Pain in the glass

• Adam Brown was the best player on the ice Wednesday afternoon. That was good news for the Kelowna Rockets and bad news for the visiting Red Deer Rebels. Brown made 32 saves, 10 in the third period in a 2-1 win, the Rockets 11th of the season and the Rebels 11th loss of the year.


• Kyle St. Denis and Lucas Bloodoff scored the Rockets goals in the win. While these are two veteran forwards who responded offensively, I found many of the forwards out of sync in this one. A good example was Mitchell Callahan replaced by Cody Chikie on a line with Lucas Bloodoff and Brandon McMillan in the early stages of the 3rd period.


• The best forward was defenseman Curt Gogol, who played the entire game up front after spending the first 19 games as a defenseman. Gogol was consistently good providing havoc inside the Rebels zone.


• Head coach Ryan Huska told us on the post game show that Gogol will spend the rest of the season as a forward. Huska says the coaches believe he is most affective at that position, meaning barring an injury, Gogol's days are over on defense.


• Rockets defenseman Kyle Verdino returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a knee/ankle injury.


• It's not often that you see a sheet of plexi glass shattered twice in one game, but it happened Wednesday afternoon at opposite ends of the ice. First, Rockets forward Curt Gogol sends a slap shot from centre that shatters the glass in the second period. Then in the third period Rockets forward Cody Chikie sends a wrist shot that shatters the glass at the other end of the ice. Credit the six Prospera Place staff for addressing the problem quickly with limited delays.


• It took the off-ice crew 10:45 to clean up and replace the glass when it shattered in the second period and 12:10 for the glass replacement in the third.


• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the real deal. The 16 year-old receives a ton of ice time from Rebels head coach Jesse Wallin. Nugent-Hopkins had an assist, as did Rockets 16 year-old Shane McColgan in a clash of possibly two rookie of the year nominees when the season comes to an end.


• Did you notice the game started with just one linesman? After about 5 minutes a replacement was found when Kelowna resident Kevin Bennett made his WHL debut. Bennett was replaced after the first period by the scheduled linesman.


• Matt Kirk was the lone referee. Kirk wore a poppy on his referee jersey which was a nice touch.

Game notes for Wednesday afternoon's game

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Rebels are meeting for the first of just two times this season with both games played at Prospera Place. After tonight’s game these two teams tangle January 16th. These two teams met once last season with the Rebels earning a 1-0 victory in Red Deer December 16th. In the Rebels last visit to Kelowna on November 7/07, Kristofer Westblom made 21 saves while Cody Almond scored the game winner in the Rockets 3-2 win. This afternoon’s game is the Rockets 5th on home ice in their last six games. The only road game over that period was a 5-3 loss in Kamloops on Saturday. After today’s game the Rockets play three games in three nights this weekend. The Rockets are in Everett on Friday, in Portland on Saturday and in Spokane on Sunday.

Battles won and lost: The Rockets have not lost to the Rebels in Kelowna since Cam Ward made 25 saves November 4, 2003 in a 2-1 road victory. The Rockets have won three straight games over the Rebels in Kelowna including a 1-0 shutout November 12, 2004 when Derek Yeomans made 24 saves. The Rebels were able to win both games in Kelowna in the 2001-2002 season by identical scores of 5-1.

Last Game Recap: Brandon McMillan scored once and added an assist in the Rockets 5-3 loss in Kamloops Saturday night. Cody Chikie and Kyle St. Denis added singles in the Rockets 8th loss of the season. Overall the Rockets have lost three straight road games, having given up five goals in each of those last three losses. Adam Brown made 20 saves in the loss. The Rockets were 1 for 5 on the power play despite out-shooting the Blazers 42-25.

Representing the ‘Dub’: Two members of the Rockets will play for the WHL when a touring Russian team makes a stop in Victoria and Kelowna next month as part of the Subway Super Series. Brandon McMillan will be joined by teammate Tyson Barrie. McMillan will play in the game in Kelowna on November 26th while Barrie will play in both games. Ryan Huska is an assistant coach for both games along with Giants bench boss Don Hay. Rockets athletic therapist Jeff Thorburn is part of the Team Canada training staff for both games.

