Rockets game notes vs. Broncos

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets open an Eastern Conference road trip tonight in Swift Current against the Broncos. This is the first of six games in eight nights for the BC Division leaders. These two teams will meet just once this season. Last year in Kelowna, the Rockets earned a 6-5 win. Myles Bell and Tyson Ballie each had two assists in the victory on December 5/2012. Jordon Cooke earned the win making 14 saves. The Rockets are making their first visit to the I-Plex since December 11, 2011 in a 4-3 shootout loss. Overall, the Rockets have won six straight after victories against Kamloops (twice), Vancouver, Tri City, Everett and the Kootenay Ice. The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 19-10 over that stretch. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Moose Jaw (Wednesday), Brandon (Friday), Regina (Saturday), Prince Albert (Sunday) and Saskatoon (Tuesday December 17^th).

Eastern Conference Roady: The last time the Rockets were on an Eastern Conference road trip before Christmas was in 2011 when the team went 2-2-0-2. In 2009, the Rockets were 3-3-0-0. In both situations the team played six games in nine nights. In 2007, the Rockets were 3-1-0-1 but they did not play against the Broncos in Swift Current on that swing.    

Cooke Nominated: Rockets goaltender Jordon Cooke has been nominated for Vaughn Goaltender of the Week. Cooke had a 2-0-0-0 record last week with an average of 1.96 and a save percentage of .932. Cooke was named the first star in a win over Vancouver and then was named the second star in a 3-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips.      

Road Rash: Overall, the team has won 7 straight games on the road, having out-scored the opposition 30-15. In four of those seven road games the Rockets have allowed a single goal. Kamloops, Calgary and Saskatoon owned eight game road winning streaks last season – the longest in the WHL. The Rockets won 7 straight road games back in the 2010-2011 campaign between February 23^rd and March 18^th. Overall, the team has won 14 of their last 15 games.          

This and That: Tonight’s game marks the first time Rockets rookie Nick Merkley has ever played against his older brother Jay Merkley of the Broncos….Broncos athletic therapist Jamie LeBlanc will join Rockets assistant coach Dan Lambert as members of the staff for Team West at the Under 17’s later this month….Four of the last six road games for the Rockets have been decided by a single goal…The Rockets have been out-shot on home ice five times this season…After losing two of his first three games, Jackson Whistle has won five straight….The Rockets have played in six shootout games this season and are 4 and 2. Three of the four shootout wins have come on the road in Victoria, Prince George and Seattle…Eighteen year-old Madison Bowey was named captain of the Kelowna Rockets November 1^st….Jordon Cooke was named WHL Goaltender of the Month for September/October. Cooke was 8-0-0-2 with a goals against average of 1.85…Sixteen year-old rookie forward Nick Merkley was named the CHL and WHL Player of the Week from September 30^th to October 6^th. Merkley had six points in three games including back-to-back two goal games before earning two assists in a 6-3 win over the Portland Winterhawks…Assistant Coach Dan Lambert has been named the head coach for Team West for the World Under 17 Challenge in Cape Breton Nova Scotia December 28-January 5^th….. Jordon Cooke is 33-4-0-2 at home in last 39 starts at home dating back to last season…Two members of the Rockets were named to Team Pacific for the upcoming Under 17 World Hockey Challenge in late December in Nova Scotia. Nick Merkley and Joe Gatenby have been added to the roster. Gatenby was the team’s second round pick in 2012…These two teams have been active in making trades over the years. In October of 2007, the Rockets picked up Brady Leavold for a conditional draft pick. In January of 2009, Swift Current dealt Mark Guggenberger to the team for a 5^th round bantam pick. In November of that next season, in the 2009-2010 campaign, the Rockets picked up Geordie Wudrick for Stepan Novotny and prospect Tanner Clark.                  

Who’s Hot: Madison Bowey had seven goals in November….Ryan Olsen has five goals in his last five games…Damon Severson is riding a four game point streak (2+3=5).…Tyson Baillie has 2+3=5 in his last five games.

Milestone Makers: Colton Heffley is playing in his 199^th career game tonight – 1 shy of 200.

Zach Franko has 184 points, 16 shy of 200 for his career.

