Things that make me go hmm

Nolan Flammand. His favourite radio station (wink/wink) in background

• Six WHL players were taken in the second round of the 2021 NHL draft. Three of them were forwards including Kelowna Rockets Colton Dach and Vancouver Giants Zack Ostopchuk. Dach was taken 62nd overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. Ostopchuk was chosen 39th by the Ottawa Senators. Both have signed NHL contracts. It was interested to compare the two when they met head-to-head Saturday night in the Giants 2-0 win. Neither found the score-sheet. We have another opportunity to measure them up when the two teams collide, again, at the Langley Events Centre this upcoming Friday.
• No lack of NHL scouts at the game Saturday night. It makes you wonder if some start pay special attention to Kelowna Rockets goaltender Colby Knight. The undrafted 18 year-old was playing second fiddle to Sebastian Cossa, a first round NHL draft pick while with the Edmonton Oil Kings. Now with a new lease on life as the number one goalie with the Rockets, this may be a coming out party for the Red Deer product, who looks like the real deal after two solid starts against Kamloops and Vancouver. He was the best player on the ice for the visitors Saturday night. 
• The Rockets have played a league low 4 games. Red Deer and Brandon have played a league high - 10!
• The Rockets are no strangers in trading for goalies. Michael Herringer, Jackson Whistle, Mark Guggenberger, Kelly Guard and Shane Bendera are prime examples. Put Colby Knight on that list! 
• It was a homecoming of sorts for Quinton Lang Saturday night. The Kelowna Rockets assistant coach, who typically doesn't travel with the team, made the trek to the LEC. Lang was returning to an area of the province where he spent three seasons as a pro. The pride of Harris, Saskatchewan suited up for the Abbotsford Heat when the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate was located in the Lower Mainland. They left the city in 2014 after suffering losses in the neighbourhood of 12 million dollars, which the city had to absorb. The Abbotsford Centre is now the home of the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, the Vancouver Canucks minor league affiliate.
• One. The Western Conference has one player that was chosen in the first round of the NHL draft that is playing in the WHL this season. Vancouver Giants forward Fabian Lisell stands alone. The Swede was taken 21st overall by the Boston Bruins. If, if, the Carolina Hurricanes return Seth Jarvis back to the Portland Winterhawks, that will make only two-first round picks in the Western Conference perfecting their skills in junior hockey this season. Jarvis was taken 13th overall in 2020. By comparison, the Eastern Conference has seven-first round NHL draft picks - three of which play for the Prince Albert Raiders. 
• The Winnipeg Ice are the only undefeated team in the Eastern Conference. 9-0-0-0. Sadly, we won't see them this season. It's proof that building through the WHL bantam draft, if you have good scouts, can produce a winner. The Ice have 5-first round picks on it's roster. Sure, the Ice sucked in order to get those high bantam picks, but they hit the bullseye with all five. 
• The Ice, while in Cranbrook, missed the playoffs between 2014 and 2019. That's four consecutive years with zero playoff hockey. Only the Saskatoon Blades have had more futility with 5 straight years of no playoff hockey between 2013 and 2018. 
• The Victoria Royals own the worst record in the WHL. A seven game losing streak has them heading out on the road for a busy week with two games in Prince George (Tues/Wed) followed by games in Kamloops (Fri) and Kelowna (Saturday). The Royals have been one of the most active teams making trades in an effort to stay within striking distance. 
• The Rockets were shut out Saturday night, 2-0, in Vancouver. The last time that happened was September 29, 2019 in a 4-0 loss. David Tendick made just 14 saves in the victory for the G-Men. 
• It was nice to see some familiar faces Saturday night at the LEC. Dan O'Connor and Bill Wilms are the dynamic duo in the Giants radio broadcast booth. It was nice to 'chin wag' with Brooke Ward, who is the teams public address announcer. The only thing missing was the buffet for scouts and media before the game. I am not sure if it is a COVID health and safety measure or a fiscal thing, but pre-game grub wasn't a thing before puck drop between the Giants and Rockets. Times are a changing post pandemic. My double chin and no hot meal in the scouts room.
• Speaking of food.....the Rockets had a pre-game meal at a staple on our road trips when headed down Highway 1 on the Lower Mainland. We stopped in at Bozzini's on Hocking Avenue in Chilliwack. The meals are always great. They treat us awesome and the frothy ice tea is not for the faint of heart. You've got to try it. It was nice to run into Mano Asprakis, who looks to have weathered the pandemic well. He is still smiling. His family started that restaurant back in 1982 and it's still going strong. Check out the menu and the price point. http://bozzinisrestaurant.ca/menu/
• It is nice to see former Rockets flourish. Alex Swetlikoff had a hat trick Friday night for the Everett Silvertips. The 20 year-old was dealt to the Tips in the Max Graham deal this summer. I will always remember 'Swetty' speaking to me after my fathers death in 2020. It was as simple as, 'Sorry to hear about your dad'. It was that small exchange coming from a then 18 year-old which impressed me so much. Small thought or gesture from a shy teenager, but the thoughtfulness made an impression on me. I am an easy person to win over. Just show me you have personality and empathy for others. Too cool for school or a bully like demeanour, you've lost me. 

