Rockets roll'n

• Roman Basran was stellar and rookie Pavel Novak held the hot stick as the Kelowna Rockets continue to impress three weeks into the start of the regular season. The 18 year-old undrafted goaltender sparkled, specifically in the second period, in last night's 2-1 win over the hard charging Prince George Cougars. While Basran was holding court at one end, Novak, a rookie Czech born player, opened the scoring and closed it with a power play goal as his team won for the first time on the road this season. Novak now has 2+3=5 in his last two games and is gaining confidence at an alarming rate. 
• Should we be surprised at Novak's emergence this quickly in his WHL career? I think the answer is yes. The smaller, North American ice surface can't help him. Yet he is adapting wonderfully. Two encouraging signs stand out for me with his early season play. The 17 year-old is not scared to shoot the puck. I love his passing ability, but his season high 6 shots on net last night was a sign that he doesn't want to be solely a setup man. What I also liked was his lack of hesitation in a goal mouth scramble in front of the Cougars net in the second period. The puck remained loose outside the crease and Novak continued to jam away until goaltender Taylor Gauthier finally reeled the puck in. Most new Euros would be content with the puck just sitting outside the crease and protected by a front line of defenders that corralling it would be futile. Nope. Novak keep poking away, determined to jar it loose. It created a scrum with Novak eventually on the bottom of the pile, but I love the determination. 
• Give the Cougars credit for giving the Rockets all they could handle. If I was a patron last night, I walked away from that game satisfied. Why?  Even if your team has a deficiency in skill, you can overcome many obstacles with good old fashioned work. I thought the Cougars were a determined bunch and work ethic was not an issue.     
• I still marvel at Kyle Topping's play as an 11th round bantam pick. Last night was his 200th career WHL game and he has been a productive player in his time with the hockey club. It is also neat to see how he has matured over the years. You know he wants to play pro so his heart and soul is into making this season his best ever.
• It was nice to run into former Kelowna Rockets head coach Jason Smith during the pre-game skate. Now as associate coach with the Cougars, I asked Smith how he would handle the cold winters up north. "The sun comes up here like it does everywhere else." You have to remember, Smith is a hearty Albertan who played several years in Edmonton where bone chilling temperatures and snow is the norm in the winter.  
• During the Cougars morning skate, I saw what appeared to be a familiar face on the ice putting players through the paces. It was indeed Peter Soberlak, who holds a masters degree in sports and exercise psychology. Soberlak, one of the nice guys on the circuit, is the Cougars mental coach. I knew him as a terrific junior player with the Swift Current Broncos where he eventually become a first round NHL pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1987. Soberlak also spent time as the Rockets mental coach a few years back.
• It was only fluke that I had a conversation Friday morning with Cougars d-man Cole Moberg while waiting to interview Jason Smith. In my short chat with him on the bench, one can only get a greater appreciation for a player who I only knew, up until Friday, by name. You sure get a better appreciation for the individual once you have dialogue with them. Personable, the 7th round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks is missed on the Cougars blueline as he recovers from injury.       
• We are back on the radio a little earlier tonight with the Kelowna Rockets This Week. We spend the entire half hour with New Jersey Devils defencman Damon Severson, one of 14 Kelowna Rockets alumni on an NHL roster this season. Join me at 6 pm tonight!!