Myles Bell is playing in his 284^th game tonight – 16 shy of 300.

Where life makes sense

The reader board outside the I-Plex

‘Where life makes sense.’ That is the motto on a sign telling travelers entering Swift Current that you have indeed arrived in the Southwest Saskatchewan city. 

With a population of around 16 thousand, it is home to Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos and Frontier Days, a much smaller version of the Armstrong Fair. 

Swift Current is the home for Kelowna Rockets forward  Colton Heffley, who showed off his athleticism both on the ice and on the baseball diamond while growing up here. The now 19 year-old is just a handful of connections with the smallest centre in the CHL. Assistant Coach Dan Lambert won a Memorial Cup with the Broncos in 1989 and married a Swift Current girl...his wife Melanie. 

I had the privilege of starting my radio career here at CKSW and will never forget the break I received from then general manager Len Enns. I also called five seasons of Broncos action on ‘Eagle 94.1’ from 1995 to 2000 before moving to Kelowna.

Growing up here, everybody pretty much knows everybody. No one is unfamiliar, even if you don’t know their name. As a team from Kelowna, we often stick out like sore thumbs when our big bus rolls into town. Now we know how the Hutterites feel.

The arena the Broncos play in is called the I-Plex, but it will always be known as the Civic Centre to me. In the good old days corporate sponsors weren’t into dishing out big bucks for naming rights. Back then it was all about coming out on a cold winter evening and watching your hometown team play regardless of the weather. You smoked freely in the building and the lobby was often filled with gray-second hand smoke as you side stepped through the crowd to reach the public washrooms. Back then, the men’s washroom consisted of a round, three foot hand washer. It almost looked like a horse feeder. Water would shower down on your hands from the middle when pressure was applied by your foot to a round trigger housed below the basin. As a kid we would jump on the trigger with great joy as the water came firing out. 

When the Broncos first arrived in Swift Current in 1986, pre-recorded music wasn’t piped through the sound system at the Civic Centre. High above a walkway at the east end was a black mustached Keith Myashiro, often seen with a cigarette in his mouth playing an arrangement of songs on an organ. The organ was it. It was a beautiful thing. I miss that old school feel.
It is good to be back, if only for a few days.  

A few minor thoughts:

• What do the Kelowna Rockets do on an off day on the road? Well, after traveling 11 hundred and 15 kilometers, getting used to the environment that you find yourself in is an adjustment. The weather change is obviously different. It is colder here than in Kelowna and obviously their is more snow, but the real killer is the wind. Even if the temperatures isn't so bad, the wind chill almost paralyzes you. I am sure you get used to it, but even one local today told me as he heading out to start his car, "You never get used to this weather". Hmm...I guess their goes that theory.
• The time change is a factor that your body needs to adjust too. Waking up at 8 am for breakfast at 9 am Saskatchewan time means all of us, according to our body clocks are waking up at 6 am. If you have a hard time getting out of bed at the best of times, this two hour time difference is a factor you need to consider.  
• Chapped lips. If you don't have them, you will get them in Saskatchewan. The dry air and the wind makes your lips feel like they will fall off. Trust me, they won't, but you better put on the Chapstick.    
• The Rockets dropped off their equipment Sunday night at the I-Plex, the site of Tuesday night's game against the Broncos. This morning the team geared up at the I-Plex but headed back on the bus for a practice at another arena as maintenance crews did work on the 'big rink'. That meant every player, goalies included, wore all of their equipment for a quick 15 minute ride to an alternate arena. It looked funny seeing the goalies, in particular ,wearing their pads on the bus and everyone wearing running shoes with their skates and sticks in hand. A few players worn skate guards.
• The morning workout at Fairview Arena was followed by a great lunch at 'Wong's'. Oh ya, it is Chinese food at its finest, at least the locals think it is. 'Wong's Kitchen' has been around forever. How old is it? I took my wife there on our first date and she married me, so it can't be that bad? Most of the players liked it. The coaches, training staff, bus driver and radio guy gave it a thumbs up.  Plus they gave us all fortune cookies. Mine said the Rockets will win all six games on this trip. Ok, it didn't.  
• Great hotel here. The Best Western is relatively new. It is clean and the beds are great. While we have to eat off site as a team (not in the hotel which is the norm in the Western Conference), we are only a short walk away from a restaurant that serves - yes they do - real eggs for breakfast. Many restaurants serve what Rockets athletic therapist Scott Hoyer calls 'Astronaut Eggs'. You know them? They are the eggs that are boiled in a bag for large gatherings and just taste weird. They even serve the fake eggs at Denny's now!! What gives?   
• The hotel that we are staying at has an employee we all like. Ex-Kelowna Rockets captain/assistant coach Ryan Cuthbert's mother works at the front desk.