Extra Man Mayhem: The Rockets have scored a power play goal in sixteen of the nineteen games this season. They failed to score a power play goal against Kamloops September 25th, Tri City October 23rd and against Spokane October 30th. The Rockets own the 5th best power play in the league.

Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Brandon McMillan has points in eleven of the twelve games he’s played this season. McMillan has 7+14=21 this season and has five goals in his last five games. Stepan Novotny has been held off the score-sheet in 6 of the last 8 games. Shane McColgan has points in 14 of his last 16 games. McColgan has 6+16=22 over that period. McColgan has a point in 15 of the 19 games he’s played this season. McColgan has not scored a goal in seven games.

Game Day Tidbits: The Rockets are wearing special Remembrance Day uniforms in today’s game which will be auctioned off with the proceeds going towards the Royal Canadian Legion ….The Rockets have not played a game on November 11th since a 3-2 win in Prince George November 11, 2006….Brandon McMillan has been named a game star in the last three games he’s played. McMillan was the third star Saturday in Kamloops and has been named back-to-back first stars in the last two home games….The Rockets have been involved in eight-one goal games this season. The Rockets are 4-3-1-0 in those eight games…In the month of November the Rockets are playing 12 games in 24 nights…Kyle St. Denis leads the team with 7 power play goals apiece….Mitchell Callahan is a team high +9….Curt Gogol has 197 career WHL penalty minutes. ..Shane McColgan has a team high 17 assist, three better than Brandon McMillan’s 13…McColgan is one point back of Medicine Hat’s Emerson Item for the WHL scoring lead by rookies. Item has played four more games….Tyson Barrie is riding a 7 game point streak after missing 8 straight games after being injured against Kamloops on September 25th. Barrie has 3+9=12 over those seven games…The Rockets are 10-8-1-0 after nineteen games this season. Last year the Rockets were 11-8-0-0 after nineteen games…The Rockets have scored 73 goals in nineteen games this season after scoring 74 times in the teams first nineteen games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed 65 goals against this season after surrendering 59 goals after nineteen games last year…Ryan Huska has 95 regular season victories as the Rockets head coach....Aaron Borejko makes his first appearance in Kelowna as a member of the Rebels. Borejko, a 5th round pick in 2006, was traded to the Rebels earlier this season for a 4th round bantam selection.

Things that make me go hmm...

