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Malc
03-19-2009, 01:46 PM
By DOYLE POTENTEAU

At one time, it was a rivalry to behold: The Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers.

So heated were the emotions between these two teams that there were those observers who felt it was the equal of the WHL‘s top rivalry, the ongoing and likely never-ending feud between the Regina Pats and Moose Jaw Warriors.

Those hot, fight-filled days, however, appear to be long gone, with Kelowna consistently pounding Kamloops into the ground this decade.

It could be more of the same this week and next, when Kelowna and Kamloops meet in first-round playoff action.

The best-of-seven series starts Friday in Kelowna with Game 2 on Saturday. It then moves north to Kamloops for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Those wanting to watch this series should get their tickets early because statistics indicate that this affair will be over in short order.

How short? Quite short, what with Kelowna having ruled its season series against Kamloops 9-0-0-0.

No, that isn‘t a typo – 9-0. If that doesn‘t underscore a sweep, or over in five, what does?

Yet, in Kelowna, the Rockets aren‘t playing the overdog card despite having outscored Kamloops 49-18 since Jan. 1.

There also is momentum in Kelowna‘s favour, with the Rockets having gone 15-0-0-0 against playoff-bound teams since Feb. 1, including three victories over each of the Vancouver Giants and Spokane Chiefs, and one against the Calgary Hitmen.

The Rockets also ended regular-season play on an eight-game winning streak.

“It‘s guys maturing a little bit over the course of the season,” Rockets head coach Ryan Huska said of the roll Kelowna has been on for the last six weeks. “Maybe some of the adversity or tough times we faced earlier on were good learning experiences. I think our leaders have taken a big step forward on how they have to handle the (dressing) room.

“That‘s probably the biggest reason as to why our team improved over the second half of the season.”

That, and adding the likes of Swedish forward Mikael Backlund and speedy centre Ian Duval, heavyweight Ryley Grantham and goaltender Mark Guggenberger at the trade deadline didn‘t hurt.

With three good lines – arguably the league‘s deepest set of forwards, led by Colin Long and Jamie Benn – Kelowna‘s offence has spearheaded the Rockets‘ late-season charge. In their past 21 games (18-2-0-1), the Rockets have outscored their opponents 82-36 while limiting the opposition to one goal or less on 12 occasions.

To put Kelowna‘s hot streak in perspective, the Western Conference-winning Giants were 13-6-2-0 over the same time span and 8-8 against playoff-bound teams.

Meanwhile, Kamloops – which closed out its season with back-to-back losses against Kelowna, 6-4 and 7-1 – was 10-10-1-0 overall and 7-11 against playoff-bound teams.

According to the Rockets, though, those numbers are meaningless.

“Playoff time is a different time of the year,” Huska said. “If we approach it looking at what happened, or what happened during the season series (with Kamloops), we‘re in trouble. We have to look at it now that everybody‘s on even footing, that we‘re starting on the same ground. We have to be prepared to play just one game at a time.”

“Right now, we‘re looking past (9-0) and getting ready for the playoffs,” said Rockets defenceman Collin Bowman, who was a team-high plus-32. “The playoffs are a new season and a fresh start.”

Given all the stats in Kelowna‘s favour, it‘s not hard to see why the Rockets are excited about these playoffs.

“I‘ve been here for four seasons, and this season has a different feeling to it,” Almond said. “We‘ve really learned how to win over the last little while; the team‘s really tight and really wants to win. I definitely think we have the team to do it.”

For Almond, who‘ll likely make the jump to the pro game next season, this is probably his last stint in a Rockets uniform – as it is for Benn, Long and Backlund, as well as the 20-year-olds Tysen Dowzak, Grantham and Duval.

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=172203

Malc
03-20-2009, 01:52 PM
By Warren Henderson

Nine regular season games against the Kamloops Blazers, nine wins for the Kelowna Rockets.

Such telling results aren’t about to lull captain Colin Long into a false sense of security.

Then again, to expect anything less than a convincing first-round Western Hockey League playoff win would be to shortchange his Kelowna teammates.

“We know we’ve had a lot of success against Kamloops, but it’s a clean slate now,” said Long, 19, who led the Rockets with 91 points this season. “Anybody who’s been in the playoffs knows it’s a whole different season. I’m sure (Kamloops) is going to come out hard and be a better team than we’ve seen. But I know we’ll be ready for it.”

The Rockets and Blazers face off their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series tonight at 7 at Prospera Place. Game 2 is Saturday in Kelowna.

Kelowna ran roughshod over the Blazers during the regular campaign, outscoring them 49-18. Kamloops managed just a single point in the nine-game season series losing 4-3 in a shootout on Dec. 27 in Kelowna. Based on the events of the last six months hockey pundits couldn’t be blamed for thinking this series will be over quickly, possibly as soon as Game 4 next Wednesday in Kamloops.