Weekend success leads into tough work week

Teddy Bear Toss is terrific

• It was back on the bus this morning for the Kelowna Rockets, heading out east where cold temperatures for a red hot team await them on a six game in eight day road trip. Hopping on the bus blurry eyed came a little easier after back-to-back home ice wins over the Everett Silvertips and Kootenay Ice on the weekend.  Those wins weren’t easy to come by, nor are they ever for a team that continues to receive exceptional goaltending. Jordon Cooke was instrumental in a 3-1 win over Everett Friday before back up – is he really a back up? -  Jackson Whistle was lights out in a 2-1 victory over a fast skating Kootenay Ice.  It is better for the Rockets to be headed on the road riding a 6 game winning streak then going the other way. What they face over the next week and a half will be, without a shadow of a doubt, their toughest test of the season. We will discuss that more on another blog post. 
• There are so many positives to pick from in those back-to-back wins this weekend.  As mentioned, the goaltending has been phenomenal. Jordon Cooke is dialed in. Cooke was again at his best Friday night in a showdown of two teams with 20 wins on the season. Cooke, the games second star, made several timely stops and was the key in helping the penalty killing unit kill off six shorthanded chances in the game.
• The power play was good on two of four chances in the tightly contested game. Heading into the weekend the Rockets power play wasn’t very good.  The right pieces are in place to manufacture scoring chances, but getting pucks through to the net was a stumbling block. Firing at 50 percent against the Tips was the key in the two goal victory. Damon Severson’s seeing-eye wrist shot from the point stood up as the game winner.
• The win against Kootenay a night later provided a different variable for the Rockets to handle. The Ice brought some of the best team speed we’ve seen in the building this season.  Jackson Whistle was the story through the opening 40 minutes by stoning the Ice on several grade ’A’ scoring chances.  In a 1-1 tie heading into the third period, Myles Bell found the back of the net for the winner.
• Myles Bell scoring is always a positive.  It was the 20 year-olds first goal in eight games. While that isn’t a long stretch for your average WHL player, it is when you found the back of the net 36 times last season. I thought Bell was physical Saturday night with a big hit 30 seconds in on Kootenay Ice scorer Sam Reinhart and played with more determination. Bell has to remember that even if his efforts to score are in vain, he is of great value as the opposition has no choice but to respect that he is out there and his booming shot can be deployed at a moment’s notice.  Carter Rigby was the beneficiary of Bell’s work on the Rockets opening goal. Bell skated into the slot, attracting three defenders towards him. While he lost the puck, Rigby pounced on it and literally, with one hand, shoveled it into the net.
• I thought Rigby had a much better weekend because he ramped up his physical play. Rigby won’t out-skate you but he will separate you from the puck. In my opinion, he along with Colton Heffley and Tyrell Goulbourne has  to lead in that area every night. If they do, all three are significantly better players.  It is hard to play that type of game because determination and effort is required, but if it happens consistently that trio are major factors in the course of a 60 minute game.  
• The first ever Teddy Bear Toss took place Friday night and it was a huge success. It will never produce the results of what we see in Calgary, but that’s not the point. Over two thousand stuffed toys were collected for kids at KGH. From the response of the crowd to the quick clean up on the ice, the Teddy Bear Toss was huge hit.

