Doubt no more!

Turner McMillen

Are you a Doubting Thomas?

Doubt no more.

The Kelowna Rockets are indeed for real. 

They showed it last night in a 6-1 win over the top team in the BC Division circuit - the Kamloops Blazers.

Six different goal scorers got into the act with rookie Turner McMillen leading the charge with a three point effort.

The Rockets exploded for four goals in a span of 2:44 in the first period and the game was essentially over. The key the rest of the way was not allowing the Blazers any chance of rallying back. They are a quick strike team, so caution must always be taken. This time the tables were turned. Goaltender Cole Schwebius made sure no rally was in the cards with a brilliant outing.

• The win, the Rockets 7th in 8 games, improves their record to 8-2-0-0 on the season. That is good for sole possession of third place in the division, one point up on Prince George and two points back of second place Vancouver.
• This game didn’t have the bite, nor intensity we typically see in games between these two teams. Is Connor Zary to blame? Without the skilled yet feisty forward in the lineup, the game didn’t have much ‘snarl’, which played into the Rockets hands. The home team didn’t get rattled, instead keeping their cool, playing composed and not allowing the Blazers to generate offense on the power play. The Blazers scored five times in an earlier meeting, so the Rockets knew trips to the penalty box would be their demise. Choosing to turn the other cheek and play within the rules, they handed their arch rivals only their fourth loss of the season.
• Of the six goals scored last night, three came off the blades of rookies. Turner McMillen’s wrister from the hash marks was set up wonderfully after rookie Scott Cousins won a battle against the end boards. Dylan Wightman, who has had a strong campaign in the ‘Hub’, scores on a wraparound and rookie Nolan Flamand fires one home, his first in the WHL, on the power play late in the game. These rookies are not taking a backseat to the veterans.
• Do you not start Schwebius again tonight in the rematch after that performance? Just asking.
• Nolan Flamand was due. He really was. Hitting the pipe skating down the left hand side in the first period was a sign of things to come. But the chances have been there all along. It was just a matter of when. 
• Dillon Hamaliuk keeps shooting - and scoring. Now with 4 goals in his last 5 games, ‘Hammer’ leads the team in shots on net. His decision to shoot on a slow developing two-on-one was the right decision as he was able to sneak one past Dylan Garand - five hole. 
• I’m a fan of John Babcock. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just ‘Steady Eddie’ back there. This player knows his best friend is the ‘glass’. Up and out!!
• Cole Schwebius was at his best in the 2nd period when the Blazers came to play. The likeable goalie, who is as good an interview as you will find in junior hockey, made 18 straight stops. He was dialed in from the drop of the puck and essentially outplayed the guy at the other end of the ice.
• It was a rare win over the Blazers. You don’t have to look at the numbers to know Kamloops has walked away with a ‘W’ on most nights between these two teams. Clearly another step forward with this group. Now, can the Rockets beat the Blazers in their building? Like a thin hair on my every increasing bald spot, its been a rarity in the last two seasons. Let's see if they can pull off the feat tonight at Sandman Centre. 
• Note! Don't read the press clipping about how 'good you are'. Do that, it 100% comes back to bite ya. If I am a player, I hope they have no clue this blog even exists.