Webbles wobble but they don't fall down

Colby Knight

Three games in and lots to like with the 2021-2022 version of the Kelowna Rockets. A work in progress for certain, but if compete is the foundation to win games this season, mission accomplished. And lets be honest. At it's core, a high level of compete can often mask discrepancies in ones game. Not all the time, but often - will does beat skill. If you are willing to sacrifice to block a shot or be more determined to win a face-off than the guy opposite you, it does make a different. Playing to your strengths and hiding your weaknesses is what this years edition is trying to figure out. Teams with little turnover have that understanding. With 10 players gone from last seasons abbreviated campaign, the Rockets are still finding a team identity. Head Coach Kris Mallette told me as much last night on our post game show. In a 4-2 upset over arguably the best team in the Western Conference, the Rockets used physicality, solid goaltending, a timely power play and adversity in a two goal win. They could have crumbled after having a two goal lead disappear, with the backbreaker coming in the form of a shorthanded goal. Instead of making it 3-1, the Kamloops Blazers score while killing a penalty and it's 2-2. Sure, the home team wobbled, but as the old TV commercial goes 'Weebles wobble but they don't fall down'. (Webbles). The Rockets wobbled, but they didn't collapse. That's a great sign. Oh ya, the Blazers took control of the game to tie the score, but instead of breaking and crumbling in front of 34 hundred patrons that were allowed back in the building for the first time in 583 days, the lead goal came from it's most dangerous shooter. Colton Dach rifled home his second of the game and third of the season to make it 3-2. An empty net goal from Elias Carmichael and the sellout crowd (sellout was 3400 or 50% of capacity) went home with a smile. It's only game three. Championships are never won in mid October, but did this team prove something to themselves? My hope is that was the case along with the well deserved two points. 

What did I like? Lets start here:

1. Discipline. It's tough playing an arch rival and not getting emotionally invested against them. You have to play with emotion, but it has to be bridled. If you take ill advised trips to the box, the Blazers will tear you a new one. The visitors were granted four power play chances. 
2. Not chasing the game never hurts. The Rockets opened the scoring for a third straight game. Up until that point, the Blazers had not trailed at any point this season.
3. Physicality. In the most aggressive game I've seen from this group this season (small sample size) the ability for the d-men to stand there ground as the Blazers skated with speed entering the zone was impressive. Noah Dorey led the charge. Tyson Feist is great at it too. Jackson DeSouza, who often doesn't play to his size, also ramped up his compete level.
4. Getting back to Dorey. The 18 year-old is raw. He reminds me of a younger Tyson Feist in some respects. The desire to hit and join the attack, sometimes ill advised, is entertaining to watch. Do you know that Dorey is third on the team in shots on net? Only Colton Dach and Pavel Novak, who we expect to lead in that category, have more shots on goal than the undrafted Dorey.
5. Max Graham looked good last night. He scores the 2-0 goal, but let's not lose fact he is doing some good work at the face-off circle. 
6. Not a bad debut for 18 year-old Colby Knight. Looked like steady eddy in there. Maybe a modern day Shane Bendera? Quick down low. Excellent rebound control. A steady blocker and no crazy acrobatic saves in an effort to make the WHL Plays of the Week. Just stop that darn thing. Knight was - DYNOMITE. 
7. Colton Dach's shoot first mentality. Love it!! Not just because he can score, but those two on ones where no shot is taken over making a picture perfect pass grinds my gears. Shoot the puck is always the best option on an odd man rush. Goal scorers shoot. They don't pass. It isn't being greedy. It's smart. Chuck Kobasew. Justin Keller. Jesse Schultz. Rourke Chartier. Jamie Benn. I am out of breath here. You get it. Goal scorers shoot....they don't pass the puck.
8. I liked the crowd. The sound of live fans in the building celebrating after a goal or big save or a thundering hit was missed. It was nice to see bums in the building!! 
9. Having a color analyst beside me was like a breath of fresh air. Kent Simpson joined me last night in the broadcast booth. I didn't have the luxury of having any help in the abbreviated season, so to have someone add to the conversation and have dialogue with was something I missed. You don't appreciate it until its gone. I took it for granted. Plus, it makes the broadcast so much better not having just one voice nattering for three hours.  
10. We used it because we had no other choice during the abbreviated season. I would call HC Kris Mallette for a post game show comment and patch it into my broadcast board for those listening. We've kept the phone calls going this season, not because we can't see each other face-to-face as we are both double vaccinated, but it's just easier and just as affective. I am just glad the coach accepts my calls after games - win or lose. 'Mally' has the easy option to ignore me by not picking up the phone call. So far, I'm 3 for 3 as he's said, 'hello' on the other end. My greatest fear would be an automated voice coming on the line - 'This number is no longer in use'.