Debris and Rockets flying in MC semi final win

Aaron Bell Photo - CHL

• What a game. What a result. What an opportunity. The Kelowna Rockets are off to the 2015 Master Card Memorial Cup after a dominating 9-3 win Friday night over the Quebec Remparts. While the host team scored the opening goal just three minutes into the first period, the Western Hockey League Champions took over and scored four times in the second and four more times in the third period in the rout. Justin Kirkland, who has been extremely quiet in this tournament, erupted for two goals and two assists in the win and allowed coach Dan Lambert to pencil him with centerman Rourke Chartier to create another lethal duo.  Lambert started the game with Leon Driasaitl centring Nick Merkley and Rourke Chartier, but once Kirkland showed he was going to contribute, Lambert made the switch by putting the Rockets leading goal scorer (Chartier) with the Nashville Predators third round draft pick.
• Two unsung hero's in this game. The first would go to Riley Stadel, who played a terrific opening period and filled in wonderful on the wing on a line with Draisaitl and Merkley. Was Stadel not the best player for the Rockets in the first period? If not, darn close. The second unsung hero award goes to Rodney Southam. Southam can fight, but clearly went up a class when he dropped the gloves with Yanick Turcotte 13 seconds into the game. Turcotte had 21 fighting majors this season. He is the Remparts designated tough guy. Rodney Southam is not. Chance Braid is. That said, Southam answered the bell and took some solid shots yet didn't quite in the spirited tilt. Head Coach Dan Lambert always talks about sacrificing for the greater good of the team. Did anyone sacrifice more than Southam in that fight? 
• It was nice to see Kirkland score, but it was equally good to have Rourke Chartier find the back of the net - twice. The two-on-one goal with Tyson Baillie was impressive considering the 19 year-old looked like he had ran out of room before sliding it past Fucale. What was more impressive was the shot he fired high over Fucale's glove hand side in the third period which appeared to hit the cross bar and go in. Not many junior goalies will make a save with that velocity and pin point accuracy. 
• The Rockets power play was impressive. While ending the game going 3 for 6, that statistic was skewed with two late power play chances with the game out of reach and the Rockets essentially killing the clock. It was a threat when the game was in doubt and proved deadly when Leon Draisaitl scored 17 seconds into the second period to give the WHL Champions its first lead of the game. Draisaitl was named the games first star with a goal and two assists but could have at least two more goals. A difference maker he was all night long.
• How about the beer cans/bottles and popcorn that were thrown on the ice after a non-call against Madison Bowey in the second period? Fans began littering the ice with everything in their hands, which included paper noise makers. It was a spectacle I haven't seen in years. It looked like a hockey game from the 80's. It was funny and disturbing at the same time. Player safety is the first thing that entered my mind. What also amazed me is the officiating crew, which consisted of two QMJHL referees, thankfully, allowed the play to continue for a long period of time. Dillon Dube could have scored by firing the puck on net, where it would have deflected off a beer can, through a maze of flying popcorn and past Fucale.  
• The nine goals the Rockets scored were two off the Memorial Cup record of 11, which was most recently set by the 1980 Regina Pats.  
• The Rockets advance to the Memorial Cup final against the Oshawa Generals, the same team that beat them 2-1 in the round robin. It marks the second time the Rockets meet an OHL Champion in the final game, after losing to Windsor in the 2009 championship in Rimouski. 

The Rockets can see the finish line in the distance

• The Kelowna Rockets can see the finish line. It is just two games away. The Rockets will face the winner of tonight's tie breaking game at the 2015 Memorial Cup between the Quebec Remparts and the Rimouski Oceanic. I can't see how the Remparts can rebound after being dominated in every facet of the game last night in a 4-0 shut-out loss. The QMJHL Champions won three games against the Remparts in an epic seven game final series, all at the Colisee, so home ice advantage means absolutely nothing for Quebec. That said, this is junior hockey where a team can look unenthused one night and come back the next and look like gang busters.
• This is what Dan Lambert said to me this morning when I asked about the finish line to the season just two short games away. "I really want two games, I know that. Our real focus is to have three solid periods tomorrow night".    
• Whoever the Rockets face in tomorrow's semi final, the WHL champs will face an opponent playing its third game in three nights. Dan Lambert told the media this morning that isn't necessarily an advantage. "I think we don't need to concern ourselves with other teams. At this time of the year everybody is going to show up regardless. We have to make sure we are ready to play. That is our focus".  
• Generating shots on goal for the WHL Champions hasn't been easy. The Rockets manufactured just 21 shots in a 2-1 loss to Oshawa. The team had 36 against Rimouski in a 7-3 win and fired 29 pucks at the Quebec Remparts goal in game one of the tournament. "It has been easy for Oshawa it seems. You have three other teams that can check. They have all done a great job of blocking shots as well".
• Jackson Whistle caught the eye of the media today when he revealed he was born in Thunder Bay Ontario. Whistle's father David has coached around the world too, including Northern Ireland with the Belfast Giants.
• Sometime losing weight is a good thing for a junior player. That is Josh Morrissey's theory on why he is a better player. The 20 year-old Kelowna Rockets defenceman told the media today he is lighter after changing his diet more than a year ago. The Calgary resident wants to pattern himself after Chicago Blackhawks rearguard Duncan Keith and believes that having a lighter frame allows him to get out of the way quicker when large forwards attempt to check him.
• Several media members noticed that Morrissey rarely uses the glass to chip the puck out of his own zone. Morrissey prefers to stick handle away from trouble and make an outlet pass. Coach Lambert says he doesn't want his d-men to use the glass - ever - if they don't have too. He wants to see his blue liners make plays with the puck. Morrissey had only one minor penalty with the Rockets this season for delay of game. It happened when he swatted the puck out of mid air with his glove in his own zone and it went over the glass. Morrissey has never fired the puck over the glass with his stick while in the d-zone in an attempt to get away from the pressure of an on-coming forward. 
• It has been a good week for interviews on our Memorial Cup broadcasts on AM 1150. We have spoken to Dan Marr of NHL Central Scouting, RJ Broadhead of Sportsnet, Merrick Sutter from the Red Deer Rebels Memorial Cup committee, Bob Green of the Edmonton Oilers and former NHL first round pick Todd Warriner, who is a former teammate of Rockets head coach Dan Lambert. What is on the menu for game four tomorrow night? We have Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall and a nice conversation with Oliver resident and Sportsnet broadcaster John Shannon. My goal is also to hunt down WHL referee Brett Iverson. Iverson is making his second straight appearance at the Memorial Cup and is the only official from the West at the tournament. 
• I don't take life to seriously. Case in point, I have a few video clips up on our AM 1150 Facebook page you may want to check out. They are intended to be fun. Life is just too serious. Enjoy!!

Smothering defence

Photo credit - Vincent Ethier

Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert called it a 'smothering defence' a day after his hockey club suffered a 2-1 loss to the Oshawa Generals at the 2015 Memorial Cup. Lambert say the Ontario Hockey League champions "Do it the best" of any team his hockey club has faced this season. The Generals played a tactical game to perfection last night in the one goal win, which sends the G-Men (can we call them that or is that only used for the Vancouver Giant?) to Sunday's final. The Rockets hope to get another crack at them, but must wait to see if the Quebec Remparts handle the Rimouski Oceanic tonight which will determine if a tie breaker or a semi final game will be played on Friday.