• It was a great way to spend a few hours on the ice with the Kelowna Rockets as the organization held their fan skate Sunday afternoon at Prospera Place. The turnout was great as the 'fans of tomorrow' had a chance to skate and receive autographs from their favourite Rockets players. I too took to the ice with my son Connell and took a picture with his two favourite Rockets - Shane McColgan and Kyle St. Denis.
• When I asked Connell why he likes McColgan and St. Denis he just shrugged his shoulders and couldn't give me an answer. Kids!
• It was great to see kids hovering around injured goaltender Mark Guggenberger. Gugg's is a popular guy even if he hasn't played a game yet. Guggenberger is great with the kids which not only increases his popularity with the little ones, but with the parents too.
• I spoke to Curt Gogol who assured me his knuckle/finger wasn't broken in Saturdays fight. But is it sore? Oh ya!
• I don't know which pair of hands look worse, Gogol's or Callahan's?
• I thought I'd introduce my son to Rockets captain Lucas Bloodoff. Lucas came through wonderfully for me. He told Connell, "I eat my vegetables, I love to read and I follow all the rules". To a parent of a 6 year-old it was music to my ears. Well done Captain Bloodoff.
• It was nice to see the coaching staff out for Sunday's skate. It may have something to do with Ryan Huska and Dan Lambert having younger children who are as eager as any to skate with the team they usually watch from the stands.
• Which Rocket is gaining in popularity? Cody Chikie. The kids love him.
• I was wearing my goalie skates which got a chuckle from coach Huska. They are old school. One parent skated by me and said, "I should have known you were a goalie". Something tells me that wasn't a compliment.
• All that was required in taking part in the skate was a donation of a non-perishable food item for the Kelowna Food Bank. After the skate there was free hot chocolate for everyone. The Rockets organization always put on a first class show. Even what some would consider a lower profile 'fan skate', it receives the attention it deserves.
• My son asked me why Rocky the Raccoon wasn't at Sunday's skate. My answer. "He has the flu".
• It was pointed out the other day that with the H1 N1 paranoia going on do Western Hockey League players, specifically the Rockets, adhere from tapping a fans hand when they skate off the ice after the pre-game warm-up or after the game ends? While those little hands rub against the glove of the player, does that player than use his glove to wipe away sweat from his eyes or nose? I'm just asking.
• To clarify, the Chilliwack Bruins shouldn't be classified with the Calgary Flames and Abbotsford Heat when it comes to the H1 N1 controversy. The Bruins were using vaccine that would have otherwise been thrown away. My poll may have been misleading to some thinking that the Bruins 'jumped the cue' to get their flu shots, when that wasn't the case.
• I thought it was cool to see Chilliwack Bruins head coach Marc Habscheid mingling with fans prior to Friday night's warm-up. Habscheid could hide in the Bruins dressing room waiting for the puck to be dropped before making his presence known in the building, but he was making small talk with several fans that came by to say hello. It's a small gesture by Habscheid, but the hockey fans in the community appreciate the stamp he made on the franchise.
• Are you wondering how Bruins sniper Ryan Howse would respond to the defensive mindset of Habscheid when he took over the reins in Chilliwack? Howse appears to have bought in if you look at the statistics. Howse has 12 goals in 19 games this season after scoring 10 times in 19 games on season ago. Maybe this is the most important stat. Howse is a -2 this season after a minus 11 after 19 games one season ago. (these stats were prior to this weekend).
• It was nice to hear Joe Kenward on Thursday night's Canucks radio broadcast. Kenward was calling the play-by-play when the Canucks faced off against the Minnesota Wild. What a strange week for Kenward though. He calls a Western Hockey League game for Shaw in Saskatoon between the Blades and Swift Current Broncos and then quickly catches a flight and is in the broadcast booth in 'Minny' calling an NHL game at Xcel Energy Center the following night. Who does he think he is, Donald Trump?
• The Saskatchewan Roughriders are hosting the Western final for the first time since 1976. I was 8 years-old back then. 'We' were do. As my Saskatchewan born cousin in Williams Lake BC says, "I haven't stopped crying for joy since Saturday's victory".
• Working Saturday's game and calling Wednesday afternoon's matinee affair against the Rebels means one thing - a day off today and tomorrow. Life is good.

