Bulmer amongst selection-camp invitees

Below is the WHL's press release on Kelowna Rockets forward Brett Bulmer on being named to Team Canada's national junior-team selection camp.

CALGARY, Alta. — Kelowna Rockets forward Brett Bulmer is among 16 Western Hockey League players invited to take part in Canada's National Junior Selection Camp in advance of the World Junior Hockey Tournament.

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), announced Monday that 41 of Canada's top junior-aged players (born in 1992 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada's National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp, Dec. 10-14, 2011 at the WinSport Canada Athletic & Ice Complex in Calgary.

In 10 games played since returning from the Minnesota Wild, Bulmer has recorded six goals and nine assists including a hat trick in Kelowna's win on Saturday night over Victoria.

Other WHL invites include the Moose Jaw Warriors' Quinton Howden who helped Canada earn a Silver Medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, NY.  Other notables include the WHL's current leading scorer Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings), Montreal Canadiens top prospect Brendan Gallagher (Vancouver Giants), first round 2011 NHL Draft picks Mark McNeill (Prince Albert Raiders) and Joseph Morrow (Portland Winterhawks), along with top rated WHL prospects heading into the 2012 NHL Draft Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips) and Matt Dumba (Red Deer Rebels).

Visit http://hockeycanada.ca/ for FULL roster details.

Thirty-six of the players named to the selection camp roster were drafted in either the 2009 or 2010 NHL Entry Drafts, including fourteen first-round selections and nine second-round picks.

Hockey Canada can still add additional players prior to the opening of the selection camp on Dec. 10, in the event that NHL teams loan Canada's National Junior Team junior-aged eligible players currently playing in the NHL.

"On behalf of Hockey Canada, we want to congratulate the players named to the camp roster today, along with their club teams, parents and minor hockey coaches that have helped them reach this level," said Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada's vice president of hockey operations/national teams. "As well, we would like to thank the Canadian Hockey League for its partnership and support of the Program of Excellence."

"Thanks to Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence, many of these players have already received the experience necessary to deal with high-paced international competition such as the World Juniors," said Kevin Prendergast, Hockey Canada's head scout of the men's Program of Excellence. "The quality and skill of the 41 players invited to camp next week is a testament to the hard work, commitment and development of all those involved in the Canadian minor hockey and junior hockey systems."

Prendergast travelled coast to coast during the early months of the 2011-12 season, assessing players in preparation for the selection camp.

"On behalf of the Canadian Hockey League, I would like to congratulate all players who have been named to the selection camp roster," said David Branch, president of the CHL. "This is a tremendous honour, and all have worked extremely hard to get to where they are today."

SELECTION CAMP INFORMATION

There will be two Red-White intrasquad games (Dec. 11-12) and one game against a team of all-stars from Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). The CIS team will be comprised of players from the University of Calgary and University of Lethbridge. Tickets for all three games can be purchased at Calgary Sport Chek locations or online at www.HockeyCanada.ca. Practices will be open to the public.

Once the final roster is named at the conclusion of the selection camp on Dec. 14, Canada's National Junior Team will play in three pre-competition games in Alberta prior to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2011 to Jan. 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton.

Canada will play its first game of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day, Dec. 26 against Finland, a game that will be broadcast LIVE by TSN/RDS and on The FAN Radio Network (check local listings). While the event is officially sold out, tickets are available through a ticket exchange program at www.HockeyCanada.ca/2012juniors. 

Canada has medalled at thirteen consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships, including gold medal performances in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, silver medals in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2011 and bronze medals in 2000 and 2001.

Bulmer eyeing selection camp spot

Brett Bulmer hopes his best on Saturday night was enough to get him mentioned on Monday morning.

With the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship just around the corner, Hockey Canada is expected to release its selection-camp roster today. Bulmer should be one of the 40 or so named to the list at 8:30 a.m., but, with a big, talented pool to draw from, there are no guarantees Hockey Canada will send the Kelowna Rocket forward an invitation to its camp, which runs Dec. 11-13 in Calgary.