While Kamloops coach Barry Smith agrees the Rockets are a formidable and heavily-favoured opponent, he said it serves little purpose for his team to dwell too much on the numbers and what is now past history.

“We’re playing one of the top teams in the league, arguably the best team since Christmas, so we know what we’re up against,” said Smith. “Fortunately, it’s a situation where we get to start new. We can point back to the regular season, learn from that and see that when we don’t do things the right way, we don’t win. If we work hard and do the right things, then at least we give ourselves a chance. There’s a big big task ahead of us, so it’s a good challenge for our players to show what they’ve got.”

With five 20-goal scorers in the lineup, the Blazers have displayed considerable punch on offense this season. But with 277 goals allowed during the regular season—the fourth most in the WHL—keeping the puck out of their net has been a problem.

However, with wins over both Vancouver (3-1) and Calgary (5-1) late in the season, the Blazers have shown they can, at times, play with the big boys.

“We’d be making a big mistake if we looked past them,” said Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton.

“We had a lot of close games with them earlier in the season. I expect they’ll change their style some and be a better team.”

While looking beyond Game 1 tonight is not an option for Kelowna, there is an unmistakable air of excitement surrounding the 2008-09 post season.

Eighteen wins in their last 21 games, including eight straight to finish the season, has the Rockets looking very much like a championship contender.

Defenceman Tyler Myers said now it’s a matter of proving it.

“Obviously we’re really excited, we know we have great potential in the room, but we’re all just talk right now,” said the 6-foot-7.5 Myers. “We’ve got a lot of capability to go a long way in the playoffs. We just have to go out and prove that.” Games 3 and 4 in the series are set for Tuesday, March 24 and Wednesday, March 25 at Interior Savings Centre. A fifth game, if needed, would be played Friday, March 27 in Kelowna.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/kelownacapitalnews/sports/41546947.html

Malc
03-20-2009, 01:54 PM
By Doyle Potenteau

Lucas Bloodoff was there. Mikael Backlund wasn‘t.

Earlier this week, the Kelowna Rockets sat out Bloodoff and Backlund for the team‘s final two regular-season games, saying they needed time to rest some minor bumps and bruises. At Thursday‘s practice, though, it appears Backlund needs more time to heal, for he didn‘t skate, while Bloodoff suited up for the spirited 90-minute affair.

Backlund was hurt in Saturday‘s 6-4 win at Kamloops, when 6-foot-3 Blazers blue-liner Zak Stebner made a clean hit on the Swedish forward at 14 minutes of the first period.

Bloodoff was also injured in that game, sliding into the end boards after getting tripped.

But while Bloodoff has recovered, it appears Backlund hasn‘t from his undisclosed injury. And with Game 1 of the Rockets and Blazers first-round series going tonight, it‘s unlikely Backlund will be playing.

As a rule of thumb, the Rockets don‘t play players who haven‘t skated the day before.

The last WHL injury report was issued March 10, and is well out of date.

In 28 games since joining Kelowna after the 2009 world junior hockey championship, the 6-foot-1 centre from Sweden has registered 12 goals and 30 points.

“We‘re still . it‘s a day-to-day type thing. Nothing really changes at this time of the season,” said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska, who wouldn‘t confirm Backlund‘s injury, other than to jokingly call it a “body injury.”

While Kelowna‘s tight-lipped coach wouldn‘t reveal more, he expects his players to be on edge, at least temporarily, for tonight‘s Game 1. The Rockets enter the best-of-seven series as the favoured team, having bested the Blazers 9-0 in their season series while also earning the No. 3 seed in Western Conference standings. The Blazers finished sixth.

“They are, they‘re excited and anxious,” said Huska. “I think there‘ll be a little nervous energy in the building, but that‘s to be expected. Their big challenge is to be able to handle and manage it, and use it to their advantage.”

ICE CHIPS: The Rockets have called up LW Brett Bulmer of the B.C. Major Midget League‘s Cariboo Cougars. The Cougars had their season end last week after falling to the Greater Vancouver Canadians in semifinal playoff action. The Canadians won the best-of-three series 2-1... A 6-1 forward, Bulmer finished second in BCMML regular-season scoring with 28 goals and 63 points in 36 games. Bulmer has been called up before, and has played in three games this season.

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=173296

Malc
03-23-2009, 01:45 PM
By Doyle Potenteau

No Mikael Backlund, no problem for the Kelowna Rockets.