Rockets Game Notes vs. Tips

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play game three of a four game home stand tonight against the visiting Everett Silvertips. This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Back on October 2^nd – in Everett – the Rockets earned a 6-3 win. Madison Bowey and Nick Merkley each scored twice in the team’s 3^rd win of the season. Jackson Whistle made 29 saves. Following tonight’s game these two teams meet again January 22^nd in Everett before closing out the four game seasonal series March 4^th at Prospera Place. The Rockets are riding a three game home ice winning streak against the Tips. The visitor’s last win in Kelowna came January 18th, 2012 with a 4-2 victory. Shane McColgan and Colton Sissons scored in a losing cause while Adam Brown was tagged with the loss in goal. Overall, the Rockets have won four straight after one goal wins against Kamloops (twice), Vancouver and a 4-1 victory in Tri City back on November 22^nd.  Following tonight’s game the Rockets play their final home game before the Christmas break tomorrow hwhen they host the Kootenay Ice.  

Back Tracking: Since the Kelowna Rockets beat the Everett Silvertips back on October 2^nd, the Rockets are 17-2-0-2. The Tips are 18-4-2-0. The Tips have played 15-one goal games this season. The Rockets have played 11-one goal games (8-1-0-2) including five in their last seven games.    

Severson Sings Oh Canada: Defencemen Damon Severson was one of 25 players named to Hockey Canada’s training camp roster Monday for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden. Severson is one of ten WHL players (nine if you exclude former Red Deer defenceman Matt Dumba) but is one of only two WHL players on Team Canada that isn’t a first round bantam pick. Severson was taken in the 9^th round of the 2009 draft. Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton is heavily involved with Hockey Canada’s management group. Severson is the 12^th player within the organization to play for Canada at the WJHC.  

Road Rash: Overall, the team has won 7 straight games on the road, having out-scored the opposition 30-15. In four of those seven road games the Rockets have allowed a single goal. Kamloops, Calgary and Saskatoon owned eight game road winning streaks last season – the longest in the WHL. The Rockets won 7 straight road games back in the 2010-2011 campaign between February 23^rd and March 18^th. Overall, the team has won 13 of their last 14 games. Next week they begin a six game Eastern Conference road trip with stops in Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Brandon, Regina, Prince Albert and Saskatoon.          

This and That: The Rockets are 1 for 18 on the power play (6%) in their last 5 games…The team has allowed 6 power play goals against (last five games) in their last 16 kills…The Rockets have been out-shot on home ice three times this season…After losing two of his first three games, Jackson Whistle has won four straight. His goals against average over that stretch is 1.92 with a save percentage of .920…The Rockets have played in six shootout games this season and are 4 and 2. Three of the four shootout wins have come on the road in Victoria, Prince George and Seattle…Eighteen year-old Madison Bowey was named captain of the Kelowna Rockets November 1^st….Jordon Cooke was named WHL Goaltender of the Month for September/October. Cooke was 8-0-0-2 with a goals against average of 1.85…Sixteen year-old rookie forward Nick Merkley was named the CHL and WHL Player of the Week from September 30^th to October 6^th. Merkley had six points in three games including back-to-back two goal games before earning two assists in a 6-3 win over the Portland Winterhawks. Merkley was the Kelowna Rockets first round pick from the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft…Assistant Coach Dan Lambert has been named the head coach for Team West for the World Under 17 Challenge in Cape Breton Nova Scotia December 28-January 5^th….. Jordon Cooke is 32-4-0-2 at home in last 38 starts at home dating back to last season…Two members of the Rockets were named to Team Pacific for the upcoming Under 17 World Hockey Challenge in late December in Nova Scotia. Nick Merkley and Joe Gatenby have been added to the roster. Gatenby was the team’s second round pick in 2012.            

Who’s Hot: Madison Bowey has 5+2=7 in his last seven games….Ryan Olsen has 4+2=6 in his last six games….Damon Severson has 3+8=11 in his last eleven games.

Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat

Ryan Olsen scored tying goal 

• I would have hated to be the fan that made a quick dash to the exit after the Vancouver Giants scored with 37 seconds left in the third period in last night's 4-3 Kelowna Rockets overtime victory. Oh sure, the goal gave the visitors a 3-2 lead, but with the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, Ryan Olsen would take two whacks at the puck at the side of the net to tie the game at three. Then in overtime, Damon Severson would score the game winner by back handing the puck past Giants goaltender Jared Rathjen for the come-from-behind victory. The win was the Rockets 20th of the season and moved them to within three points of Portland for first place in the overall standings. The only possible loser on this night was the fan that wanted to warm up his car, avoid the post game traffic and in the process demonstrated no faith in the home teams ability to come back and win. 
• Again, this game wasn't pretty for the Rockets through 40 minutes. Generating just 13 shots on net, the only reason why they were in any position to fight back in the game was the play of goaltender Jordon Cooke. The 20 year-old goaltender made several big stops, including glove hand saves on Giants captain Dalton Thrower and a breakaway save shorthanded on Tim Traber. Cooke was the best player on the ice and was worthy of first star. His save on Jackson Houck in overtime was also clutch. 
• If I ever complain again about Cooke not playing well, you have permission to poke me in the eyes and kick me between the legs. How many times has Cooke either kept his team in the game or has stolen a game outright? Amazing.  
• It was the Rockets first regular season overtime win at home since March 12/2012. Zach Franko scored in a 4-3 win over the Kamloops Blazers. 
• The Rockets are in a situation now where they are making life difficulty for themselves. Essentially they need to 'dumb down' their game. They are trying to make pretty passing plays and it just isn't the real make up of the team. Colton Heffley's goal to tie the game at two is the best example of what this team does best. They are hard on the fore-check, win board battles and grease it up in front of the opposition goalie. I thought Heffley's goal was a perfect example where he and line-mates Kris Schmidli and Tyson Baillie literally willed the puck into the Vancouver net.  
• Tyson Baillie played on a line with Myles Bell and Tyrell Goulbourne for the majority of the game and was the best of the trio. Baillie scored once and added two assists. What I liked about Baillie's play was his willingness not to give up when things weren't going well for him early in the game. He too was snubbed on a breakaway attempt and had several good chances to score but held his head high. Eventually Baillie would be rewarded with offensive success. Baillie's mental toughness early in the game was the key in his three point effort.
• If you are a forward or defenceman entering the offensive zone, please don't attempt to stick handle through four defenders. It doesn't work.
• The Rockets were especially sloppy in turning over the puck. It resulted in several glorious chances on Cooke. Carter Rigby's glaring giveaway in the neutral zone allowed Giants overager Cain Franson to score one of his two goals. Instead of moving the puck up ice, the Rockets d-men were often seen moving the puck backwards into their own zone which created a turnover and unnecessary play at the wrong end of the ice.  
•  How did you like three-on-three in overtime? Wasn't that fantastic? Scoring chances galore. I would take that over the shootout to decide a winner.   
• Ryan Olsen has goals in three straight games. 
• Up next is a home date against the Everett Silvertips Friday night. 

Rockets game notes vs. Giants

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets open the month of December with a home game against the Vancouver Giants. It is hard to believe the season is ten weeks old and these two BC Division rivals are meeting for the first of eight games. Following tonight’s game these two teams won’t meet again until the Rockets return the favour with a stop at Pacific Coliseum on December 28^th. Last season the Rockets were 4-0-0-0 on home ice, out-scoring the Giants 22-5. The Rockets managed to shutout the Giants in two of those four games. On the road, the Rockets were 3-0-1-0 in four games in Vancouver, again out-scoring the Giants 19-10. The team is coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Kamloops Blazers Saturday night. Justin Kirkland scored the game winning goal in the Rockets 19^th win of the season.

Severson Sings Oh Canada: Defencemen Damon Severson was one of 25 players named to Hockey Canada’s training camp roster Monday for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden. Severson is one of ten WHL players (nine if you exclude former Red Deer defenceman Matt Dumba) but is one of only two WHL players on Team Canada that isn’t a first round bantam pick. Severson was taken in the 9^th round of the 2009 draft. Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton is heavily involved with Hockey Canada’s management group. Severson is the 12^th player within the organization to play for Canada at the WJHC.  

