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01-04-2008, 10:02 AM
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=83548
Rockets give Vancouver Giants a Long goodby
By David Trifunov
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
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By DAVID TRIFUNOV
The Daily Courier
What started out as a joke has turned into serious business for Colin Long and the Kelowna Rockets.
Long notched three assists to take over the WHL scoring lead and power the Rockets to a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.
“Colin was, I dunno, 20th in points a couple of months back,” said Brady Leavold, who scored twice off Long assists. “We were joking around about it, to see if he could get to No. 1. I‘m doing everything I can to help him get to No. 1, but, more importantly, to get him drafted or get him an NHL tryout. The way he‘s playing right now, I don‘t see him having any trouble doing that.”
Long now has 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 points, or one more than Mark Santorelli of the idle Chilliwack Bruins. Long has also scored a point in seven straight games. As you might expect, he downplayed the personal accomplishments.
“If the team‘s winning, and the team‘s having success, then it‘s just a bonus to get points,” the Santa Ana, Calif., native said. “It‘s always nice to have good linemates who can give you the puck, and who can put the puck in the net.”
Lucas Bloodoff and Jamie Benn also scored for the Rockets (22-13-2-4), who never trailed in front of 6,062 appreciative fans. Torrie Jung made 17 saves for the Rockets in his third straight start. Lance Bouma replied for the Giants (26-8-1-4) as Tyson Sexsmith stopped 21 shots in goal.
It wasn‘t pretty early on as both teams seemed cautious with key regulars missing to the world juniors and world under-17 tournaments.
The Rockets played their eighth game without star defenceman Luke Schenn, who is with Team Canada at the world juniors in the Czech Republic. They‘re also missing defenceman Tyson Barrie to the under-17 event in London, Ont. On Saturday, they lost captain James McEwan, who underwent surgery to close a cut forearm sustained in a fight to Vancouver‘s Garet Hunt.
The Giants are missing American defenceman Jonathon Blum to the world juniors and Evander Kane and James Henry to the under-17s.
“We didn‘t generate much offence,” Giants coach Don Hay said. “The guys who are missing, are missing. The guys who are here have to play.”
Leavold opened the scoring five minutes into the second thanks to a bad Giants turnover at their own blue-line. Colin Joe spotted Long and Leavold streaking in alone. Long fed across to Leavold, who scored easily at the far post. The Giants awoke about a minute later when Bouma followed the play and beat Jung into the top corner.
Leavold took a pass in close and beat Sexsmith at the near post to give Kelowna the lead back with less than eight minutes to play. From the right face-off circle, Bloodoff turned and fired quickly to beat Sexsmith along the ice for a 3-1 advantage three minutes later. Benn ended the scoring when he took a terrific cross-ice pass from Long to end the scoring with less than two minutes on the clock.
The Rockets will now look forward to hosting the next three at home, starting with weekend games against the Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers.
“All of our games for this month, it seems like we‘re playing divisional games. But we have two big ones this weekend,” Kelowna coach Ryan Huska said. “We‘re getting on a role and I think tonight was a great start for us.”
ICE CHIPS: McEwan is expected to miss as many as three months. . . . The Rockets are 4-3 against Vancouver this season. . . . Kelowna has 13 games this month, eight at home. . . . No Rocket has ever won the WHL scoring race. Jesse Schultz finished second to Brandon‘s Eric Fehr in 2002-03. Schultz had 104 points, or four fewer than Fehr.
Rockets give Vancouver Giants a Long goodby
By David Trifunov
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Email this article
Send a Letter to the Editor
Printer friendly page
By DAVID TRIFUNOV
The Daily Courier
What started out as a joke has turned into serious business for Colin Long and the Kelowna Rockets.
Long notched three assists to take over the WHL scoring lead and power the Rockets to a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.
“Colin was, I dunno, 20th in points a couple of months back,” said Brady Leavold, who scored twice off Long assists. “We were joking around about it, to see if he could get to No. 1. I‘m doing everything I can to help him get to No. 1, but, more importantly, to get him drafted or get him an NHL tryout. The way he‘s playing right now, I don‘t see him having any trouble doing that.”
Long now has 20 goals and 41 assists for 61 points, or one more than Mark Santorelli of the idle Chilliwack Bruins. Long has also scored a point in seven straight games. As you might expect, he downplayed the personal accomplishments.
“If the team‘s winning, and the team‘s having success, then it‘s just a bonus to get points,” the Santa Ana, Calif., native said. “It‘s always nice to have good linemates who can give you the puck, and who can put the puck in the net.”
Lucas Bloodoff and Jamie Benn also scored for the Rockets (22-13-2-4), who never trailed in front of 6,062 appreciative fans. Torrie Jung made 17 saves for the Rockets in his third straight start. Lance Bouma replied for the Giants (26-8-1-4) as Tyson Sexsmith stopped 21 shots in goal.
It wasn‘t pretty early on as both teams seemed cautious with key regulars missing to the world juniors and world under-17 tournaments.
The Rockets played their eighth game without star defenceman Luke Schenn, who is with Team Canada at the world juniors in the Czech Republic. They‘re also missing defenceman Tyson Barrie to the under-17 event in London, Ont. On Saturday, they lost captain James McEwan, who underwent surgery to close a cut forearm sustained in a fight to Vancouver‘s Garet Hunt.
The Giants are missing American defenceman Jonathon Blum to the world juniors and Evander Kane and James Henry to the under-17s.
“We didn‘t generate much offence,” Giants coach Don Hay said. “The guys who are missing, are missing. The guys who are here have to play.”
Leavold opened the scoring five minutes into the second thanks to a bad Giants turnover at their own blue-line. Colin Joe spotted Long and Leavold streaking in alone. Long fed across to Leavold, who scored easily at the far post. The Giants awoke about a minute later when Bouma followed the play and beat Jung into the top corner.
Leavold took a pass in close and beat Sexsmith at the near post to give Kelowna the lead back with less than eight minutes to play. From the right face-off circle, Bloodoff turned and fired quickly to beat Sexsmith along the ice for a 3-1 advantage three minutes later. Benn ended the scoring when he took a terrific cross-ice pass from Long to end the scoring with less than two minutes on the clock.
The Rockets will now look forward to hosting the next three at home, starting with weekend games against the Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers.
“All of our games for this month, it seems like we‘re playing divisional games. But we have two big ones this weekend,” Kelowna coach Ryan Huska said. “We‘re getting on a role and I think tonight was a great start for us.”
ICE CHIPS: McEwan is expected to miss as many as three months. . . . The Rockets are 4-3 against Vancouver this season. . . . Kelowna has 13 games this month, eight at home. . . . No Rocket has ever won the WHL scoring race. Jesse Schultz finished second to Brandon‘s Eric Fehr in 2002-03. Schultz had 104 points, or four fewer than Fehr.