Yet, considering what Bulmer did Saturday, scoring a hat trick in leading the Rockets to a narrow 6-5 victory over the Victoria Royals at Prospera Place, that effort may have cemented a roster spot. In 10 games this season, the 6-foot-3 winger from Prince George has six goals and 15 points. Further, the third-year forward is also sporting a plus-six rating in plus-minus; he was minus-seven as a rookie in 2009-10 and minus-13 last season despite scoring 49 points in 57 games. 

“(Hockey Canada is) always watching and you have to be ready to go, every game,” said Bulmer. “I want to be there, so I have to put in the work.”

“Every game, I want to keep proving stuff,” continued Bulmer. “It’s about getting wins for this team; it’s what I want to help them do. If I play a good game, it’s going to help my team. The individual stuff will come, but it’s all about getting wins.”

The hat trick was the first of Bulmer’s WHL career, an effort which also broke a four-game goal slump.

“I was kind of slumping a little bit, and I wanted to respond with a goal,” said Bulmer. “(Scoring) is going to come when you’re working hard, and it was one of those nights where I thought I put in the work and I was rewarded for it, so it was good.”

Good, but not glowing, is how Rockets head coach Ryan Huska described Bulmer’s efforts since being returned to the WHL on Oct. 31 following a nine-game stint with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. Currently, Huska is wearing two coaching hats; one with Kelowna, the other being an assistant coach for Team Canada at the WJHC. 

“Offensively, he was good (Saturday night),” said Huska. “Defensively . . . well, he has some ways to go. But he scored some big goals for us, and that’s what we need out of him.”

Asked if Bulmer did enough to make Canada’s selection-camp roster, Huska said: “We’ll have to see on Monday.”

ICE CHIPS: Kelowna (10-12-2-1) play its third of seven straight home games on Wednesday night, when they entertain the U.S. Division-leading Tri-City Americans (19-6-0-0). Game time at Prospera Place is 7 p.m. . . . The Rockets are 2-1 so far in their homestand. . . . Overall, Kelowna’s home record is 7-6-0-1; Tri-City’s road record is 8-4-0-0. . . . The Rockets are 5-3-1-1 in their past 10 games, while the Americans are 9-1-0-0. . . . Tri-City’s top scorers are LW Adam Hughesman (19-26-45), C Brendan Shinnimin (9-23-32), LW Justin Feser (11-16-27), RW Patrick Holland (5-21-26) and C Connor Rankin (7-13-20). Kelowna’s top scorers are C Shane McColgan (7-20-27), RW Colton Sissons (13-6-19), D Damon Severson (3-16-19), C Cody Chikie (9-9-18) and RW Brett Bulmer (6-9-15). . . . Tri-City is 8-0-0-0 when leading after the first period and 15-0-0-0 when leading after 40 minutes; Kelowna is 7-3-0-0 and 6-1-0-1.

Rockets shade Royals 6-5

Gary Nylander/The Daily Courier

Photo: Robin Soudek of the Victoria Royals reaches for the puck in front of Kelowna Rockets Adam Brown while Rockets defenceman Cole Martin, rear, looks on during WHL action at Prospera Place in Kelowna on Saturday night.

“Time had expired.”

And with that, the Kelowna Rockets finally beat Victoria this season, shading the Royals 6-5 in WHL action at Prospera Place on Saturday night. But not without a dramatic finish that needed reviewing.

Jamie Crooks nearly forced overtime for Victoria, as his wrist shot from the low slot during a six-on-four power play somehow knifed through a crowd in front of Kelowna’s net and crossed the goal-line. However, the shot came a fraction of a second too late to count — less than a 10th of a second, according to review officials — and, after the official, game-ending announcement, the Rockets escaped with two points.


Gary Nylander/The Daily Courier
Photo: Tim Traber of the Victoria Royals lands on top of Jessey Astles of the Kelowna Rockets during WHL action at Prospera Place in Kelowna on Saturday night. The Rockets beat the Royals 6-5.

More importantly, though, they prevented Victoria from earning any points. In B.C. Division standings, Kelowna (10-12-2-1) and Victoria (11-14-0-1) are tied at 23 points, though the Rockets are seeded third due to a slightly higher winning percentage (.460 to .442).

