mix the home game against the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday, and this is arguably the teams biggest test of the new season. 
• 100% capacity? Yep, it happens tonight. With 8 home games left before Christmas, hockey fans can now pack the place after starting the season at half capacity, or 34 hundred fans. Don't forget to wear that mask....and keep it on. I've heard some fans complaining that some are not following the rules. While you don't need your mask on if eating or drinking, you can't be nursing that beer from puck drop until the final buzzer - maskless. Come on! Be courtesy to those around you.  

White is.....Dynamite

Boyko's new, white mask

It's the reason many are attracted to the goaltending position in the first place. It's all about 'the gear'. Sure, the colour coordinated pads and gloves are cool. Being a difference maker is also intriguing, but it's the ability to express yourself with a painted or decaled mask that draws many to the pressure packed position.   

At the NHL level, most goalies keep the same design for the duration of a career. Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens is the odd exception, changing his look on a regular basis. Over the years, junior goalies have taken great pride in fashioning a unique design. Outside of training, it is a focal point in the summer to get together with a mask manufacturer in an effort to drum up a eye popping look. 

When Talyn Boyko was traded to the Kelowna Rockets from the Tri City Americans last month, the 19 year-old heard rumblings that goalies who wear the colours with the angry Ogopogo lake monster on the front, don't express themselves in that way. Nope. No design on the mask. No colours. No funky graphics. Let's call it an unwritten rule. Majority owner and GM Bruce Hamilton wants it that way. With his team, the belief is no one stands out from the rest. An old school philosophy perhaps, but Hamilton writes the checks at the end of the day, so it's his call. You have to respect that. Hamilton's winning track record only cements his position. 

When first traded to Kelowna, Boyko wore his flashy, decal laden mask with a massive white star on the forehead with the words 'Tri-City' on the left side and 'Americans' on the right side. On Friday night though, it was off with the old and in with the new when he exchanged his bold mask for something others would consider bland by comparison. The new head gear is about as plain as it gets. It's white. No colours. No decals outside of the manufacturer - Bauer - in black lettering on the side and on the forehead. 

How has the 'no flash face wear' impacted the New York Rangers prospects play? It's actually improved it. 

Since he put on the white mask in a game against the Spokane Chiefs, Boyko has stopped 71 of 73 shots in back-to-back wins. With that effort while stopping 24 of 26 shots in a 2-1 loss this past Wednesday on the road, it makes you wonder if the newest member of the Rockets has a shot at being named the WHL Goalie of the Week?

That's a .956 save percentage in three straight appearances. 

It's a clear indicator that white is indeed all right, or in Boyko's case - dynamite!