Road Rash: Overall, the team has won 7 straight games on the road, having out-scored the opposition 30-15. In four of those seven road games the Rockets have allowed a single goal. Kamloops, Calgary and Saskatoon owned eight game road winning streaks last season – the longest in the WHL. The Rockets won 7 straight road games back in the 2010-2011 campaign between February 23^rd and March 18^th. Overall, the team has won 12 of their last 13 games. This week they host Everett on Friday and Kootenay on Saturday night before beginning a six game Eastern Conference road trip with stops in Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Brandon, Regina, Prince Albert and Saskatoon.         

This and That: The Rockets have been involved in ten-one goal games this season. The team is 7-1-0-2 in those ten games. The only out-right loss in a one goal game came against the Calgary Hitmen October 22nd in a 2-1 setback….The Rockets have been out-shot on home ice three times this season. Against Kamloops Saturday night followed by games against Medicine Hat (36) and Portland (43)….After losing two of his first three games, Jackson Whistle has won four straight. His goals against average over that stretch is 1.92 with a save percentage of .920…The Rockets have played in six shootout games this season and are 4 and 2. Three of the four shootout wins have come on the road in Victoria, Prince George and Seattle…Dating back to last season the Rockets were 19-3-0-0 in the month of November. This season they were 10-1-0-0 while last November they were 9-2-0-0….Three members of the Rockets have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s ‘Watch List’ of the eligible players for this summer’s NHL draft in Philadelphia. Justin Kirkland, Tyson Baillie and Riley Stadel have made that list….Eighteen year-old Madison Bowey was named captain of the Kelowna Rockets November 1^st….Jordon Cooke was named WHL Goaltender of the Month for September/October. Cooke was 8-0-0-2 with a goals against average of 1.85…Sixteen year-old rookie forward Nick Merkley was named the CHL and WHL Player of the Week from September 30^th to October 6^th. Merkley had six points in three games including back-to-back two goal games before earning two assists in a 6-3 win over the Portland Winterhawks. Merkley was the Kelowna Rockets first round pick from the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft…Assistant Coach Dan Lambert has been named the head coach for Team West for the World Under 17 Challenge in Cape Breton Nova Scotia December 28-January 5^th….. Jordon Cooke is 31-4-0-2 at home in last 37 starts at home dating back to last season…Two members of the Rockets were named to Team Pacific for the upcoming Under 17 World Hockey Challenge in late December in Nova Scotia. Nick Merkley and Joe Gatenby have been added to the roster. Gatenby was the team’s second round pick in 2012.           

Who’s Hot: Madison Bowey has 5+1=6 in his last six games….Ryan Olsen has 3+2=5 in his last five games….Damon Severson has 2+8=10 in his last ten games.

November Performers: Madison Bowey and Damon Severson led the team with 11 points apiece in November. Bowey had 7+4=11 while Severson had 2+9=11. Myles Bell had 3+7=10 while Nick Merkley had 1+7=8 during the month.   

Severson: Evolving into one of Canada's best

Photo by Shoot the Breeze - Marissa Baecker

Damon Severson isn't supposed to be in this illustrious group.
Hockey Canada released its roster today for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships and Kelowna Rockets defenceman Damon Severson is a piece of the puzzle. The 19 year-old has evolved into a terrific player, but when he was playing bantam hockey in Saskatchewan in advance of the 2009 WHL bantam draft, Severson wasn't mentioned in the same breath by scouts who wanted to get their hands on Derek Pouliot, Griffin Reinhart and Matt Dumba. A quick skating forward named Hunter Shinkaruk was also projected to be a first round selection.
All four were can't miss prospects. All four were taken in the first round in 2009 and are now teammates with Severson on Team Canada.
The Melville minor hockey product was a 9th round pick that May, an afterthought by many at the time. Fast forward four years and Severson is shoulder-to-shoulder with this elite group and will be playing with purpose to earn a gold medal for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Sweden.
Of the 10 WHL players named to Team Canada, eight were either taken in the first round of the WHL draft in 2009 or in the first round in 2010. The only exception is Severson (9th round) and Portland's Taylor Leier (2nd round).
Is Severson the black sheep of the bunch? In 2009 he sure was, which makes his transformation even more impressive. A defenceman taken 192nd overall isn't suppose to evolve into one of the best rearguards in his age group. Funny thing is Severson did.
Were scouts that blind to his abilities as a young player? Severson is proof that even if you are not considered the best player in bantam and you are snubbed until late in the draft, life is not over and your hockey career doesn't have to be flushed down the pooper.
Perseverance pays off.
Damon Severson is the poster boy for that saying on this blustery Monday afternoon.