Ryley Grantham scored two goals for Kelowna, his first career post-season markers, while centre Colin Long and defenceman Brandon McMillan each had two assists, as the Rockets defeated the Kamloops Blazers 5-1 in WHL playoff action on Saturday night. With the win, Kelowna now leads the first-round series 2-0.

On Friday, the Rockets opened the best-of-seven set with a 4-2 victory and a roster without Backlund, who also missed Saturday‘s contest. One of the team‘s top forwards, Backlund has been out of action for the past week with an undisclosed upper-body injury. The 20-year-old Swedish centre recorded 12 goals and 30 points in 29 games.

Asked to comment if Backlund was recovering from a concussion, Rockets head coach Ryan Huska offered a tight-lipped answer: “He‘s got an injury.”

However, Huska said Backlund skated on Saturday, the first time since the 6-foot-1 forward was hurt nine days ago in a 6-4 win at Kamloops.

“It was good to see him,” said Huska. “He‘s a guy that‘s been missed from our lineup, so whenever we get him back, we‘ll be excited to have him because he can contribute in a lot of different ways.”

On Saturday, the Rockets rolled on without Backlund, and Kelowna received a solid game from Grantham. Kelowna‘s enforcer, who‘s better known for fighting than scoring. In his third-and-final season of junior eligibility, Grantham has played in just eight playoff games. In the regular season, he rolled up 12 goals and 29 points plus 193 penalty minutes.

That he scored twice – with the second being a sniper‘s goal, a top-shelf wrister from the high slot – somewhat surprised the 6-foot-4 forward.

“The first (goal) was a greasy one,” said Grantham, who jammed home a rebound after an end-to-end rush by McMillan. “He threw it on net, and I was in the right spot at the right time. My second one, I walked out and put it upstairs.

“I landed in a great spot before the deadline,” continued Grantham, who was acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Jan. 9. “I couldn‘t be happier, and I have a real good feeling about this team. It‘s the best one I‘ve ever been on, and we‘re learning how to win.”

Ian Duval, Jamie Benn and Stepan Novotny also scored for Kelowna. The best-of-seven series resumes Tuesday and Wednesday in Kamloops with Games 3 and 4.

On Friday, the Blazers scored first, then wound up losing 4-2 as the Rockets were the better team over the final two periods. Scoring for Kelowna were Stepan Novotny, Tyler Myers, Tyson Barrie and Colin Long. Jamie Benn chipped in with two assists, with Ian Duval, Lucas Bloodoff, Long and Barrie each earning an assist. The same story replayed itself Saturday before a crowd of 5,204 – although Rockets netminder Mark Guggenberger made a wild diving save just two minutes in, denying Jimmy Bubnick from scoring into an empty net with a paddle save.

“I thought we came out a little flat, and props to Guggenberger for keeping us in there for the first 10 minutes,” said Grantham.

“Mark was good early on,” said Huska. “They got an early power play, and it gave them some momentum. Some of the saves Mark made allowed the game to stay 0-0 until we got our legs under us.”

Kenton Dulle, with a short-handed effort, replied for Kamloops, which hasn‘t won a post-season series since 1998-99, including a 4-0 loss to Kelowna in 2002. Coincidentally, the Blazers went 0-8-0-1 this season against the Rockets, the only team Kamloops did not beat in regular-season play.

Guggenberger made 29 saves for the Rockets, while Justin Leclerc stopped 37 shots for the Blazers, who were unlucky not to take an early 1-0 lead. Had they scored, maybe Saturday‘s result would have been different, though the Blazers have had trouble closing out games against the Rockets this season.

“We‘ve had good starts the last two nights,” said Dulle, a 5-10 winger from Craik, Sask. “It‘s just that we need to get the puck into the net to get momentum going. We have to stick with our game plan, for the entire game, and not just for one period. We have to stick with it for 60 minutes.

“Our focus is we have to get on them quickly, and limit their time and space. We think that if we can do that, that‘s going to create some success for us. Going back home for Games 3 and 4, those are huge things for us.”

ICE CHIPS: Kelowna‘s scratches were RW Kyle St. Denis (concussion, one week) and C Mikael Backlund (upper-body injury, possible concussion). Kamloops‘ scratches D Brandon Underwood, D Michal Siska and LW Brett Lyon... Kelowna was 0-for-10 on the power play; Kamloops was 0-for-4... The three stars were all Rockets: Guggenberger, Grantham and Almond... Kelowna‘s sellout streak at Prospera Place is 174 regular-season games and 0 playoff games. Friday‘s attendance was 5,123, while Saturday‘s was 5,204... Last spring, the Rockets also failed to sell out Prospera Place in three first-round home games against the Seattle Thunderbirds, drawing crowds of 5,108, 5,186 and 5,217.

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=173691