(Ed. note: Technically, it's a points percentage, not a winning percentage, as winning percentages shouldn't include points for overtime LOSSES or shootout LOSSES. Rant over).

“You could see the green light (behind the goal) go on,” Rockets head coach Ryan Huska said of Victoria’s non-goal. “We weren’t that nervous I guess, because you can’t turn the red light on if the green light goes on. But it looked, from where we were, that it wasn’t in, but you never know when you (review it)."

“It was kind of a last-goal wins game," continued Huska. "It was one of those games, where, defensively and special-teams-wise, we weren’t that great, and we gave up some goals, but we found a way to win in the end.”

Brett Bulmer, with a hat trick, scoring once in each period, Tanner Moar, with his first WHL goal, Carter Rigby, with his fifth goal of the season, and Colton Sissons, with his team-leading 13th marker, scored for Kelowna, which led 2-0 and 4-3 at the period breaks. Adam Brown made 19 saves for the Rockets, who have won four of their last five games, but were blanked 4-0 by the visiting Kootenay Ice on Friday night.

Notably, Bulmer was in the penalty box for a double-minor for butt ending when Crooks almost scored.

“I was kinda holding my breath,” said Bulmer. “I kinda took a weird penalty there. I’m glad my boys battled for me and got the win. It was a good all-around team effort.”

Robin Soudek Brandon Magee and Logan Nelson, all scoring six minutes apart early in the second period, plus Kevin Sundher and Zach Habscheid, with goals in the third, replied for Victoria. Keith Hamilton turned aside 23 shots for the Royals, who have lost four in a row and seven of their last eight.

“We were a lot more resilient than we have been in the past,” said Sundher, whose team is 3-1 against Kelowna this season. “We’ve been losing a lot of games and we were down a few times in this game. We came back and showed some fight, so that’s definitely awesome. Obviously, we’re disappointed we couldn’t pull it out, but there’s some positives that we can pull out of this.”

ICE CHIPS — Kelowna was 2-for-6 on the power play; Victoria was 3-for-5. . . . Kelowna’s scratches were D Jesse Lees (upper body, 2 weeks), C Spencer Main (concussion, 2 weeks), C Cody Chikie (undisclosed) and D Myles Bell (lower-body injury, day-to-day). Victoria: D Tyler Stahl (upper body, 1 month), D Kade Pilton, RW Lukas Kralic and C Luke Harrison.

Royals 5 at Rockets 6

KELOWNA — WHL on Saturday night:

First Period

1. Kelowna, Moar 1 (Severson) 6:40

2. Kelowna, Bulmer 4 (Astles, Chapman) 11:33

Penalties — Kanzig Vic, Goulbourne Kel (fighting) 9:54, Crooks Vic (high-sticking) 14:49.

Second Period

3. Victoria, Soudek 14 (Crooks, Rintoul) 3:06 (pp)

4. Victoria, Magee 7 (Sundher, Rintoul) 5:23 (pp)

5. Victoria, Nelson 11 (Forsyth) 6:05

6. Kelowna, Rigby 5 (Franko, Martin) 6:50

7. Kelowna, Bulmer 5 (Severson, McColgan) 7:55 (pp)

Penalties — Moar Kel (high sticking) 2:58, Smith Kel (slashing) 4:31, Magee Vic, Goulbourne Kel (fighting) 6:32, Sundher Vic (hooking), Zgraggen Vic (unsportsmanlike conduct), Sissons Kel (unsportsmanlike conduct) 7:18, Habscheid Vic, Heffley Kel (fighting) 11:57, Traber Vic, Moar Kel (fighting) 12:00, Walker Vic (hooking) 12:59, Chapman Kel (roughing) 19:32.

Third Period

8. Victoria, Sundher 16 (Soudek, Crooks) 9:01 (pp)

9. Kelowna, Sissons 13 (McColgan, Smith) 10:38 (pp)

10. Kelowna, Bulmer 6 (Chapman, McColgan) 11:52

11. Victoria, Habscheid 1 12:13

Penalties — Crunk Vic (checking from behind) 4:19, Traber Vic (hooking) 6:12, Goulbourne Kel (interference) 8:49, Soudek Vic (high sticking) 10:31, Nelson Vic (slashing), Bulmer Kel (double minor butt-ending, extra penalty served by Baillie) 19:05.