Road Rash

• The Kamloops Blazers handed the Kelowna Rockets an early Christmas present, and it wasn't a bag of coal. Tyler Shattock's power play goal in the third period was the back breaker in the Blazers 5-3 home ice win last night at Interior Savings Centre. Oddly enough Saturday's game is the final time these two rivals will meet before Christmas, with the two teams getting together to renew acquaintances on December 30th.
• Despite Shattock's late power play goal the Rockets were able to score a shorthanded marker to make it 4-3. Jimmy Bubnick ended the scare with an empty netter to make it a 5-3 final.
• While the Blazers received three consecutive power plays in the third period, the most laughable was when Blazers forward CJ Stretch received a goaltender interference penalty two minutes into the final period. Maybe I don't understand the rule, but it appears that if ANY contact is made by a player on the goaltender it's a penalty. Even if you are pushed in or your momentum causes you to touch the goaltender, you are forced to sit for two minutes.
• I was told that the Blazers played one of their best games over the last month at home which makes me feel good about the Rockets game. While a loss is nothing to cheer about, I thought the Rockets played a pretty good road game. Sure their were miscues defensively, but Kamloops committed just as many as the Rockets did.
• A few plays stick out in my head that shows the skill level of two young players. Shane McColgan hits Blazers forward Colin Smith off the puck as he attempts to move inside the Rockets zone. McColgan makes solid contact with Smith and in one quick, effortless move, takes the puck away and skates up ice. The other play that I marveled at was Brendan Ranford picking up a hard - high pass at the Rockets blueline and skating in on a partial breakaway. For Ranford to accept that pass on his stick and make it look routine just shows you the skill level of one of the league's top 17 year-old forwards. Both plays would be greater appreciated if seen on video. By explaining them just doesn't do them justice.
• A fight between Curt Gogol and Josh Caron had Gogol's hand bloodied and bruised. Gogol was nursing his hand in the penalty box and didn't play after that fight. I will say it again, a broken knuckle or finger from a fight where both combatants have their helmets on is always a distinct possibility.
• I hope the Rockets did some maintenance on their dressing room prior to gearing up for last nights game. Less than 24 hours earlier the flu infested Edmonton Oil Kings share that same room. The flu bug is so bad for the Oil Kings that several of the players have been transported in a van during their recent road trip as not to infect teammates on the team bus.

Brown blanks Bruins

Photo curtesy: Marissa Baecker/shootthebreeze.ca

• It would be safe to say Adam Brown loves playing the Chilliwack Bruins. For the third time in his young career the 18 year-old goaltender recorded a shutout against the four year old franchise. Friday night at Prospera Place, Brown made 23 saves in a 3-0 win. Brown has four career shutouts, three against the Bruins. Brown is 6-1-0-0 against the Bruins over his career.
• Brown's best save may have come off a shot from Bruins forward Ryan Howse. Howse picks up the puck at the left face-off circle and snaps a hard shot that goes right off the mask of Brown. Howse has to have one if not the best release in the WHL.
• This game was anything but a back and forth affair. The Rockets had to implement the 'slow and steady wins the race' philosophy. Capitalizing on two power play chances and limiting errors in the defensive zone was text book hockey. It resulted in the Rockets 10th win of the season.
• I liked the Rockets effort in the 3rd period where they limited the Bruins to just five shots and one scoring chance. It also appeared that the Bruins ran out of gas in the third period as they struggled to generate much. A late third period power play by the Bruins really struggled and resulted in an icing call on a missed pass. You are mentally out of sync when you ice the puck on the power play.
• Brandon McMillan again had a strong game. McMillan looked far more comfortable skating on a foot that he cracked about 4 weeks ago. McMillan was skating harder, winning puck battles and enjoying life playing alongside line-mates Lucas Bloodoff and Mitchell Callahan. McMillan had a goal and an assist and was named the 1st star.
• It was nice to see the reaction of Callahan after a spirited fight with Bruins 20 year-old Mitch McColm. After the tilt was over, Callahan slapped McColm on the shoulder for a job well down.
• Mark Friesen had a solid game for the Bruins. The veteran goaltender allowed just two goals, as the Rockets third goal of the evening was into an empty net. Friesen made some good saves in this one.
• The win moves the Rockets into a tie with Everett for 4th place in the Western Conference.

Game notes vs. Bruins

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Bruins and meeting for the third time this season. The Rockets are 2-0-0-0, having out-scored the Bruins 13-6. The Rockets have won by scores of 6-4 and 7-2. Following tonight’s game these two teams meet November 27th in Chilliwack. The Rockets are 2 and 1 during a four game home stand. The Rockets were a 4-1 winner over Calgary and a 5-4 shootout winner Wednesday against Prince George while suffering a 4-3 loss to Spokane. The Rockets are in Kamloops Saturday before hosting the Red Deer Rebels on Wednesday. Tomorrow night the Rockets begin a stretch of playing 14 of their next 19 games on the road.