• The Rockets struggled mightily to get quality shots on Generals goaltender Ken Appelby in the opening two periods. With just ten shots combined, it was amazing to think the WHL champions were within one shot of tying it. Did the Rockets have trouble adjusting to the defensive style the Generals were implementing or were they slightly intimidated by a much larger opponent? Whatever it was, it took two periods to figure it out and by then it created a third period rally with an urgency level where it needed to be at puck drop. 
• Dan Lambert was asked if he considered pulling Jackson Whistle late in the game with his team trailing by a goal and awarded a five-on-three. Lambert says he considered it, but looking back, he was happy with the offensive chances his team created in the dying seconds of that 89 second power play chance. The Rockets stormed the net and had several good looks on Appelby, who stood tall despite the relentless pressure. Tyson Baillie and Nick Merkley had the best chances but 'puck luck' was nowhere to be found. 
• The most snake bitten player was Rourke Chartier. The 48 goal man was stopped by the paddle of Appelby's stick (pictured) in the first period on what appeared to be a sure goal. The 19 year-old then hit the cross bar late in the third period when he attempted to go high over the glove hand side of the veteran goalie. Chartier has yet to score in three games at the Memorial Cup. The good news is the chances are there. The bad news? No finish, but that will come.
• Gage Quinney has been a nice story at the Memorial Cup. The 19 year-old has four goals at the tournament and is proving to be one of the best players in the four team circuit. Quinney has now played 56 games with the Rockets (regular season/playoffs/Memorial Cup) and has scored 20 times, has assisted on 28 goals and has collected 48 points. 
• One goal losses are uncommon for the Rockets. They played in just seven-one goal games this season. They played in just four road games where they manufactured just a single goal. In those four games, it should come as no surprise that they lost all of them.
• Dillon Dube continues to impress. The 16 year-old had our hit of the game when he applied contact early in the first period. While that is all well and good, should a rookie who is undersized right now because of his youth be leading the hit parade? Dube also had a solid chance in the third period when he found himself in the slot with only Appelby in his way. Dube had to fire the puck off quickly with Appelby making the blocker save.
• I think we need to mention Jackson's Whistle's play at this tournament. The 19 year-old has answered the bell. Whistle doesn't make it look easy, is clearly the most unorthodox of the four goaltenders we've seen at this tournament, but the dude keeps the puck out of the net. Whether he implements the poke check or elects to go old school when he makes a double pad stack save, the West Kelowna resident has had a solid tournament. 
• Cole Cassels? Solid player. The Canucks have a good one there. I hate to use coaching speak but he is truly a 200 foot player. Great at face-offs, heightened awareness defensively and can score. For my money, the third rounder was the best skater on the ice last night. 
• What is the general feeling around the team today? They would love to be 3-0 and off to the Memorial Cup final like the Oshawa Generals, but taking the glass half full philosophy, they should be cautiously optimistic about a likely date with the Quebec Remparts in the semi finals. The Rockets lost to the host team last Friday in a game where the WHL champs were not very good. They would love another crack at them, and with some luck and better execution, which would allow them to meet up with Oshawa one more time for all the marbles.

That's more like it!!

• Now that's more like it. The Kelowna Rockets showed their true colours last night with a dominating 7-3 win over the Quebec Junior Hockey League Champion Rimouski Oceanic. The Rockets exploded out of the gates with a quick 3-0 lead before the Oceanic made things interesting with back-to-back goals to make it a one goal game. But on this night the Rockets were on their game and scored three unanswered goals for the most convincing win of the four games we've seen at the 2015 Master Card Memorial Cup.
• While Leon Draisaitl and Nick Merkley both had two goals and an assist in the win, Gage Quinney's play with Tyson Baillie and Dillon Dube really stood out. Quinney has been a valuable player, who's skill level was untapped in his time in Prince Albert. In his time with the Rockets, the soft spoken Las Vegas resident has been terrific. Quinney's two goals came in the same arena that his father Ken spent some time as a member of the Quebec Nordiques. Ken Quinney played 30 games with the Nordiques in 1986-87 and 1987-88.
• The Rockets scored their second shorthanded goal of the tournament when Leon Draisaitl completed a highlite reel move in the third period while skating down the right side. The 19 year-old cut wide on the Rimouski player, shielded away the defender with one hand before roofing a shot pasty Oceanic goalie Phillipe Desrosiers. The goal made it 7-3, but was clearly the best goal of the game and maybe the tournament. 
• The Rockets power play struck once in five chances. The team now has three power play goals in two games at the Memorial Cup and has the best unit of the four teams competing in the ten day event. 
• Draisaitl has goals in six straight games if you include goals in four straight against Brandon in the WHL Championship series.
• Up next is a date with the undefeated Oshawa Generals. The Generals, who won two fewer but lost two fewer games than the Rockets clash at the Colisee in a match up that will likely witness the smallest crowd of the tournament. With no QMJHL rep on the ice, interest in this game you would suspect locally will be  very low. Last night's crowd saw the smallest crowd with 6,981 patrons.   

Must win? Pretty much!

• Leon Draisaitl has done more than his share of interviews at the 2015 Memorial Cup in Quebec City. When it comes to any media availability involving the Kelowna Rockets, the most ask for player is the 19 year-old Edmonton Oilers first rounder. The German has been asked endless questions about starting the season with the Oilers and the new regime which includes GM Peter Chiarelli, head coach Todd McLellan and what will be Edmonton's first pick in next months draft, Connor McDavid.  Draisaitl is taking it all in stride, but honestly, I feel for the guy. It is all about being a pro and he will face the media hoards when he plays in the NHL, but the pressure to perform at a high level and then not misstep when you are being asked questions by the media can't be easy.  
• Much of the talk over the last couple of days has been the Rockets lack of discipline in a 4-3 opening game loss to the Quebec Remparts. The ten minute misconduct Draisaitl received was very, 'over the top' officiating. That would never be called in the WHL, but hey, this isn't the WHL. A team must adapt to its surroundings and the Rockets will be much better in that area tonight against Rimouski,
• Speaking of Rimouski, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Champions provide the next in what is a challenge every time two teams at this tournament take to the ice. Both are winless are identical 4-3 losses. Rimouski fell victim to Ontario Hockey League Champion Oshawa in its first game Saturday night. Both the Rockets and Oceanic need a win to stay alive in this event.
• Is this a game seven for the Rockets tonight? Possibly. I think they should treat it that way. A win gets them back in it though, and gives them no less than a tie breaker on Thursday to work themselves out of a deep hole. If the WHL Champions can win tonight and tomorrow against the Oshawa Generals, then they may be the toast of the tournament with a shot at a birth in Sunday's final. The next two days will answer a lot of questions on if the WHL champs have a shot at winning this entire thing.
• It was suggested today at the media conference that the Rockets haven't faced this type of 'must win situation' in the 2015 playoffs. Head Coach Dan Lambert was quick to point out that they did in the Western Conference final against Portland. The Rockets lost game three (7-3) and fell behind two games to one heading into a game four the next night in Portland. The Rockets would rally for a 3-2 win on goals from Leon Draisaitl, Chance Braid and Tyrell Goulbourne. Jackson Whistle was the first star with a 40 save performance. 
• For clarification, if the Rockets should lose tonight, it allows OHL Champion Oshawa to advance to the finals. That means Oshawa could do no worse than 2-1 in the three game round robin after beating both Quebec and Rimouski. 
• All three games at this tournament have been decided by a goal. It is that close.
• Joining me in the broadcast booth as my colour analyst for the remainder of the tournament is Red Deer Rebels play-by-play man Cam Moon. Moon is regarded as one of the top callers of the game that we have in our 22 team circuit. I appreciate Warren Henderson of the Capital News for sitting in with me Friday. I also want to send a shout-out to my regular colour analyst Gord McGarva, who was unable to make the trip but is always on my mind. Gordie would love to be here to cheer the boys on.
• The three stars are selected here in Quebec by NHL Central Scouting. You will hear from NHLCS Director Dan Marr in our second intermission.

