Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Tayln Boyko ain't scared of the big bad wolf

• Who's afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf. Remember that song made famous by Disney in 1930? Clearly the Kelowna Rockets are not afraid of the Kamloops Blazers. A 6-0-0-0 record this season is a clear indicator they don't feel intimidated. But can you not blame them if they felt the Blazers were the 'big bad wolf' heading into this season? Failure was common place. Eleven straight losses at Sandman Centre. A play-in game collapse on March 19, 2019 was a devastating blow. Thankfully only current 20 year-old Mark Liwiski was in the lineup on that dreaded night when the Blazers came from a long way back to catch the Rockets for the final playoff spot before gladly ending the Rockets succession of 11 straight playoff appearances by sending them packing with an humiliating loss. But that was then. This is now. Whatever is happening, the Rockets are not cowering to a team that is significantly more skilled. I think physicality is an issue. I think determined play is a factor. The Rockets have it right now. The Blazers, surprisingly, don't. 
• The Rockets enjoyed a 6-2 win over the Blazers last night at Prospera Place. Again, Talyn Boyko was solid and was a key reason why the home team was able to pull away with four goals in the third period. The 19 year-old goalie is now 5-0-0-0 against Kamloops with a 2.39 goals against average and a save percentage of .935.  
• Who holds the hot stick for the Rockets right now? That honour is bestowed on Andrew Cristall. Goals in three straight games, the highly skilled forward doesn't get much attention because the draft class he was apart of was so heavily stacked with Conner Bedard taken 1st overall in 2020. Playing in his shadows may be a blessing in disguise though. Cristall's blind - spinning backhand last night to Mark Liwiski was nothing short of filthy. The composure he showed in his overtime wraparound goal a night earlier is unteachable. The kid just has it. With 10 goals this season, you would think a 20 goal rookie campaign is in reach. He reminds me a bit of Nick Merkley. 'Merks' was more of passer than a shooter. His best season, goal scoring wise, was his rookie campaign when he struck for 25 goals. Merkley had a career high 70 assists and 90 points a few seasons later. Both Merkley and Cristall are pass first players. Both are good on their edges. Both have great on-ice vision. Both are smaller but are able to use their body to leverage themselves against bigger players. 
• Cristall was the 6th forward chosen in the 2020 WHL bantam draft. When you compare his offensive production (10+10=20) with his 16 year-old colleagues, he is pretty much on par with those chosen before him. Regina's Connor Bedard (1st overall) has 24 points. Riley Heidt of the PG Cougars (2nd overall) has 21. Brayden Yager (3rd overall) of the Moose Jaw Warriors is the eye popper with 15 goals and 28 points. Kalan Lind (6th overall) with Red Deer has 13 points. Sam Oremba of the Seattle Thunderbirds (7th overall) has 2+3=5.  
• The Rockets earned back-to-back wins with their top two forwards out of the lineup. Pavel Novak and Colton Dach did not play. Instead, six different players stepped up last night and got involved in the scoring. The Blazers were also playing short staffed. No Logan Stankoven or Dylan Garand. Marko Stacha is absent on the back end,. In my opinion it was a level playing field. No excuses could be used in this home and home series in late December. The Rockets were just better.
• Before we get too excited here, let's remember that hockey teams go through funks during the season. It is never a clean sheet of excellent hockey. The Blazers are struggling scoring goals right now. They have found the back of the net 14 times in their last 7 games. That's not normal. This will indeed pass. It happens to even the most gifted teams. While we won't see the Blazers for another month, I suspect they will look different when the trade winds blow through the 'Tournament Capital'. They will be better and will be a force down the stretch. Remember, no one remembers games in December. We only recall what happens in April and May. At least we do in this neck of the woods. When the bar is low, you go crazy when you win games at this time of the year,. If the bar is high, you quickly move on to the next opponent,.   
• It was nice to see Jake Poole find the back of the net. It was his first goal in 12 games. Poole missed several games with an upper body injury, so his goal last night was his first since November 5th. No pressure, but Poole is the only remaining 19 year-old player on the roster from the 2017 WHL bantam draft. The team had no first rounder. It's second round selection was Ethan Bowen, who elected to play in the BCHL. The third round pick was Ethan Ernst, who was traded to Tri City. The 4th and 5th round selections were players that never materialized. The only saving grace from that 2017 draft class is the fact that the team was able to hit the bullseye with Pavel Novak in the CHL Import Draft later that spring. The team has only three-2002 born players on its roster. Poole, Novak and Talyn Boyko.
• Congrats to Scott Cousins for recording his 1st point of the season on a helper on Steel Quiring's third period breakaway marker. 
• The Rockets are now 14 and 5 against teams in the BC Division. It is the best interconference record of any of the five teams.
• The Rockets ended December with a record of 5-4-0-1. Two of the four losses were decided by a single goal. 
• As we close the books on 2021 - thankfully - the team went 25-14-1-3. That takes into account a 10-5-1-0 record in the abbreviated season and the 15-9-0-3 record in 2021-2022.  
• The Rockets ring in the new year, Saturday January 1st against the Victoria Royals. January brings with it a great set of challenges. The team will play 14 games in 31 days. It includes 5 games against Victoria, who are arguably the most improved team in the division if not the conference. By my records, Dan Price has his team with 10 wins, 2 losses and three overtime losses in their last 15 games. Look out!!!!