Scoring by periods vs. Bruins:
1 2 3 Total
Rockets: 2 6 5 13
Bruins: 3 1 2 6

Give me more: The Rockets have out-shot the Bruins in both games, by a combined total of 70-59. The Rockets are 4 for 10 on the power play (40%) while the Bruins are 1 for 9 with the extra man (12%) in the first two games.

Last Game Recap? Tyson Barrie scored the game winning goal in the shootout leading the Rockets to a 5-4 win Wednesday night over the Prince George Cougars. Kyle St. Denis, Mitchell Callahan, Brandon McMillan and Spencer Main scored for the Rockets in their 9th win of the season. The Rockets were 1/3 on the power play while the Cougars were 1 for 4. The Rockets out-shot the Cougars 35-31.

Representing the ‘Dub’: Two members of the Rockets will play for the WHL when a touring Russian team makes a stop in Victoria and Kelowna next month as part of the Subway Super Series. Brandon McMillan will be joined by teammate Tyson Barrie. McMillan will play in the game in Kelowna on November 26th while Barrie will play in both games. Ryan Huska is an assistant coach for both games along with Giants bench boss Don Hay. Rockets athletic therapist Jeff Thorburn is part of the Team Canada training staff for both games.

Extra Man Mayhem: The Rockets have scored a power play goal in fourteen of the seventeen games this season. They failed to score a power play goal against Kamloops September 25th, Tri City October 23rd and against Spokane October 30th. The Rockets own the 5th best power play in the league.

Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Brandon McMillan has points in nine of the ten games he’s played this season. McMillan missed 6 games earlier this season with a cracked bone in his foot. McMillan has 5+12=17 this season. Stepan Novotny has points in 11 of the 17 games this season yet has been held off the score-sheet in 4 of the last 6 games. Shane McColgan has points in 13 of his last 14 games. McColgan has 6+15=21 over that period. McColgan has a point in 14 of the 17 games he’s played this season. McColgan has not scored a goal in five games.

Game Day Tidbits: Tyson Barrie has more points after nine games this season than after nine games one season ago (1+7=8)… Barrie has more goals than all seven of the other Rockets defenseman combined. Collin Bowman has two goals while rookie Antonie Corbin has also scored from the back end….The Rockets have been involved in eight-one goal games this season. The Rockets are 4-3-1-0 in those eight games…In the Rockets next three games they face a team with a .500 or worse record…In their next 11 games, only four of those teams are .500 or better…In the month of November the Rockets are playing 12 games in 24 nights…Stepan Novotny leads the team with 6 power play goals….Mitchell Callahan is a team high +9….Curt Gogol has 192 career WHL penalty minutes. ..Shane McColgan has a team high 16 assist, four better than Brandon McMillan’s 12…McColgan is tied with Medicine Hat’s Emerson Item for the WHL scoring lead by rookies. Item has played four more games….Tyson Barrie is riding a 5 game point streak after missing 8 straight games after being injured against Kamloops on September 25th. Barrie has 3+7=10 over those five games…The Rockets are 9-7-1-0 after seventeen games this season. Last year the Rockets were 10-7-0-0 after seventeen games…The Rockets have scored 67 goals in seventeen games this season after scoring 68 times in the teams first seventeen games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed 60 goals against this season after surrendering 53 goals after seventeen games last year…Ryan Huska has 94 regular season victories as the Rockets head coach.