Quick hitters

Tomas Soustal playing goal after practice

• The Kelowna Rockets were fined 500.00 dollars today by the Canadian Hockey League for 'negative comments' that were made by a member of the organization following a 4-3 loss to the Quebec Remparts. The comments likely came as a result of Leon Draisaitl's ten minute misconduct at the end of the second period. 
• The media were attempting to bait Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert into commenting about the ten minute misconduct handed to forward Leon Draisaitl at the conclusion of the second period. The resulting penalty hurt the visitors, who had to play the first half of the third period without its marquee player. One reporter suggested that the fans come to the Memorial Cup to watch the best players perform on the ice, not see them sitting in the penalty box for simply having harsh words towards an opponent. Lambert did mention that Sydney Crosby doesn't receive a ten minute misconduct at the NHL level for verbally abusing an opponent. 
• Best quote from the morning media availability came from Coach Lambert. A reporter was fashioning a makeshift six inch stick with his recording device taped to it during a media scrum following the Rocket Saturday morning skate. Before answering any questions, Lambert looked at the device and jokingly said, "You probably got beat with one of those"?
• The Kelowna Rockets held an optional skate in Quebec City today and the majority of the teams top end players took a pass and rested. One player who elected to skate was Rourke Chartier. It may seem like no big deal to the average observer, but it impressed me. Chartier is a true warrior who logs massive minutes yet shows up for practice. How can he not wear the 'C' when he played his 19 year-old season in 2015-2016? If you are looking for someone to lead by example, Chartier is your man.
• While it's mainly business at the Memorial Cup for the Western Hockey League Champions, back up goaltender Michael Herringer spent some time after practice playing the shooter while forward Tomas Soustal put on Herringer's mask, glove and blocker and played goalie after the skate was over. Check out of the photo above for evidence.
• Defenceman Mitch Wheaton left his mark at practice today. The 19 year-old, who was a healthy scratch in game one of the Memorial Cup, took a shot at practice and shattered the glass. Fortunately, the on ice session was at a nearby practice facility.

Whistle solid in teams shaky start

Joe Gatenby battles in front of Zach Fucale - CHL Images

• The Kelowna Rockets wasted a great effort from goaltender Jackson Whistle. The 19 year-old was the best player on the ice for the Western Hockey League champions Friday night in a 4-3 loss to the Quebec Remparts. The West Kelowna resident made timely stops against Adam Erne and Anthony Duclair in the one goal loss. The poke check against Duclair was brilliant early in the third period when the Remparts were holding a 2-1 lead, but a lazy back check allowed Ryan Graves to score a shorthanded goal to give the home team a 3-1 advantage. Whistle was so good, even leading Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Playoff MVP Adam Erne couldn't get a puck past Whistle until the undrafted goalie was on the bench for the extra attacker. It was only then that the Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick scored into an empty net for the eventual game winner. Whistle's effort mirrored that of first star Zach Fucale, who made 26 saves in the victory.
• The Rockets looked rusty. No surprise considering they hadn't played after having eight full days off after a series sweep over Brandon. The team wasn't sharp and the Remparts had strong looks in the offensive zone in the opening period specifically. It could have been 2-0 for Quebec after the opening period had Anthony Duclair finish off a gift wrapped turnover by Rockets captain Madison Bowey in front of his own net. The Arizona Coyotes product skated in all alone from the hash marks and beat Whistle with a wicked move but couldn't finish off the play on the forehand deke. Duclair ended the game with only one assist, but the 19 year-old was awfully dangerous all night and was the scariest Remparts forward. In my opinion, Duclair was a smidgen better than teammate Vladimir Tkachev, who was pretty darn crafty with the puck too.
• The Rockets played from behind all night, which is tough to do when playing against elite competition. Down 3-1 early in the third period, Gage Quinney made it a one goal game before the Rockets again went down by two with Adam Erne's empty netter. Leon Draisaitl made it a one goal game again with a power play goal with 36 seconds left in the game. 
• Leon Draisaitl had a really good game. I thought he made an impact every time he was on the ice. That said, the 19 year-old took a costly ten minute misconduct at the twenty minute mark of the second period, which meant he was lost to his team for the first half of the third period when they needed him the most. Draisaitl, including a four game sweep against Brandon in the WHL final, has now found the back of the net in five straight games.
• The loss snapped a seven game winning streak for the WHL champions, who hadn't lost since game three of the Western Conference semi finals.
• Positives? The power play went 2 for 6, but did give up a costly shorthanded goal. The unit has been quiet in the playoffs, but had some good looks in the Memorial Cup opener.
• Negatives? Discipline. It has to be better in a tournament like this. If the other team wants to yap, let them and keep your mouth shut.     

Back to where it all began

Arriving at the Colisee in Quebec City brought back great memories for Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert. Like a familiar friend, Lambert spoke glowingly about his time in the 15 thousand seat stadium that was once the home of the NHL's Quebec Nordiques from 1972 to 1995. Lambert made his debut in the Colisee after being drafted by the team in the 6th round in 1989. The iconic building, which is showing its age, will be demolished in September. The Quebec Remparts, who make the Colisee their home now, will move over to a brand new 18 thousand seat facility called the Videotron Centre. The hope in Quebec City is the 400 million dollar arena will find a new tenant in the way of an NHL team. It is a matter of when not if.  

While the memories were not quite as vivid for me when I entered the Colisee, many things looked similar after my last visit in 2003. It was the Kelowna Rockets first Memorial Cup appearance against teams like Kitchener, the Quebec Remparts and Hull in 03. Very little has changed in 12 years. The broadcast location is the same. The entrance is no different. The arena has a certain charm to it despite a tired appearance. The building reeks of great battles won and lost on the ice and the vastness of the facility from high above still has that feeling of a pro venue without the pro amenities that teams are now accustomed too. To think, outside of a rock concert with Metallica before its demolition, this is the last major event at the Colisee. It is a privilege to be here for major junior hockey's ultimate prize.

The flight directly to Quebec City was without incident which is always good to report. The most eventful part of the flight was seeing another jet flying past us in the other direction cruising at 37 thousand feet. Seeing the other jet in the distance, I had a better appreciation for how fast we were moving. The flight from Kelowna to Quebec City took 4 and a half hours.

After checking into the hotel in Quebec City, the Kelowna media core quickly took a shuttle to the Colisee where the coaches of all four teams were involved in a media conference. To be honest, little is ever said by the coaches but it is an official 'kick-off' to the 10 day tournament. As expected, many of the questions and answers were in French with Rockets head coach Dan Lambert speaking frequently over the 10 minute event. Quebec Remparts coach Philippe Boucher is fluent in English, having played in the NHL with Buffalo, LA, Dallas and Pittsburgh. Boucher is a 1st round NHL pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 1991.     

The Rockets were on the ice for a brief workout Thursday afternoon, but they were unable to skate at the Colisee. The reason? The new Memorial Cup logos were painted into place after Monday's conclusion of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final, so they needed to dry. That meant all on-ice workouts took place at an adjacent arena. I think it is important though that the Rockets get one quick skate in at the Colisee before puck drop tomorrow to get used to the boards, which in a building of that age, could create some odd bounces that the visitors need to be aware of.

Leon Draisaitl met with the media today in Quebec City. Much of the questioning revolved around him playing 37 games with the Edmonton Oilers. We have covered this story to nauseum on our broadcasts, but it is obviously of interest to visiting media, which is understandable. Draisaitl is one of two players at the Memorial Cup to play in an NHL game. The other is Quebec Remparts forward Anthony Duclair. Duclair played 18 games with the New York Rangers before being send back to junior hockey. Draisaitl and Duclair played against each other November 9th at Madison Square Garden. The Oilers won that game 3-1.

A great quote from Rockets head coach Dan Lambert at today's media conference. A member of the media asked him if Joe Sakic was a teammate of his when Lambert won the Memorial Cup in 1989 with the Swift Current Broncos. Lambert said, "No. We had to trade him away in order to win it". The comment gathered a large laugh from the assembled media who watched Sakic become a NHL super star in his seven seasons with the Quebec Nordiques.

It is only day two, but the shuttle services provided at the Memorial Cup is outstanding. The shuttle service allows teams and media to essentially move about the city without the use of a cab. A van is typically waiting outside a hotel where a driver will take you where you desire. I am so glad I didn't rent a vehicle. It really isn't necessary.