Shots on goal by

Victoria 5 12 7 —24

Kelowna 12 10 7 —29

Goal — Victoria: Hamilton (L, 10-12-0-1); Kelowna: Brown (W, 9-11-0-0).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Victoria: 3-5; Kelowna: 2-6.

Referees — Ryan Bonnett, Reagan Vetter. Linesmen — Kevin Bennett, Ward Pateman.

Attendance — 6,076.

Ice, Lieuwen blank Rockets 4-0

If close counted in hockey, the Kelowna Rockets would have scored a double-digit victory on Friday night.

But close, as we all know, doesn’t count, and the Rockets failed to count any goals in a 4-0 loss to the Kootenay Ice. Nathan Lieuwen put in an outstanding game for Kootenay, stopping 35 shots for the shutout and well-deserved first-star honours. For had it not been for Lieuwen, especially in the two periods, with the Rockets outshooting the Ice 24-10, Kelowna, and not Kootenay, would have earned victory.

“For the first two periods, I thought we deserved better,” said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska. “They capitalized on their special-team chances and we didn’t and that was a big part of the night.”

Yes, it was, albeit not as big as Lieuwen's effort. Still, it amounted to something.

The Rockets went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the Ice were 3-for-4, with one call really irking Kelowna.

That call came late in the second period to Colton Sissons, who was whistled for embellishment while being hooked from behind along Kootenay’s left-corner boards. With the Ice leading 1-0 and thinking the call was going against the visitors, the crowd of 6,121 was briefly stunned when Sissons was fingered to the penalty box. Then came a loud chorus of boos, which was followed by even louder jeering when Kootenay scored a power-play goal to make it 2-0.

“I think it was a bad call,” said Huska. “It was a bad call in a 1-0 game. I don’t think that call should should be made.”

Sam Reinhart and Drew Czerwonka, both with their eighth goals of the season, and Brock Montgomery, with two goals in the final frame, scored for Kootenay (18-5-1-2), which led 1-0 and 2-0 at the period breaks. The win was Kootenay’s fifth in a row, as the Ice closed out a five-game B.C. Division road trip with a perfect 5-0 mark.

During that span, Kootenay outscored its opponents 26-9, including a 7-3 win over the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday.

“They played a good road game. They’re hard to play against,” said Huska. “We had some chances that we didn’t capitalize on, which would have helped us out. But I liked our effort; I thought we played hard for a couple of period, until that third goal went in. From there, we didn’t have much left after that.”

Kelowna (9-12-2-1) had a modest three-game winning streak broken and also suffered its first shutout loss of the season. Adam Brown made 19 saves for the Rockets, who host the Victoria Royals (11-13-0-1) on Saturday night.

ICE CHIPS: The shutout was Lieuwen's second of the season, and eighth of his WHL career. . . .Kelowna’s scratches were D Jesse Lees (upper body, 2 weeks), C Spencer Main (concussion, 2 weeks), RW Austin Ferguson and D Myles Bell (lower-body injury, day-to-day). Kootenay: D Luke Paulsen, C Jon Martin and LW Erik Benoit (upper-body injury).

Ice 4 at Rockets 0

KELOWNA — WHL on Friday night:

First Period

1. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 8 (Czerwonka, Neibrandt) 13:22

Penalties — Hurley Ktn, Chapman Kel (fighting) 2:37, Ismond Ktn (high-sticking) 6:50, Leach Ktn (kneeing), Rigby Kel (roughing) 12:19.

Second Period

2. Kootenay, Czerwonka 8 (M. Reinhart, S. Reinhart) 19:31 (pp)

Penalties — Wand Ktn, Goulbourne Kel (fighting) 1:55, Czerwonka Ktn (check to the head) 4:56, Bulmer Kel (interference) 12:07, Ismond Ktn, Heffley Kel (roughing) 17:24, Sissons Kel (embellishment) 18:29.

Third Period

3. Kootenay, Montgomery 6 (M. Reinhart, Antilla) 4:22 (pp)

4. Kootenay, Montgomery 7 (Ismond, M. Reinhart) 15:23 (pp)

Penalties — Baillie Kel (slashing) 3:24, M. Reinhart Ktn (tripping) 4:46, Sissons Kel (slashing) 13:49.