Rockets well represented on World Junior Team

Damon Severson joins select group

2013-Damon Severson 
2012-None
2011-Tyson Barrie, Ryan Huska AC
2010- Brandon McMillan
2009-Tyler Myers and Jamie Benn - Athletic Therapist Jeff Thorburn.
2008: None
2006-2007: None
2005-2006: Blake Comeau
2004-2005: Shea Weber
2003-2004: Josh Gorges - Jeff Truitt video coach
2002-2003: Marc Habscheid head coach - Athletic therapist Scott Hoyer
2001-2002: Chuck Kobasew - Habscheid was an assistant
2000-2001: None
1999-2000: None
1998-1999: None
1997-1998: Brett McLean
1996-1997: None
1995-1996: Robb Gordon and Marcel Comeau. Comeau was Team Canada's head coach.

Lipstick on a pig in back-to-back wins

• You can put lipstick on a pig, but its still a pig! That old expression can be used to describe  the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 shootout win Saturday night over the visiting Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets earned their 19th victory of the season (hello lipstick) but if you look at the entire body of work, it was an ugly home ice win. For the second consecutive night the Rockets looked disinterested and put in a half-hearted effort. It would take a Justin Kirkland goal in the shootout to win it and three consecutive stops by goaltender Jackson Whistle to nail down the win.
• The real Rockets emerged with about 4 minutes left in the game when they began to skate and force the issue in the offensive zone. A Damon Severson back door pass to 20 year-old Zach Franko late in the game looked like the finishing touch on a rough evening but the veteran missed the puck and we were headed for overtime. 
• What amazed me over the weekend was how the lackluster effort was felt throughout the entire line up. Outside of Jordon Cooke and Zach Franko on Friday and essentially Jackson Whistle on Saturday, uncharacteristic plays were being made all over the ice. No one was exempt. It was by far the teams worst two efforts of the season yet they amazingly still won.
• A few bright spots? I thought Jackson Whistle made some nice stops. I didn't like the second goal he allowed which beat the 18 year-old blocker side to tie the game at two, but Whistle was good enough to earn a star in the building. Jesse Lees had a real nice hit on Blazers forward Matt Needham, knocking the captain to the ice as he cut towards the middle. I would like to see Lees, Bowey and Severson do that on a regular basis. All three are sturdy on their skates and have the power to explode into an on-coming forward. The other positive was a solid fight rookie Dalton Yorke had with Blazers lefty Connor Clouston. The two traded blows in a spirited tilt in the third period.
• In case your forgot, both Damon Severson and Madison Bowey were playing their fourth game in four nights. Severson was able to make it through the game Saturday with a +2 rating, but Bowey showed fatigue by making plays he usually doesn't make. Obviously the other media in the building thought he was better than what I witnessed, giving the Rockets captain the second star.
• Severson and Bowey will be all ears Monday when Hockey Canada releases its list of players that will attending training camp later this month for a spot on the World Junior team. Severson has the best shot, considering his age, but it is not a slam dunk. Remember Brett Bulmer was also a second round NHL draft pick and he too didn't earn a spot on the team.
• Enough negatives. The Rockets closed out the month of November with a record of 10-1-0-0. It isn't the best November ever, but matches the 10-1-0-0 mark the team recorded in the 2010-2011 season. November has traditionally been a good month for the Rockets, who were an impressive 9-2-0-0 last season. In 2007-2008, again the team sparkled in November with nine wins in 11 games.
• The Rockets have been involved in ten-one goal games this season. The team is 7-1-0-2 in those ten games. The only out-right loss in a one goal game came against the Calgary Hitmen October 22nd in a 2-1 setback.
• The Rockets have been out-shot on home ice three times this season. Against Kamloops last night followed by games against Medicine Hat (36) and Portland (43).
• After losing two of his first three games, Jackson Whistle has won four straight. His goals against average over that stretch is 1.92 with a save percentage of .920.