If you live in Quebec City, you speak French. It is the common language shared in these parts. That shouldn't come as a surprise. What has changed since my last visit in 2003 is the number of business people that do have a good grasp of the English language though. An increase in tourism may be a factor into why this city seems to be a little easier to get around in as a Western Canadian this time around.   

This is the third time the Rockets have competed for the Memorial Cup in the province of Quebec. It marks the first time the hotel that the team is staying at could be considered above average. I don't know this for fact, but I am assuming the WHL did a greater job in making sure the league representative was taken care of with a higher level of accommodation than what we witnessed in 2003 and again in 2009. Not like the hotels were poor, but they weren't exactly the Crown Plaza in Portland or the Delta Bow Valley in Calgary. 

A media scrum often provides some interesting questions. One reporter asked Dan Lambert why his team has no players numbers that exceed 31. Thirty one is worn by Jake Morrissey. The answer? Owner Bruce Hamilton is a traditionalist. The highest sweater number worn at the Memorial Cup is #96, fashioned by Quebec Remparts forward Zachery Moody.

Rockets day in pictures

Rookie Jordan Borstmayer doing grade 12 Calculus at 37,000 feet

Gage Quinney getting some rest on the charter.

Dan Lambert doing video work on aircraft.

This is what they play for - the Memorial Cup!

Centre ice at Colisee

A high shot of the ice surface from the nose bleeds

Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey has made the trip.

Captain Madison Bowey heading onto aircraft bound for QC.

High over the wing of the Rockets charter.

Martin reflects/neck guards/Lambert and Frey hope to create more magic at MC.

Josh Morrissey and teammates wearing neck guards

• Cole Martin was taking it all in. The 21 year-old defenceman was smelling the roses one final time as the Kelowna Rockets practiced for the final time this morning at Prospera Place. The WHL Champions will leave on a charter tomorrow morning for the 2015 Master Card Memorial Cup in Quebec City. It was the last time the Arlington, Texas resident will skate in Kelowna. In a week and half, Martin's time in the Western Hockey League will be over. Martin spent four great seasons in Kelowna and transformed into a player that only Rockets fans truly appreciated. Showing his maturity, Martin took in every moment in his final season of junior hockey and will leave with no regrets. Martin can go out his way. A WHL Champion and potentially a Memorial Cup Champion. Former team-mates Carter Rigby and Colton Heffley, who would love to be in Martin's skates, were not afforded the same luxury. 
• It was an upbeat practice at Prospera Place this morning as the coaches kept the players sharp heading into the biggest tournament of their lives. The pace was quick. The smiles were evident and the mood seems lite with the Western Hockey League Champions. But don't be fooled into thinking the 'Angry Ogopogo's' are not a focused bunch. When the puck drops Friday night at the Colisee, look for the Western representative to be ready to prove that they are worthy champions. They have a massive goal in front of them. The 2015 Kelowna Rockets will try to win the Memorial Cup in the province of Quebec for the first time since the 1994 Kamloops Blazers accomplished the feat. The 1994 Blazers included former Kelowna Rockets head coach Ryan Huska.
• The one thing that stood out for me at practice today was the neck guards the players were wearing. It is mandatory equipment at the Memorial Cup. I spoke to defenceman Josh Morrissey about them (pictured right) and the 20 year-old says they don't bother him. "We had to wear them at the World Juniors the last couple of years so it is no big deal to me. The last time we wore them full time was in our last year in midget. We have worn them all this week so we are used to them".
• Watch Josh Morrissey's active stick. Is anyone better at defending with it than the Winnipeg Jets 1st round pick. 
• Head Coach Dan Lambert is looking forward to returning to Quebec City, the starting point of his NHL career. Lambert made his Quebec Nordiques debut in the final home game at the Colisee in 1991, the last game that Guy Lafleur played in the NHL. Oddly enough, Lambert's first NHL game came against the Montreal Canadiens, the team Lafleur was with for 14 seasons.
• Kelowna Rockets Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey will be in Quebec City for the Memorial Cup. Frey was unsure if he would attend until Lambert personally asked Frey to be there. Frey was an assistant coach to Lambert when the two were part of the Swift Current Broncos organization in 1989, the year they won the Memorial Cup in Saskatoon. Now the two are attempting to win the Cup as members of the coaching/management staff. 
• I will be rooming in Quebec City with fellow media colleague Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier. If everything goes according to plan, we will be spending the next 12 days with one another. Wish us luck that we don't tear each other's eyes out at tournaments end.  
• The Rockets are making their fifth appearance at the Memorial Cup, with three of them played in the province of Quebec. At the 2003 tournament, oddly enough in Quebec City, the team had a record of 1 and 3 and were 2 and 2 at the 2009 Memorial Cup in Rimouski. Add those two tournament records together and the Rockets are 3 and 5 in eight games in Province de Quebec.
• The French media attending the tournament in Quebec City are going to love Lambert. How many times do you have a French speaking coach from the Western Hockey League representative? At the 2009 tournament in Rimouski, the only Rockets representative with a good grasp of the language was forward Spencer Main. Main was often seen doing interviews with French language television.

Quick thoughts

• Have you come down from that high after the Kelowna Rockets WHL Championship win Wednesday night over the Brandon Wheat Kings? People are still talking about it, and rightfully so. It was a six year wait between championships and people in these parts were hoping that the regular season success in 2013-2014 wouldn't end up in playoff failure this time around. Thankfully it didn't. 
• Dan Lambert delivered the goods in his first season behind the Rockets bench, but he didn't hesitate in thanking Ryan Huska. I thought it was cool when Lambert thanked 'Husk' on the TV broadcast following the game. Lambert and Huska were inseparable when they worked together and the two had many conversations during the season, even though Huska was miles away in Adirondack. It shows no disrespect towards Lambert's current coaching staff, who did a fantastic job as a support to the first year head coach. Huska knew many of the current roster players so it only made sense for Lambert to get an outside opinion. You need to use outside resources if they are a phone call away. Lambert exercised that option and should be applauded for that.  
• What role did Dan Bylsma play in all of this? Remember when the NHL coach spent time with the team in early March? Was he at anyway responsible for the turnaround in the penalty killing unit, which was just average during the regular season? At first I thought he had done some damage as the team didn't play very well upon his departure. I am sure the 'tweaks' he made were another reason why the Rockets are now WHL Champs!
• My good friend Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier mentioned this and I wanted to repeat it here on my blog. The Brandon Wheat Kings showed great class in the final 30 odd seconds of game four by simply allowing the Rockets to run out the clock and enjoy the celebration. No late hits. No pushing and shoving at the buzzer. The Wheat Kings lost with class/dignity. That all starts from the top with one man - Kelly McCrimmon.
• It was awfully amazing to see this team win without having several key players in the line up for the long run through the playoffs. The team played without Josh Morrissey, Rourke Chartier, Gage Quinney and Tyrell Goulbourne for significant stretches and still won. These four players are not secondary citizens. They are first or second line contributors that would seriously handcuff any team if they were out of the line up. Depth prevailed and was clearly on display over the 19 game playoff run.
• How about the officiating in the WHL final? How about the officiating in game four? Sure, the odd call was missed but I thought they did a terrific job. Again, they kept the whistles in the pockets and let the two teams play. Excellent work in my opinion.  How many penalties were called in a scoreless tie in the third period? One. A slash. Jeff Ingram and Brett Iverson....terrific work gentlemen by not being the focal point.  
• Cole Linaker had one point in this series. The 19 year-old, who was a horse on the penalty killing unit, collected an assist on Leon Draisaitl's game winner shorthanded. I love the way he plays. No flash and dash in his game. 
• Does anyone hunt down pucks better than Rourke Chartier and Nick Merkley? Quit is not in their vocabulary.
• I think the talk about the Rockets inside job to obtain Leon Draisaitl is bogus. It is all about contacts and connections in the hockey world. If you have those relationships you use them. Does Portland have connections and a pipeline to European born players? Does Kelly McCrimmon have an inside edge on Manitoba born players that allows him to make smart, calculated moves at the bantam draft table? Do the Calgary Hitmen have inroads to obtain solid Russian born players? The Oilers wanted Draisaitl in a good spot. They were familar with Bruce Hamilton and felt comfortable that Draisaitl would prosper here. Was Matt Dumba shopped around the WHL when the Minnesota Wild wanted to send him back to junior? Likely not. The Wild wanted him to go to a contender and the Rebels and Winterhawks made it happen.
• The last WHL team to win the Memorial Cup when it was hosted in Quebec was the 1994 Kamloops Blazers. Who was on that team? An 18 year-old by the name of Ryan Huska.