Shots on goal by

Kootenay 5 6 12 —23

Kelowna 10 14 11 —35

Goal — Kootenay: Lieuwen (W, 13-4-1-2); Kelowna: Brown (L, 8-11-0-0).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Kootenay: 3-4; Kelowna: 0-3.

Referees — Adam Griffiths, Devin Klein. Linesmen — Mike Langin, Alex Teichroeb.

Attendance — 6,121.

Rockets in tough against Ice

By Larry Fisher

The Daily Courier

When the Kelowna Rockets were losing, their power play was partly to blame. Now that they're winning, that same power play is earning partial praise.

The Rockets (9-11-2-1) have won three straight, all against the last-place Prince George Cougars (6-17-0-2), capped by Wednesday‘s 7-3 victory at Prospera Place. In the latter contest, Kelowna's much-maligned man advantage made amends by clicking on three-of-four opportunities. This, after the previously putrid power play also produced the game-winning goals in 3-2 and 4-2 victories at Prince George last weekend.

"Our power play hasn't been playing with enough intensity over the last little while," Rockets head coach Ryan Huska said of recent struggles prior to playing Prince George, a stretch that saw Kelowna drop eight of 10 decisions and sink near the bottom of B.C. Division and Western Conference standings. The Rockets rebounded by going 5-for-15 on the power play in that three-game set.

"We've been looking for everything to come easy for us and when you look for the game to be easy, nothing works," Huska continued. "(On Wednesday), we had some more intensity, we were harder on loose pucks and it was nice to see them get rewarded."

With the power play working — or at least contributing — the Rockets are back afloat and gaining ground, having opened up a seven-point gap on the bottom-feeding Cougars and Everett Silvertips (5-15-0-4). Kelowna, with 21 points from 23 games, also leapfrogged the Seattle Thunderbirds (10-11-0-0) and are within striking distance of the Victoria Royals (11-12-0-1) entering this weekend.

Kelowna, and its power-play success, will be put to the test tonight, however, with the defending WHL champion and Central Division-leading Kootenay Ice (17-5-1-2) in town for a 7 p.m. puck drop at Prospera Place.

The Rockets also host Victoria in an important Saturday matchup as their seven-game homestand continues until early December.

Kootenay arrives on a four-game road winning streak to face a Kelowna club that has won four of its last five. The Ice are coming off a 7-3 blowout at Kamloops on Wednesday after prevailing 3-2 in P.G. on Tuesday.

Kelowna and Kootenay have similar special-teams statistics this season, and those categories will likely come into play again tonight. The Rockets, thanks to Wednesday's power-play outburst, are suddenly ranked seventh among 22 WHL teams in power-play efficiency at 22 per cent — converting 26-of-118 chances. The Ice, at 21.6 per cent (22-102), are tied for 11th overall.

"We're definitely focusing on simplifying our power play, just getting shots on net, getting pucks to the net and getting traffic," said Rockets captain Colton Sissons, who scored on a man advantage to give Kelowna a 5-3 lead in the third period of Wednesday's win and has five power-play goals this season. That one was a bit of a broken play and I just tapped it in, but it was a good night for us on the power play."

When it comes to penalty killing, Kelowna trails Kootenay but has been great of late. Ranked 14th overall at 78 per cent (24 goals-against on 109 shorthanded situations), the Rockets killed off 15-of-16 penalties in three games against Prince George. Kootenay ranks 10th at 79.4 per cent (20-97), and has also scored four shorthanded goals to Kelowna‘s three.

Those aren't huge margins either way, but the Rockets know they will have their work cut out for them tonight. And by no means is anybody looking ahead to Saturday's game against Victoria, which has more meaning in terms of immediate standings.

"Kootenay is going to be a good challenge for us," Huska said. "They're the defending champs, they have a very good hockey team and they're deep again this year. So we're excited about the opportunity to play against them and look forward to trying to play our best and see if we can push them."

Added Sissons: "We know they were the champions last year, so we need to have a good night and be prepared to go to work."

