Border bound!

• With the significant flooding in many parts of BC resulting in Highway 1 being impassable, the Kelowna Rockets will take an alternate route in an effort to meet the Portland Winterhawks this weekend in Oregon State. The team will cross at the Osoyoos border rather than heading over the Coquihalla Highway and crossing at Sumas. It means a trip to Kennewick, Washington (near there) before heading west towards Portland on Interstate 84 along the Columbia River. The real concern is getting over the border into the US. The lineups could be lengthy.
• In my last blog posting, I mentioned a few players who have surprised me this season. Of the four, three were overagers. Interesting that all three 20 year-old's were acquired in WHL trades. Tyson Feist was picked up from Regina. Jake Lee was acquired from Seattle while Mark Liwiski was obtained from the Everett Silvertips. Liwiski has played 143 games with the Rockets. Lee 88 regular season games. Feist just 48.
• Tyson Feist isn't fooling himself. While the 20 year-old has a career 5 goals this season, he knows his bread and butter in an effort to play pro is as a shutdown d-man. Feist admitted to me this week that he doesn't mind contributing on the scoreboard though. "Obviously with confidence came more, ‘maybe I will shoot the puck then put it in the corner.’ I have been given the green light to the shoot the puck more and I've taken advantage of it." The pride of Dawson Creek, BC has a younger brother playing in the WHL. In fact, Feist is the only player on the Rockets roster with a sibling playing in the league. Layton Feist suits up for the Regina Pats.
• One rookie forward who hasn't score a goal this season, yet should have more than a couple, is Rilen Kovacevic. The 10th round bantam pick has had some excellent looks in 9 games this season. The dam is about to break for the Kelowna kid, who leads the team in fighting majors with three. Didn’t see that coming. 
• Speaking of the dam breaking, it's coming for 16 year-old Marcus Pacheco. You can tell his confidence level if increasing. He is more aggressive to loose pucks in the corners and is shooting more. Pacheco is trying to make an impact despite playing on the fourth line. The dude can fly. I say open it up and let your speed rule the day. 
• I won't pass judgement on the rookies until after the 25 game mark. Rookie status by the WHL Competition Committee is anyone who has played 25 games or less. That means 11 on the roster are classified as 'first year players'. Not making the list is Steele Quiring and Dylan Wightman. Quiring had played 28 games before this season started. Wightman saw action in 26. 
• Pavel Novak will play for the Czech Republic at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships. He represented his country as an 18 year-old last season. I asked him about playing for his country, again, and who would he prefer to beat, the United States or Canada? "I would like to beat both of them of course. For me, I would rather beat Canada." Love his honesty. My full 11 minute interview with Novak can be heard Saturday at 5 pm on AM 1150's 'Rockets This Week' before the team faces the Portland Winterhawks in the back end of a double dip at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
• I love the way Novak says 'Kelowna Rockets". Listen for it Saturday. With his slight Czech accent, it is magical. He rolls his r's. 
• I love to compare one season to the next. But in this case, with an abbreviated season where the team played only 16 games in April/May, I'm using the 2019-2020 campaign as a measuring stick on how a player has evolved, or in some cases regressed. The competition was harder and the schedule was more daunting two seasons ago. I just can't give much credibility to the abbreviated season where teams played in two centres out here in the BC Division against younger competition. It was a developmental season, which was it's main purpose, but throw in extensive travel against older, more established players, it's way more difficult to play consistent, injury free hockey. 
• Last weekend we were in Prince George. Having not been in the downtown core in over a year, I was amazed at some of the progress. A new Hyatt Place (hotel) opened up during the pandemic and a new family pool is under construction. It opens in the summer of 2022. Impressive. PG has some pretty cool amenities. 
• True confession. I am spending very little time paying a significant amount of time looking at the rosters, or the on-line scores from the Eastern Conference. Out of sight, out of mind. With the Western Conference teams not meeting their Eastern Conference colleagues this season, my interest is waning. I am sure the same applies there. I look at the scores, but my interest in watching the highlites from our conference and maybe seeing the occasional goal posted by the Eastern Conference teams Twitter feed is about as good as it gets. 
• The last time the Rockets played a game in the United States was February 29th in Everett, Washington. The last time the Rockets visited the Hawks in Portland was January 18th and 19th, 2020. 
• The Rockets haven't won a game in Portland since October 30, 2016. It was a 4-2 win with Nick Merkley picking up a goal and an assist while being named the first star. It has been six games since the Rockets have earned a win in Oregon, which is one of five US states that do not collect sales tax.