16 and 3 adds up to Ed Chynoweth Cup!!!

2015 WHL Champions - Marissa Baecker

Shocked. Amazed. Elated. Those are just some of the feelings after the Kelowna Rockets series sweep of the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League final. I believed the Rockets would win the Ed Chynoweth Cup, but like all of you, not in a four game sweep. The team just got better as time moved along. Credit to the coaches and players for coming together for the common good and peaking at just the right time. I remember all of the struggles that went on following the acquisition of Leon Draisaitl and Josh Morrissey in January. Did the trades upset the apple cart? Was all team chemistry lost? I was thinking it. Maybe even the players were questioning it too? Regardless, they came together, put ego's aside and turned into a powerhouse team that wouldn't be derailed, even against their playoff nemesis, the Portland Winterhawks.

A quick thought on what that playoff series win over the Winterhawks meant. It meant a ton for the players and for the entire organization. In fact, some thanks must be given to the Winterhawks for pushing the Rockets the way they did in the six game series. By playing with pace and skating with a high degree of tempo, the Western Conference Championship series prepared the eventually Western Conference Champions for the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Rockets confidence sky-rocketed as a result of that series win and the mental edge of feeling unstoppable was clearly evident in the league final.

Leon. Oh, Leon. The German greeted me in the dressing room when I walked in after our broadcast concluded. I am not sure he expected me to hug him, but I did. Not one to often smile, Draisaitl was genuinely excited about winning the WHL title and celebrating with teammates who he had to get to know in a hurry when he made his Rockets debut on January 7th against the Vancouver Giants. Sure, Draisaitl got my vote for playoff MVP, but wasn't it obvious? He was a stud. A horse. A go-to-guy. Leon Draisaitl is what we thought he would be. Draisaitl did not disappoint and despite his small body of work (51 games regular season/playoffs), the 'Squirm'n German' will go down as one of the greats of all time wearing Kelowna Rockets colours. 

I thought one of the special moments on the night was when I entered the Rockets dressing room and the number of former players were gathered inside congratulating the current team. Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Chris Ray, Cam Paddock, Simon Ferguson, Michal Blanar and Brett Palin to name just a few. It was also nice to hug some of my favourite players that have been with the team for years and were unable to see their season end appropriately. Cole Martin is one such player who thanked me for what I've done. I haven't done anything outside of telling those who would listen how valuable the Texan was to the overall scope of the team. It was a great moment on a personal level as we then had a photo with my radio partner Gord McGarva holding the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Thanks to 'Tyson Time', Tyson Baillie for being the official photographer.

Who am I most happy for? Dan Lambert. It is an easy choice. Like Ryan Huska, as personable as they come, Lambo had pressure to deliver a winner after GM Bruce Hamilton stacked the deck with the acquisition of Draisaitl, Morrissey, Braid and Quinney. Lambert did a great job guiding the ship and undoubtedly would give credit to former coach Ryan Huska for helping shape the team for its successful playoff run. The St. Malo, Manitoba resident now has won the WHL title in four straight games as a player (1989 sweep vs. Portland) and now as a head coach (2015 sweep vs. Brandon).

Did Nick Merkley impressed NHL scouts in this WHL Championship series? The 17 year-old proved a point that he can take the rough going and can deliver with excellent play making and a tenacious forecheck. I am not sure if Merkley improved his stock for June's draft, but he didn't hurt it. Only Leon Draisaitl had more playoff points (28) than Merkley (27).

Nine shorthanded goals in the playoffs! What is that all about? The team had 13 during the course of 72 regular season games. Those nine (9) shorthanded goals in the playoffs are the most in over 20 years. The Calgary Hitmen had 8 in 1999 and Red Deer had 7 in 2001.

Jackson Whistle made 19 saves for his 4th shutout of the 2015 playoffs. That ties a team record set by Kelly Guard (2003) and repeated by Derek Yeomans (2005).    

Rourke Chartier's 13 goals scored in the 2015 playoffs, matches the club record for goals in the playoffs. Jamie Benn and Mikael Backlund had 13 apiece in 2009.

Now on to Quebec City for the 2015 Memorial Cup. Funny how the Colisee (built in 1949) is where it all began for this franchise when they debuted there in the spring of 2003. Oh, Dan Lambert also played in that building in the early 90's as a member of the Quebec Nordiques. 

Champions!!

Madison Bowey in pure ecstasy - Shoot the Breeze Photography 

Billy Joel said it best - oh what a night! More later.

Game four. You ready?

Tonight’s Preview: Welcome to game four of the Western Hockey League Championship series. The Kelowna Rockets lead the Brandon Wheat Kings three games to none in the best of seven series after a 4-3 win in game one, a 5-3 victory in game two and a 5-3 victory in game three. Game four (Tonight) and if necessary game five (Friday) will be played at Prospera Place. If a game six is also needed, it will be played in Brandon on Sunday night. These two teams met only once this season, October 22^nd in Kelowna, with the Rockets earning a 6-1 win. The Rockets advanced with series wins over Tri City, Victoria and Portland. This is the Rockets fourth appearance in the finals since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-1996 season. The team has won every time they have appeared in the championship series including wins over Red Deer (2003), Brandon (2005) and Calgary (2009).

What we’ve learned so far: The Wheat Kings have opened the scoring in two of the three games…The Rockets have out-scored Brandon 14-9 in the first three games…The Rockets have out-scored the Wheat Kings 6-3 in the second period and 5-3 in the first frame…How close is this series? Kelowna has out-shot Brandon 103-98…The Rockets are 1 for 9 on the power play in the first three games and have scored two shorthanded goal while the Wheat Kings are 4 for 10 with the extra man…Madison Bowey is a +7 rating in the series, tops among Rockets players. Josh Morrissey is +7.   

Scoring in the series:

Period:             1    2    3  Total

Rockets:          5    6    3    14

Wheat Kings:  3    3    3     9

Big night for Baillie? Nineteen year-old Tyson Baillie is two points shy of tying Tyler Mosienko for the most career playoff points by a Kelowna Rockets player. Baillie has 23+30=53, while Mosienko is the franchise leader with 20+35=55. Nick Merkley moved into third spot all time with three assists in game three. Merkley has 46 points in 39 playoff games, surpassing Tyson Barrie and Jamie Benn, with both players collecting 44 points in their careers. (Benn:16+28=44 in 26 games) (Barrie 10+34=44 in 51 games).

Hot to Trot: Dillon Dube has 3+4=7 in his last five games…Leon Draisaitl has a seven game point streak. The 19 year-old has 5+5=10 over that period. Draisaitl has points in 16 of the 18 playoff games in 2015…Tyson Baillie has a seven game point streak. Baillie has 3+8=11 over that period….Baillie has a point in 17 of the 18 playoff games in 2015. The only game where he didn’t record a point was in game two of the Western Conference final vs. Portland….Nick Merkley has two goals and nine assists in his last six games. Merkley has points in 15 of the 18 playoff games the Rockets have been involved in.