ICE CHIPS: On Wednesday, Kelowna scratched RW Austin Ferguson, D Myles Bell, D Jesse Lees (upper-body, 2 weeks) and C Spencer Main (upper-body, 1 week), the same lineup the Rockets went with in weekend wins at Prince George. 

Rockets punish Prince George

By Larry Fisher

The Daily Courier

Wednesday was a long day for the Prince George Cougars — made longer by the Kelowna Rockets.

Colton Sissons scored two of Kelowna’s four third-period goals as the Rockets pulled away for a 7-3 victory in WHL action at Prospera Place. It was the third straight win for the Rockets (9-11-2-1), all coming against the last-place Cougars (6-17-0-2), having also swept a weekend set in Prince George, prevailing 3-2 last Friday and 4-2 on Saturday.

Kelowna returned home to rest between games before Wednesday’s start to a seven-game homestand — their longest of the season. Meanwhile, Prince George stayed home to host the defending WHL champion and Central Division-leading Kootenay Ice (17-5-1-2) on Tuesday, dropping another 3-2 decision. From there, the Cougars boarded the bus and travelled through the night, arriving in Kelowna at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Fatigue didn’t appear a factor through 40 minutes as Prince George matched the Rockets stride-for-stride and goal-for-goal, with the Cougars beating the second-period buzzer for a 3-3 equalizer. But the visitors, running on adrenaline fumes, ran out of gas in the final frame as Kelowna poured in four unanswered goals to score a lopsided win that was much closer by all accounts.

“They had a very tough travel schedule,” Rockets head coach Ryan Huska said with a shade of sympathy. “That’s not an easy thing what they did, and I thought they played hard all night considering that trip. . . .  But I liked the way we responded in the third. When you give up a late goal like that, sometimes you have a tendency just to deflate, but I thought our guys did a good job of coming on harder in the third.”

Sissons led the charge, as Kelowna’s captain scored twice in less than four minutes to give the Rockets the game’s first two-goal lead at 5-3. Sissons scored his 11th goal of the season at the 5:50 mark, breaking in on a 2-on-1 and slapping a perfectly placed shot off the post past Cougars backup goalie Devon Fordyce.

“Their bus legs were coming in a little bit in the third and we took advantage,” Sissons said. “I knew if I just kept my feet moving, I’d have more legs than they did. I took advantage, beat a defender and just made a good shot. It was a big goal for us.”

Sissons struck again for his team-leading 12th goal, on a power play at 9:25, by potting a pretty passing play off set-ups from Brett Bulmer and Shane McColgan. Cody Chikie and Carter Rigby, with late insurance markers, Tyrell Goulbourne, to open the scoring at 4:27 of the first period, Jessey Astles and defenceman Kevin Smith, with his first goal of the season, also scored for Kelowna.

Adam Brown made 19 saves for the win, but will surely be tested more with Kootenay coming to town on Friday night. 

The Ice also won 7-3 on Wednesday, overcoming travel woes of their own for a road victory against the Kamloops Blazers.

Huska praised Sissons for taking a leading role in the final frame after the Rockets got by on a pretty pedestrian effort through two periods.

“Colton stepped up in the third period when we needed him to,” Huska said of the game’s first star. “It was very important for us, he scored two good goals, but our challenge is to make sure we get that all the time from our guys that we’re expecting to score. They need to be factors all the time, and at least be generating momentum for us.”

Troy Bourke, Charles Inglis and Cody Carlson replied for Prince George, which got 24 stops from Fordyce in his first start since Nov. 13.

Cougars coach Dean Clark wasn’t making any excuses.

“Travel wasn’t our issue, I don’t think,” he said. “Maybe in the third we weren’t as sharp because of fatigue, that’s hard to say, but we came out pretty tentative and certainly we didn’t play the same game we did in the second period when we were really good. We just didn’t handle the puck very well in the third.”

