scamperdog
12-05-2006, 09:32 PM
Rough times for goal-starved Rockets as losses mount
By Doyle Potenteau
Monday, December 4, 2006, 12:00 AM
Winless in six games. Nine games below .500. The league’s worst offence.
Times are tough for the Kelowna Rockets, who haven’t tasted victory since a 5-4 decision over the Blazers in Kamloops on Nov. 14. In their six games since then, the Rockets have been outscored 25-10 and outshot 186-129.
And yet, those who think it can’t get any tougher haven’t looked at Kelowna’s schedule this week. The Rockets (8-17-1-2) play three road games and one home date this week: Spokane (13-11-3-1) on Tuesday, Portland (9-17-0-1) on Wednesday, at home on Friday to Everett (23-2-0-1), the No. 1-ranked team in the nation; then, on Saturday, Vancouver (22-4-2-2), the No. 2-ranked team.
All of this follows a stinging 3-2 loss on Saturday to the Blazers (20-7-1-1), when Brock Nixon tipped in a Ray Macias point shot with 7.9 seconds remaining in the contest as Kamloops swept a home-and-home series with Kelowna. On Friday, the Blazers, ranked eighth in the nation, blanked the Rockets 5-0 in Kamloops.
“There was a big turnaround from Friday’s game to (Saturday’s),” said Rockets head coach Jeff Truitt, whose team is averaging a league low of 2.14 goals per game, below the average of 3.11 and well below the Kootenay Ice’s leading average of 3.96. “We challenged our guys (to play well) and it happened, so, for that, it’s a real positive.
“But, like anything, they don’t feel good about the loss. I hope they can erase it and hope they dwell on the positives. But we also know we have to make adjustments here and there. As the game goes, we have to be strong on pucks, strong on clearing and not give teams extra chances to win games.”
Cody Almond did exactly that on Saturday, as the sophomore centre was called for interference on Macias at 18:03 of the third period. One minute and 49 seconds later, Nixon tipped in his 20th goal of the season. The Blazers finished the game with two power-play goals on 12 chances; the Rockets were 1-5.
“We have to lock the door and shut teams down,” said Truitt. “I just feel bad for the guys that we lose on a last-second shot. But we’ve got to move on, erase the slate, get right back at it and build from it. It was a character-building game that we have to learn from.”
“They had a lot of determination,” Nixon said of Kelowna, which received a boost of energy when defenceman Tysen Dowzak made Blazer centre C.J. Stretch pay the price for hitting winger Troy Ofukany from behind five minutes into the second period.
“At that moment, the crowd got into it, the bench got into it, and they took it to us for the second, and we were definitely on our heels. But credit goes to the guys in (our) room for refocusing and having a good third.”
Rockets netminder Kris Westblom, the game’s first star for his 34-save effort, was of two minds concerning Saturday’s result.
“It was good to get some energy, and it showed in the game,” said the 19-year-old, who will likely play three games this week, including back-to-back starts against Everett and Vancouver. “There were things we did that we can build from, but anytime you lose a game, especially with seven seconds left, it’s a pretty bitter taste in your mouth.”
www.KelownaDailyCourier.ca
By Doyle Potenteau
Monday, December 4, 2006, 12:00 AM
Winless in six games. Nine games below .500. The league’s worst offence.
Times are tough for the Kelowna Rockets, who haven’t tasted victory since a 5-4 decision over the Blazers in Kamloops on Nov. 14. In their six games since then, the Rockets have been outscored 25-10 and outshot 186-129.
And yet, those who think it can’t get any tougher haven’t looked at Kelowna’s schedule this week. The Rockets (8-17-1-2) play three road games and one home date this week: Spokane (13-11-3-1) on Tuesday, Portland (9-17-0-1) on Wednesday, at home on Friday to Everett (23-2-0-1), the No. 1-ranked team in the nation; then, on Saturday, Vancouver (22-4-2-2), the No. 2-ranked team.
All of this follows a stinging 3-2 loss on Saturday to the Blazers (20-7-1-1), when Brock Nixon tipped in a Ray Macias point shot with 7.9 seconds remaining in the contest as Kamloops swept a home-and-home series with Kelowna. On Friday, the Blazers, ranked eighth in the nation, blanked the Rockets 5-0 in Kamloops.
“There was a big turnaround from Friday’s game to (Saturday’s),” said Rockets head coach Jeff Truitt, whose team is averaging a league low of 2.14 goals per game, below the average of 3.11 and well below the Kootenay Ice’s leading average of 3.96. “We challenged our guys (to play well) and it happened, so, for that, it’s a real positive.
“But, like anything, they don’t feel good about the loss. I hope they can erase it and hope they dwell on the positives. But we also know we have to make adjustments here and there. As the game goes, we have to be strong on pucks, strong on clearing and not give teams extra chances to win games.”
Cody Almond did exactly that on Saturday, as the sophomore centre was called for interference on Macias at 18:03 of the third period. One minute and 49 seconds later, Nixon tipped in his 20th goal of the season. The Blazers finished the game with two power-play goals on 12 chances; the Rockets were 1-5.
“We have to lock the door and shut teams down,” said Truitt. “I just feel bad for the guys that we lose on a last-second shot. But we’ve got to move on, erase the slate, get right back at it and build from it. It was a character-building game that we have to learn from.”
“They had a lot of determination,” Nixon said of Kelowna, which received a boost of energy when defenceman Tysen Dowzak made Blazer centre C.J. Stretch pay the price for hitting winger Troy Ofukany from behind five minutes into the second period.
“At that moment, the crowd got into it, the bench got into it, and they took it to us for the second, and we were definitely on our heels. But credit goes to the guys in (our) room for refocusing and having a good third.”
Rockets netminder Kris Westblom, the game’s first star for his 34-save effort, was of two minds concerning Saturday’s result.
“It was good to get some energy, and it showed in the game,” said the 19-year-old, who will likely play three games this week, including back-to-back starts against Everett and Vancouver. “There were things we did that we can build from, but anytime you lose a game, especially with seven seconds left, it’s a pretty bitter taste in your mouth.”
www.KelownaDailyCourier.ca