This and That: Who was the last Kelowna Rockets rookie head coach to lead his team to a WHL title? Jeff Truitt took over for the departed Marc Habscheid following the 2003-2004 season and promptly led the Rockets to a WHL Championship victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2005…The team record for shutouts in a playoff is four. Kelly Guard had four shutouts in the 2003 post season while Derek Yeomans also had four in 2005. Current goalie Jackson Whistle has three shutouts in the 2015 post season….The Kelowna Rockets are riding a six game winning streak. The last loss was game three of the Western Conference final against the Portland Winterhawks….Nick Merkley is the WHL Player of the Week. Merkley collected two goals and one assists in back-to-back wins in Brandon in game one and two of the WHL Championship series…Sixteen year-old Cal Foote has signed a player contract with the Kelowna Rockets. Foote was the team’s second round pick in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. Foote is the son of former NHLer Adam Foote. Foote resides in Engelwood, Colorado….Outside of Dan Lambert, name the last Western Hockey League rookie coach to lead his team to the league final? The answer is Kevin Constantine of the Everett Silvertips. Constantine led the Tips to a birth in the WHL final where they were swept in four straight games by the Medicine Hat Tigers…Nick Merkley’s two goals in game two snapped a nine game goal scoring drought. Merkley’s last goal prior to Saturday was April 14^th in a second round series against Victoria…Rourke Chartier has goals in six of his last eight playoff games…What a year of experience makes. Gage Quinney had 0+0=0 in four playoff games last season with the Prince Albert Raiders. In the 2015 post season, the Las Vegas product has 6+7=13 in 14 games…This is the 91^st game of the season for the Rockets this evening. That includes 72 regular season games and now its 18^th playoff game…Rourke Chartier was named the Western Hockey League Sportsmanlike Player of the Year at the WHL awards banquet last Wednesday. Chartier had 18 penalty minutes in 51 regular season games…The Kelowna Rockets were given the Marketing and Business Award at Wednesday’s luncheon in Calgary…Madison Bowey has 48 games of playoff experience…The Rockets played in 14 post season games last season …Cole Martin has 48 playoff games on his resume….In total, the Rockets have 624 games of playoff experience in the lineup this evening…Rourke Chartier had 6 goals in 14 games in last year’s playoffs. In this year’s post season, the now 19 year-old (turned 19 April 3^rd) has twelve goals in fifteen games….Only two Rockets celebrate birthdays in May. Joe Gatenby turns 18 on May 15^th while Nick Merkley blows out the same number of candles on May 23^rd….The Rockets are 15 and 3 in post season…This is the eighth consecutive appearance in the post season for the Rockets and 19^th time in the franchises 20 year history…The Rockets have been involved in eight-one goal games in this year’s playoffs. They are 6-2 in those eight games…Leon Draisaitl has played 50 games with the Kelowna Rockets (regular season/playoff). The 19 year-old has 28+51=79.

Are they the most dangerous line in junior hockey?

• Is it the best line in junior hockey? In game two, Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert decided to put Leon Draisaitl with Rourke Chartier and Nick Merkley. The trio were reunited in game three and what was the end result? They combined for eight points in a 5-3 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings Monday night and a three games to none lead in the Western Hockey League Championship series. Chartier had two goals and an assist, Draisaitl had a goal and an assist while Merkey had three helpers before the largest crowd of the season (6,271).
• Rockets head coach Dan Lambert on putting those three together. "We put them together in the first period of game two because we needed a spark. We were down 1-0 at the time and they went out and scored on their first shift together".
• This was the most wide open game of the series. This was the type of track meet the Wheat Kings want to be involved in. The first ten minutes was amazing to watch as the two teams traded blows like championship boxers. The Wheat Kings likely have a stronger skill set, as a team, but I think it is safe to say the ability to execute at opportune times favours the Rockets. Just when you thought the Wheat Kings were coming on, a veteran Rockets player would make a significant play to douse any hope of the visitors coming back in the game.
• The Rockets never trailed in this one. Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal and helped the home team to a 2-1 lead after twenty minutes and a 4-2 advantage after 40 minutes. Unlike what we saw in the Western Conference final where the Rockets were always chasing the game against the Winterhawks, the Western Conference Champions are making the Wheat Kings play from behind.
• Which goal was the biggest in game three? Leon Draisaitl's shorthanded goal was massive as the Rockets opened up the scoring for the first time in this series. Or was it Dillon Dube's goal to make the score 3-1 in the second period? I thought relief came in the third period when Rourke Chartier scored his second goal of the game to make it a two goal differential, especially considering Brandon was really coming on at that point of the game.
• Jackson Whistle out-goaltended (is that a word?) Wheat Kings netminder Jordan Papirny. Papriny fought the puck in game three. 
• This series is being won with the two teams skating at even strength. The Rockets have fourteen (14) goals in this series. Of those fourteen, a remarkable ten (10) of them have been scored when the two teams have the same number of skaters on the ice. Brandon has scored nine goals (9) in this series, with only four coming while playing five-on-five.
• This is how the Rockets goals have been scored in this series. Ten have come even strength or when the two teams are playing the same number of players on the ice. Two have come shorthanded with one being a power play goal and one coming into an empty net.   
• This was also the most physical game of the series. The Wheat Kings attempted to up the physical play, with no better of a body check applied than the one Jayce Hawryluk had on Rockets d-man Josh Morrissey in the second period. Unfortunately for Hawryluk, he is a series worst -9 in the first three games.
• It marked the first time this season the Wheat Kings have dropped three straight games.  
• The Rockets have won 6 straight games and are clearly peaking at the right time. Props to the players and coaches for making that happen. Playing with confidence/moxie and a certain cockiness, which all champions tend to have is awfully fun to watch.
• It was nice to see Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Wade Redden and Jordin Tootoo all in the building last night. All four make Kelowna their off season home.
• Congratulations to Cal Foote for signing with the Kelowna Rockets. The 16 year-old (December 16th, 1998) was the teams second round puck in 2013. The entire Foote family, including ex-NHLer Adam Foote, took in last night's game.  
• The last four game sweep in the WHL final was in 2008 when the Spokane Chiefs, led by Tyler Johnson, eliminated the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

You ready?

Jackson Whistle fist bumps Rourke Chartier 

Tonight’s Preview: Welcome to game three of the Western Hockey League Championship series. The Kelowna Rockets lead the Brandon Wheat Kings two games to none in the best of seven series after a 4-3 win in game one and a 5-3 victory in game two. Game three (tonight), four (Wednesday) and if necessary five (Friday) will be played at Prospera Place. If a game six is also needed, it will be played in Brandon on Sunday night. These two teams met only once this season, October 22^nd in Kelowna, with the Rockets earning a 6-1 win. The Rockets advanced with series wins over Tri City, Victoria and Portland. This is the Rockets fourth appearance in the finals since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-1996 season. The team has won every time they have appeared in the championship series including wins over Red Deer (2003), Brandon (2005) and Calgary (2009).

What we’ve learned so far: The Wheat Kings have opened the scoring in both games…The Rockets have out-scored Brandon 9-6 in the first two games…The Rockets have out-scored the Wheat Kings 4-2 in the second period and 3-2 in the first frame…How close is this series? Kelowna has out-shot Brandon 71-69…The Rockets are 1 for 4 on the power play in the first two games and have scored a shorthanded goal while the Wheat Kings are 3 for 7 with the extra man…Madison Bowey is a +6 rating in the series, tops among Rockets players. Josh Morrissey is +4.  

Scoring in the series:

Period:             1    2    3  Total

Rockets:          3    4    2     9

Wheat Kings:  2    2    2     6

Hot to Trot: Dillon Dube has 2+4=6 in his last four games…Leon Draisaitl has a six game point streak. The 19 year-old has 4+4=8 over that period. Draisaitl has points in 15 of the 17 playoff games in 2015…Tyson Baillie has a six game point streak. Baillie has 3+7=10 over that period….Baillie has a point in 16 of the 17 playoff games in 2015. The only game where he didn’t record a point was in game two of the Western Conference final vs. Portland….Nick Merkley has two goals and six assists in his last five games. Merkley has points in 14 of the 17 playoff games the Rockets have been involved in.