Wednesday was the fourth of eight meetings between the two teams this season, with the Rockets (4-0) also winning the initial encounter, 2-1 on Oct. 26 at Prospera Place. Prince George is back here again on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Rockets 7, Cougars 3

KELOWNA — WHL Wednesday night:

First Period

1. Kelowna, Goulbourne 4 (Heffley, Astles) 4:27

2. Prince George, Bourke 6 (A. Forsberg, Asuchak) 7:22 (pp)

3. Prince George, Inglis 7 (Fraser) 19:36

Penalties — Bench Kel (too many men, penalty served by Franko) 5:29, Elynuik PG (slashing), Rigby Kel (roughing) 7:22, Chikie Kel (hooking) 14:49, Elynuik PG, Chapman Kel (fighting) 19:36.

Second Period

4. Kelowna, Astles 2 (Bulmer) 11:14

5. Kelowna, Smith 1 (Severson, McColgan) 12:35 (pp)

6. Prince George, Carlson 2 (Bourke, J. Forsberg) 19:59

Penalties — Pilling PG (holding) 12:30, Carlson PG (hooking) 14:38, Bowey Kel (holding) 16:51, Sissons Kel (slashing) 17:41.

Third Period

7. Kelowna, Sissons 11 (Chikie, Chapman) 5:50

8. Kelowna, Sissons 12 (Bulmer, McColgan) 9:25 (pp)

9. Kelowna, Chikie 9 (Franko, Smith) 17:48

10. Kelowna, Rigby 4 (Vasko, Bowey) 19:32 (pp)

Penalties — Elynuik PG (misconduct) 1:35, Severson Kel (tripping) 6:18, Mykitiuk PG (unsportsmanlike conduct) 9:07, Pilling PG (high-sticking) 18:22.

Shots on goal by

Pr.George 5 9 9 — 22

Kelowna 12 7 12 — 31

Goal (shots-saves) — Prince George: Fordyce (L, 1-3-0-1); Kelowna: Brown

(W, 8-10-0-0).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Prince George: 1-5; Kelowna: 3-4.

Referees — Trevor Hanson. Linesmen — Kevin Bennett, Chris Carlson.

Attendance — 6,051.

Cougars to visit under-performing Rockets

Having scored back-to-back wins last weekend, the Kelowna Rockets finally seem to be travelling the road of respectability. Yet given how much potential this team has, the Rockets should be traversing the path of success, not mediocrity.

Through 22 games this season, Kelowna has won just eight times. According to the WHL’s website, the Rockets’ winning percentage is 43.2 per cent. That stat, however, is a points percentage, as it includes points for overtime losses and shootout losses. Kelowna’s real winning percentage is even lower at 36.3 per cent.

Regardless what stat you select, those are unacceptable numbers, considering this team has one of the league’s best goaltenders, a handful of dynamic forwards and a pretty solid, if young, defence. How long team management puts up with this win-one, lose-two result is anyone’s guess, but knowing how competitive Bruce Hamilton is, I’m guessing it won’t be for long.

“Disappointed is a pretty fair comment, and frustrated,” said Hamilton, Kelowna’s president and GM, when asked for his take on the season so far. “We have our team back now, except for one or two guys, and it seems we’re scared to make a mistake right now. And when you play that way, you’re not hard to play against. To me, we have to become quite a bit more physical with our play and get a bit of a push going at the other end of the rink by having the other team worried that we’re going to run into them and get pucks turned over. Because right now, we’re not creating enough scoring chances. We’ve been outshot a lot, so that’s a pretty good indicator that we’re not getting much of a forecheck going.”

With Kelowna (8-11-2-1) starting a seven-game homestand this evening against the Prince George Cougars (6-15-0-2), Kelowna’s brass will finally get a good, long look at the team’s strengths and weaknesses over the next 14 days. Until recently, Kelowna’s roster was hampered with a rash of injuries from season’s start. Those injuries forced Kelowna to shuffle its deck to fix gaping roster holes. Now that Kelowna is mostly healthy, the real evaluations begin — which may or may not include trades.

“This period of time is going to be real critical,” said Hamilton. “If we decide we want to add something . . . we’re always looking for ways to make our team better — but I won’t be subtracting. I have no interest in that. I don’t believe in throwing the cards up in the air and then starting over. We’re not going to do that here. We’ve put this team together for a couple of seasons so they could move forward and become an older group together, and that’s still the plan. So, right now, our older guys have to be the difference, and they haven’t been enough of a difference. They have to have an impact in every game.”