Shootout success

• A good start and a good finish for the Kelowna Rockets. Tyson Barrie played the hero by scoring the shootout game winning goal in the Rockets 5-4 win Wednesday night over the Prince George Cougars.
• The Rockets scored two quick goals less than 8 minutes into the game and you had a feeling this could be a blowout. But the Rockets let off the gas pedal allowing the Cougars to fight back. The two teams skated into the first intermission tied at two.
• Much like his team, Cougars goaltender Alex Wright also got better as the game wore on. Wright's best save was early in the 3rd period when he made a solid save off of Brandon McMillan on a breakaway when the game was tied at 3.
• Adam Brown's best save of the game came in overtime when he robbed Cougars forward James Dobrowolski. Cougars defenseman Kurt Torbohm makes a nice pass towards the left side of Adam Brown where Dobrowolski is standing all alone. On his belly, Brown doesn't give up on the play and stops the puck as it comes off the stick of the Cougars forward.
• Cougars d-man Jesse Forsberg is a great player. The 16 year-old was exposed in the Rockets 7-1 win over the Cougars a few weeks back but logged a ton of ice time in this one and was as good as any defender out there on either team.
• Lucas Bloodoff had a spirited fight with Cougars tough guy Tyler Halliday. Bloodoff was the aggressor yet didn't receive an instigator penalty, much to the dismay of the Cougars. Bloodoff also had a huge hit on Cougars d-man Daniel Medland-Marchen to set the tone just 30 seconds into the game
• The win moves the Rockets past Chilliwack and Kamloops into 5th place in the Western Conference.
• Former NHL GM Al Coates took in the game. Coates is now working as an executive with the National Hockey League.

Rockets game notes vs. Cougars

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Cougars are meeting for the second time this season. These two teams last met on October 10th with the Rockets earning a 7-1 win. Following tonight’s game these two teams will clash in Prince George November 20th and 21st. The Rockets are 1 and 1 during a four game home stand. The Rockets were a 4-1 winner over Calgary, yet dropped a one goal decision to Spokane (4-3 L). The Rockets conclude the home stand Friday against Chilliwack before facing the Blazers in Kamloops Saturday night. Following the home stand the Rockets play 14 of their next 19 games on the road. The Rockets are 12 and 3 in their last 15 regular season meetings against the Cougars at Prospera Place.

Representing the ‘Dub’: Two members of the Rockets will play for the WHL when a touring Russian team makes a stop in Victoria and Kelowna next month as part of the Subway Super Series. Brandon McMillan will be joined by teammate Tyson Barrie. McMillan will play in the game in Kelowna on November 26th while Barrie will play in both games. Ryan Huska is an assistant coach for both games along with Giants bench boss Don Hay.

Last Game Recap? Tyson Barrie scored twice in a 4-3 loss to the Spokane Chiefs last Friday night. Shane McColgan picked up two assists and was a +3. Adam Brown was sharp making 31 saves in the loss. The Rockets were out-shot 35-34 with the home team going 0 for 4 on the power play while the Chiefs were 2 for 4 with the man advantage.

One man up: The Rockets have scored twenty-one power play goals (21/73=28.8%) in their last thirteen games. The Rockets have scored a power play goal in thirteen of the sixteen games this season. They failed to score a power play goal against Kamloops September 25th, Tri City October 23rd and against Spokane October 30th. The Rockets own the 5th best power play in the league.

Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Brandon McMillan has points in eight of the nine games he’s played this season. McMillan returned last Friday after missing 6 games with a cracked bone in his foot. McMillan has 4+11=15 this season. Stepan Novotny has points in 11 of the 16 games this season. Shane McColgan had his ten game point streak snapped against Vancouver October 25th. McColgan had (6+11=17) over that period. Kyle St. Denis has fifteen points in his last twelve games (8+7=15). Lucas Bloodoff has goals in five of his last eleven games.