So Good All Season: The Kelowna Rockets and Brandon Wheat Kings each earned 53 wins this season. The Rockets had one more win on the road than the Wheat Kings, who had one more victory on home ice. If you combined their regular season records, they accumulated 106 wins and only 24 losses in 144 games. The two teams were 1-2 in scoring with Brandon finding the back of the net 340 times and Kelowna scoring 305 goals. The Rockets owned the best power play during the regular season (26.2%) while the Wheat Kings were a close second (25.7%). What are the chances that the teams would have identical playoff records heading into this series? Obviously, very good. The Rockets longest losing streak this season was two games. How about the Wheat Kings? One!  

This and That: The Kelowna Rockets are riding a five game winning streak. The last loss was game three of the Western Conference final against the Portland Winterhawks….Outside of Dan Lambert, name the last Western Hockey League rookie coach to lead his team to the league final? The answer is Kevin Constantine of the Everett Silvertips. Constantine led the Tips to a birth in the WHL final where they were swept in four straight games by the Medicine Hat Tigers…Why is game four in this series slated for Wednesday night and not Tuesday? Canadian jazz pianist Diana Krall will be performing at Prospera Place Tuesday evening…Nick Merkley’s two goals in game two snapped a nine game goal scoring drought. Merkley’s last goal prior to Saturday was April 14^th in a second round series against Victoria….Merkley has 43 points in 38 career playoff games…Rourke Chartier has goals in five of his last seven playoff games…What a year of experience makes. Gage Quinney had 0+0=0 in four playoff games last season with the Prince Albert Raiders. In the 2015 post season, the Las Vegas product has 5+6=11 in 13 games….Tyson Baillie was named the WHL Player of the Week last week. Baillie collected seven points (2+5=7) in four games to help the Rockets beat the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Conference Championship series…This is the 90^th game of the season for the Rockets this evening. That includes 72 regular season games and now its 17^th playoff game…Rourke Chartier was named the Western Hockey League Sportsmanlike Player of the Year at the WHL awards banquet last Wednesday. Chartier had 18 penalty minutes in 51 regular season games…The Kelowna Rockets were given the Marketing and Business Award at Wednesday’s luncheon in Calgary…Madison Bowey has 47 games of playoff experience…The Rockets played in 14 post season games last season …Cole Martin has 47 playoff games on his resume….In total, the Rockets have 605 games of playoff experience in the lineup this evening…Rourke Chartier had 6 goals in 14 games in last year’s playoffs. In this year’s post season, the now 19 year-old (turned 19 April 3^rd) has ten goals in fourteen games….Only two Rockets celebrate birthdays in May. Joe Gatenby turns 18 on May 15^th while Nick Merkley blows out the same number of candles on May 23^rd….The Rockets are 14 and 3 in post season…This is the eighth consecutive appearance in the post season for the Rockets and 19^th time in the franchises 20 year history….These two teams are meeting for the second time in the playoffs. In the 2005 final, the Rockets won the series in five games. That season the Rockets had home ice advantage under the same 2-3-2 format…The Rockets have been involved in eight-one goal games in this year’s playoffs. They are 6-2 in those eight games…In the 2005 WHL final, the Rockets beat the Wheat Kings in game one and two at Prospers Place by scores of 3-0 and 4-1….After beating the Calgary Hitmen twice in the 2009 WHL Championship series as the road team, the Rockets returned to Prospera Place and won game three 2-0 with Mark Guggenberger making 21 saves in the victory.

Back with two wins and next three on home soil

The charter flight the two teams were on landing in Kelowna on Sunday

• Up, up and away. The Kelowna Rockets are headed home with two wins in their back pocket after 4-3 and 5-3 triumphs in game one and two of the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Am I surprised? I am and I am not. When two teams meet in a playoff series where they know little about each other outside of one game and watching hours and hours of video, the element of surprise is always present. That element of surprise likely came into play more so in game one than in game two. One team under their breath was likely saying after game one, “They compete harder or play with more pace than we anticipated”. After game two, the seed of doubt can creep in for one team while the confidence grows with the other.
• Nick Merkley showed how clutch he is with a game winning shorthanded goal in Saturday’s 5-3 win. Top end players make that play. Merkley made no mistake as he calmly took a pass from Rourke Chartier and made a nice forehand deek to beat Jordon Papirny through the legs. NHL scouts in attendance must have liked that move and the way he absorbed a hit with fellow draft eligible defenceman Ivan Provorov. Provorov attempted to lay the boom on Merkley, who niftily took the check and stayed on his feet.
• The two teams are more of a contrast in styles than I originally believed. Brandon seems to be all or nothing with their play. It is peddle to the floor fast hockey. When that happens, look out! The Rockets play more of a calculated, tactical style of game where they wait for the opportunity to pounce. They can trade chances with you but it isn’t a 100 meter sprint to the finish line with the Western Conference Champions.  It is a hard sprint at times but it is followed by a brisk jog.
• What this series comes down to is execution. Who executes the best in a particular moment can dictate the outcome of the game. Right now, after two games, the Rockets are clearly executing better. Both teams have had missed chances offensively, but I think it would be safe to say that the ‘Angry Ogopogos’ have had better finish.
• Bounces always play a factor in a team’s success, or lack thereof. The bad bounce the Rockets received in game two was when a Wheat Kings defenceman’s shot from the blue line hit a shin pad, went right on the stick of forward John Quennville, who promptly delivered it to the net. You can’t defend that. The shooting lane is covered but a wicked bounce on an awaiting stick and the game is tied at three.
• The goaltending battle has been an interesting one in this series. Jordon Papirny stole the show in game one with two terrific glove hand saves, yet also allowed two questionable goals in a game one loss. Jackson Whistle was clearly the better goaltender in game two, and had to be considering he was facing a great number of quality shots. Whistle made several solid stops in game two and used his size perfectly on a Rihard Bukarts in-tight chance in the second period to keep the score 3-1.  
• Again, the crowds in Brandon were outstanding. Over 55 hundred strong took in game two of this epic series. It was not only fun hockey to watch but the electrifying crowd also made it quite the spectacle.
• Silent killer? Gage Quinney. I think the 19 year-old has had a heck of a series. Not one to find the score sheet on a regular basis, I think his contribution in this series has been immense. Quinney is dangerous with the puck and makes great passes to set up linemates.
• Game three is massive. You may scoff at that notion from the Kelowna Rockets standpoint, but you are playing with fire here. You have to respect fire. You have to respect the Wheat Kings.  You can’t give a marquee team any life….not even a single breath. Yes, the Rockets are in the driver’s seat but things can change quickly in a series. Remember, the Rockets in 2009 won game one and two on the road and earned a 2-0 win in game three at home. Eventually Kelowna would lose back-to-back games (6-1 and 6-2) and momentum was moving to the Hitmen's side. After being out-scored 12-3 in games four and five, the Rockets squeezed out a 3-2 home ice win in overtime to advance to the Memorial Cup.

