Blazers hand Rockets 1st home ice loss

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Kelowna Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton told freelance writer Larry Fisher during training camp that the 20 year-old's, the overagers on every WHL team are the difference makers, specifically early in the season. It's too much to ask for the younger players to do the heavy lifting in the first few months, so the veteran players must lead the charge. Hamilton wasn't blowing smoke when he made that comment to Fisher and was right on the money Saturday night in his teams 5-2 home ice loss to Kamloops. Blazers GM Matt Bardsley has been busy retooling his 20 year-old's over the last few weeks and it paid off in a big way. Acquired less than a week ago from the Prince Albert Raiders, d-man Max Martin scored twice in the third period as the road team handed the Rockets their first loss at Prospera Place this season. It was fellow overager Ryan Hughes who jump started the Blazers offense with the primary assist on Martin Lang's opening goal to make it 1-0. Those areas of improvement by Bardsley have been enough to help the Blazers earn two wins in two meetings against the Rockets this season. Hughes scored the game winner in overtime in the opening meeting of the season on September 27th.
• This game should be an eye opener for the Rockets. Are they indeed as good as they believe they are? Was it just an off night in all areas where they surrendered a season high 47 shots on net? The Blazers looked fresher, sharper and hungrier as they moved a single point back of Kelowna for second place in the BC Division.  
• For me, puck retrieval was a huge story in this game. The Blazers were dominant in getting pucks back once the original shot was taken. In the third period specifically, where the game essentially was won or lost, the visitors were hungrier to get the puck back after a thwarted attempt on net. They looked quicker, but to me it likely came down to more desperate to win loose pucks and keep plays alive in the offensive zone.    
• My belief is the Blazers have a greater hunger to beat the Rockets than the other way around. I am not saying the Rockets don't want to win! That would be foolish to suggest that. Considered by some as the ugly stepchild or the inferior team situated in the BC Interior, the Blazers look like they have a greater desire to come out on top at the end of the night and play with a certain chip on their shoulder. Face it, some team's simply get up more to play against one specific opponent than another. The Blazers do that against the Rockets. It was evident even last season. While not wanting to admit it, do the Blazers have a bur in their saddle every time they face the Rockets after losing out in the bidding process for the 2020 Kia Memorial Cup? If it provides added motivation, heck I'd use it.
• Rebound control. It is the goaltenders greatest weapon. I would suggest on this night that Blazers netminder Dylan Garand was like a vacuum. The yet to be drafted 'keeper of the cage' contained pucks to his body and never gave up any secondary chances for the Rockets forwards to pounce on. Give the d-men credit for boxing out the Rockets forwards while getting into shooting lanes to block shots.
• A few positives for you? It was nice to see rookie Jake Poole score his first career WHL goal. Rewarded with power play time, Poole's wrister found pay dirt in the second period to tie the game at 2. A bit of an awkward skater, you can't deny Poole's ability to put himself in good spots on the ice and works his tail off on the forecheck. Sure he made an ill-advised blind backhand pass that turned into a goal, but let's remember, Poole has played a handful of games at the WHL level and the way to learn is by making mistakes and then correcting them.
• 16 year-old forward Trevor Wong was again sharp Saturday night and had three decent chances to score, with all three going high and wide of the net. The scariest point of his evening  came in the third period when he was pushed into the side boards, in front of the Blazers bench by forward Ryley Appelt. Wong did make it back to his feet while Appelt was given a 5 minute major and game misconduct. Look for Appelt to serve at least a game for that hit. Unfortunately, the Rockets were unable to score on the extended power play.
• After three impressive wins over Spokane, Everett and Tri City, what will be a real indicator is how the two team's match up again this Saturday in Kamloops. That game will tell us how evenly matched they are or if indeed a significant gap exists. You can't look ahead and not focus on Wednesday's home game against visiting Swift Current, but I am intrigued on the Rockets response Saturday night at Sandman Centre.