Game Day Tidbits: The Rockets have been involved in seven-one goal games this season. The Rockets are 3-3-1-0 in those seven games…In the Rockets next four games they face a team with a .500 or worse record…In their next 12 games only four of those teams are .500 or better…In the month of November the Rockets will play 12 games in 24 nights…Rookie defenseman MacKenzie Johnston earned his first career point, an assist, in last Friday’s loss to the Spokane Chiefs. Johnston’s assist came on Mitchell Callahan’s 3rd period goal….Stepan Novotny leads the team with 6 power play goals….Mitchell Callahan is a team high +7….Curt Gogol has 190 career WHL penalty minutes. ..Shane McColgan has a team high 15 assist, four better than Brandon McMillan’s 11…McColgan is a point back of Medicine Hat’s Emerson Item for the WHL scoring lead by rookies. Item has played four more games….Tyson Barrie is riding a 4 game point streak after missing 8 straight games after being injured against Kamloops on September 25th. Barrie has 3+6=9 over those four games…The Rockets are 8-7-1-0 after sixteen games this season. Last year the Rockets were 9-7-0-0 after sixteen games…The Rockets have scored 62 goals in sixteen games this season after scoring 61 times in the teams first sixteen games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed 56 goals against this season after surrendering 50 goals after sixteen games last year…Ryan Huska has 93 regular season victories as the Rockets head coach.

Beach isn't holding his breath

Kyle Beach isn't holding his breath on playing for Canada at this years world junior hockey championships.

The Kelowna minor hockey product was not on the list of Western Hockey League players named to the roster for this months Subway Super Series against Team Russia.

Games featuring the two teams will be played in Victoria and Kelowna November 25th and 26th.

"An incident that got blown out of proportion at the Under 18's has me on the outside. I got into the Super Series last year and played really well, so I thought I would get a chance but didn't even get an invite to camp. It's disappointing, but hopefully I can play well over the next couple of weeks and maybe get an invite to the world junior camp."

Beach, a first round pick of the NHL's Chicago Black Hawks, has 14 points in 12 games with the Spokane Chiefs this season.

Daylight savings time disappointment

• Daylight savings time takes affect Saturday at midnight allowing BC resident the chance to obtain an extra hour of sleep. On Friday night it looked like the Kelowna Rockets needed the extra shut-eye in a 4-3 loss to the Spokane Chiefs. The Rockets got exactly what they deserved in this one. For the first time this season the team was flat for the majority of the game, and had it not been for goaltender Adam Brown, the score could have been much worse than just a one goal loss.
• The Rockets came out with no drive, no emotion in the opening period. They were unwilling to clear pucks with authority, initiate body contact or win battles to loose pucks. Spokane forward Mitch Wahl had three glorious chances in the first period to open up the scoring but was denied by the best player on the ice for the Rockets - Adam Brown.
• Kyle Beach had another strong game against the Rockets. The 19 year-old scored twice and added an assist and played a smart game. Rockets forward Curt Gogol attempted to engage Beach into a third period fight on a Spokane power play, which Beach thought about, and then smartly skated away.
• I am not sure what type of teammate Kyle Beach is, but you can't argue with his production on the ice. He has too much skill not to be a threat and only compliments what the Chiefs already have. With the return of overage d-man Jared Spurgeon, that Chief power play will be deadly.
• Spokane's better players were indeed better than the Rockets top end players on this night. Despite Mitch Wahl's struggles to score, he was solid in his own zone and was great on the penalty kill. The same can't be said for Rockets leading scorer Stepan Novotny, who was benched by the coaching staff for his uninspired play. While I am singling out Novotny, Lucas Bloodoff was equally as ineffective. If the older players aren't willing to work, what message does that send the younger players?
• While I was disappointed with the work ethic Friday night, it likely marks the first time this season the team didn't come out and truly compete. Overall through 16 games the Rockets can't be faulted for sluggish play. But if this team buys into the theory that they can put in a half-hearted effort and win, they are sadly mistaken.
• Tyson Barrie had two goals in the game, giving him 9 points in four games since returning from a knee injury in the third game of the season against Kamloops.
• Rookie Shane McColgan is now tied with Stepan Novotny for the team lead in points with 21. McColgan had two assists and was a +3. McColgan has registered a point in all but three games this season.
• Brandon McMillan returned to the Rockets lineup after missing 6 games with a broken bone in his foot. McMillan was held off the score-sheet for the first time this season. While he was able to contribute, he was obviously not 100%. You could tell he just didn't have that breakaway speed that he is known for.
• Rookie MacKenzie Johnston earned his first WHL point, an assist in the third period.