Scattered thoughts on game one

Best beard on the team? Sixteen year-old Dillon 'Hairy' Dube

• Big win last night. They are all big wins at this time of the year but capturing game one in this 2-3-2 format in the WHL final is huge. I thought the Kelowna Rockets played like a team that hadn't been in a competitive situation in four days. They started slow, which is typical, but were better as the game went along. Leon Draisaitl really stood out for me and frankly should have received third star recognition for his efforts. You have to remember though, in a one goal game, the chances of the home team picking up two of the three stars are awfully slim.
• While the Wheat Kings will look at the two shaky goals Jordan Papirny allowed in game one, how about the two massive saves he made on Rourke Chartier and Dillon Dube? I thought the Rockets had numerous chances to score...more than I anticipated. And to be honest with you, I didn't think Brandon created that many. Seriously, the golden chances they did get they scored on. Did Jackson Whistle make one big save? Did he steal a goal away from the Wheat Kings? If so, name it.
• I thought the officiating crew did a great job in call game one. The Brandon fans won't like it because it doesn't allow their power play to dictate the outcome of the game. Nit picky calls aren't necessary when two clean, highly skilled teams are competing in this championship series. Little pushing or shoving was witnessed after the play. The officiating in the entire playoffs - for the most part - has been above average because they have allowed the teams to decide the game on the ice.
• High five to the Brandon crowd. Game one was outstanding. Over 55 hundred strong took in game one and were loud and loving it. Great job Brandon!!
• The only problem I see with the strong crowds is the washroom access in Westman Place. Crazy lines can been seen throughout the building as people patiently stand and wait for the use of the 'facilities'. Beer consumption is high in the building, or it appeared to be as I walked through the concourse attempting to find a washroom. I may have to bring a Slurpy cup up to the broadcast booth!! Kidding. For those who have no idea what that means...please move on.
• I loved Bruce Hamilton's comment at the Friday press conference before the puck was dropped to start the Ed Chynoweth Cup. "Honestly it gets tiring hearing that he (Lambert) inherited such a good team.  (Lambert) has been hands on for four or five years with learning how to coach. (Lambert) has come along with a lot of these players.  He was tutored by a really good head coach and I think there is a lot of Ryan Huska in him".   
• I ran into David Schulz' uncle in the hotel lobby. I was informed Schulz is now an RCMP officer in Manitoba. Schulz, who is from Winkler, was a member of the Kelowna Rockets during the 2006-2007 season.    
• Nice running into WHL referee Jeff Ingram this morning. The embarrassing part was I didn't even know who he was as we made small talk in the elevator. The WHL really should have photos of these guys who do thankless work of calling games at this elite level. Two minutes in the box for 'no photo recognition'!
• Great quote from Wheat Kings Head Coach Kelly McCrimmon before game one Friday night when explaining his teams confidence in scoring goals. They found the back of the net a league high 340 times this season. "We have to focus on defending their top end guys and they have to do the same. We always prepare in the playoffs for a 3-2 win. That's how we try to play. The confidence we have is that we have a lot of guys that can get us to three".
• Gas in Brandon today? 97.9 cents a litre. Hello!!!
• The sun is shining in Brandon. It is the first time it has been out and we are entering day four. It was rainy when we arrived and windy. Oh the wind. As a kid growing up in Saskatchewan windy days were a normal part of life. You didn't think about it. It was always present. Then I moved to BC, where windy days are rare. 
• It was nice to bump into Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun at the morning skate. Wiebe will join me in the first intermission of tonight's broadcast. We will talk about Winnipeg Jets prospect Josh Morrissey and his impressions of Winnipeg born Madison Bowey. Wiebe told me he was listed by the Swift Current Broncos in the 90's.  
• Does the ice at Westman Place not benefit the team holding the lead in the third period? It snows up so bad for the team attempting to find the equalizer, it is tough to execute when the ice is that bad. It looks snowy from the press box. Maybe it isn't so bad for those who are playing on it?  
• Talk to you on the radio at 5 o'clock BC time. Kris Westblom will join me again as my special colour commentator. 'Westy' got his feet wet last night. Looking forward to having him on the airwaves for game two. 

Rockets ready themselves for battle with Brandon

Tonight’s Preview: Welcome to the Western Hockey League Championship series. The Kelowna Rockets are meeting the Brandon Wheat Kings in a seven game series featuring the top two teams in the league during the regular season. The Wheat Kings had two more points than the Rockets to earn home ice advantage in this epic battle. Game two is tomorrow night in Brandon before the series shifts back to Kelowna for games next Monday, Wednesday and Friday night. These two teams met only once this season, October 22^nd in Kelowna, with the Rockets earning a 6-1 win. The Rockets advanced with series wins over Tri City, Victoria and Portland. This is the Rockets fourth appearance in the finals since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-1996 season. The team has won every time they have appeared in the championship series including wins over Red Deer (2003), Brandon (2005) and Calgary (2009).

So Good All Season: The Kelowna Rockets and Brandon Wheat Kings each earned 53 wins this season. The Rockets had one more win on the road than the Wheat Kings, who had one more victory on home ice. If you combined their regular season records, they accumulated 106 wins and only 24 losses in 144 games. The two teams were 1-2 in scoring with Brandon finding the back of the net 340 times and Kelowna scoring 305 goals. The Rockets owned the best power play during the regular season (26.2%) while the Wheat Kings were a close second (25.7%). What are the chances that the teams would have identical playoff records heading into this series? Obviously, very good. The Rockets longest losing streak this season was two games. How about the Wheat Kings? One!   

Rockets–Winterhawks Recap: The Rockets advanced to the league final with a six game series win over the four time defending Western Conference champion Portland Winterhawks. The Rockets won games one, four, five and six. Three of the four wins were by a single goal with one going into overtime. The only lopsided victory was an 8-4 triumph in the series clinching game six.

Hot to Trot: Dillon Dube has 2+2=4 in his last two games…Leon Draisaitl has a four game point streak. The 19 year-old has 2+3=5 over that period. Draisaitl has points in 13 of the 15 playoff games in 2015…Tyson Baillie has a four game point streak. Baillie has 2+5=7 over that period….Baillie has a point in 14 of the 15 playoff games in 2015. The only game where he didn’t record a point was in game two of the Western Conference final vs. Portland….Nick Merkley has five assists in his last three games. Merkley has points in 13 of the 15 playoff games the Rockets have been involved in.

This and That: Tyson Baillie is the WHL Player of the Week. Baillie collected seven points (2+5=7) in four games to help the Rockets beat the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Conference Championship series…This is the 88^th game of the season for the Rockets this evening. That includes 72 regular season games and now its 16^th playoff game…Rourke Chartier was named the Western Hockey League Sportsmanlike Player of the Year at the WHL awards banquet on Wednesday. Chartier had 18 penalty minutes in 51 regular season games…The Kelowna Rockets were given the Marketing and Business Award at Wednesday’s luncheon in Calgary…Madison Bowey has 45 games of playoff experience…The Rockets played in 14 post season games last season …Cole Martin has 45 playoff games on his resume….In total, the Rockets have 567 games of playoff experience in the lineup this evening…Rourke Chartier had 6 goals in 14 games in last year’s playoffs. In this year’s post season, the now 19 year-old (turned 19 April 3^rd) has nine goals in twelve games….Only two Rockets celebrate birthdays in May. Joe Gatenby turns 18 on May 15^th while Nick Merkley blows out the same number of candles on May 23^rd….The Rockets are 12 and 3 in post season. This is the eighth consecutive appearance in the post season for the Rockets and 19^th time in the franchises 20 year history….These two teams are meeting for the second time in the playoffs. In the 2005 final, the Rockets won the series in five games. That season the Rockets had home ice advantage under the same 2-3-2 format…The Rockets have been involved in seven-one goal games in this year’s playoffs. They are 5-2 in those seven games…In the 2005 WHL final between the Rockets and Wheat Kings, Derek Yeomans and Kristofer Westblom earned the shutout in a game one 3-0 victory….Rockets head coach Dan Lambert and Wheat Kings forward Nolan Patrick were on the same team at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge in Sarnia, Ontario in November…Leon Draisaitl had 3+4=7 in three games last season – in Brandon – as a member of the Prince Albert Raiders…A crazy game at Westman Place the last time the Rockets visited on December 13, 2013. The Wheat Kings had a 5-3 lead with 2:20 left in regulation time. Ryan Olsen would score with 38 seconds remaining in regulation time to make it a one goal game. Myles Bell would score with nine seconds remaining to tie it before Bell found the back of the net at the 2:52 mark over overtime in a shocking 6-5 win.