As to what type of player the Rockets have their eye on, it’ll likely be an older defenceman. Or one with plenty of league experience.

“We have a good leader in Colton Sissons, but it seems we don’t have very many (leaders),” said Hamilton. “Sometimes we’re playing against teams that have five or six 19-year-olds, and our older players sometimes aren’t being impact guys.”

Having just bested Prince George twice on the weekend, sweeping the Cougars 3-2 and 4-2 in a double dip at the CN Centre, the Rockets should enter tonight’s contest with plenty of confidence. How confident they’ll be on Friday night against the Kootenay Ice (15-5-1-2), the defending league champions, is another matter. Either way, these two games will tell a lot about whether Kelowna’s management will start making changes sooner, or later.

ICE CHIPS: The Rockets are 3-0 this season against the Cougars, having outscored them 9-5. . . . The Rockets are 4-4-1-1 in their past 10 games, and are 3-0-1-0 in their past four, while the Cougars are 3-6-0-1 in their past 10 and are on a four-game losing streak (0-3-0-1). . . . Kelowna’s power play is ranked 14th at 20.2 per cent (23-114), while the penalty kill is ranked 14th at 77.9 per cent (23-104). Prince George’s power play is 22nd and last at 11.8 per cent (13-110), while the penalty kill is 12th at 79.8 per cent (21-104). . . . The Rockets are 6-3 when leading after the first period and 5-1-0-1 when leading after two. The Cougars are 2-3-0-0 and 4-0-0-0, respectively. . . . Kelowna’s top scorers are RW Shane McColgan (7-15-22), RW Colton Sissons (10-6-16), C Cody Chikie (8-8-16), D Damon Severson (3-13-16) and D Myles Bell (5-9-14). Prince George’s top scorers are C Alex Forsberg (4-11-15), LW Troy Bourke (5-8-13), D Cody Carlson (1-12-13), LW Spencer Asuchak (7-5-12) and C Charles Inglis (5-6-11).

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In other junior-hockey news, it appears Western Canada’s four junior-A leagues will be sending their respective league champions to a tournament to see which two earn RBC Cup berths.

Called the Western Canadian Championship, the competition is expected to be in place for the 2012-13 season. According to B.C. Hockey League commissioner John Grisdale, bids are being accepted for the inaugural five-team competition (the four league champions plus a tournament host team), with B.C. set to host the first one, April 26 to May 5, 2013.

Normally, the BCHL champion squares off against its Alberta (AJHL) counterpart, with that winner representing the Pacific region at the RBC Cup. The same format goes for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the winner representing the West region. The WCC will replace the existing Doyle Cup (B.C. vs. Alberta) and Anavet Cup (Saskatchewan vs. Manitoba) championships.

If anything, with all four league champions under one tournament umbrella, it should be well attended by NHL scouts.

Grisdale, noting planning for the new event has been in the works for more than a year, said the deadline for bid proposals for the 2012-13 WCC is Dec. 15 of this year.

“We’ve had some strong initial interest,” Grisdale told The Penticton Herald, adding that, unlike the World Junior Hockey Championship, this event will not by run by Hockey Canada. “There is some real opportunity for a community to make some profit and provide significant economic spinoff.”

The Doyle Cup and Anavet’s Cup competitions will continue as per usual this year, with the winner from each qualifying for the RBC Cup. Humboldt, Sask. is hosting this year’s RBC Cup May 5-13.

Next year, Summerside, P.E.I., will host the RBC Cup and it will be held a week later than normal. That will allow the WCC to wrap up on May 5 and still give the two qualifying teams several days to prepare for the RBC Cup.

Rockets happy with weekend sweep

By Larry Fisher

The Daily Courier

The Kelowna Rockets were a different team on the weekend.

Not only did Kelowna sweep a two-game road series, snapping out of an eight-game road winless streak, but the Rockets tallied both game-winning goals with their previously putrid power play.

Perhaps having no mid-week game last week proved a soothing, learning tonic for a team in need of a regroup.

The same can be said for Rockets head coach Ryan Huska, who enjoyed a brief break from his regular duties and a change of scenery in Saskatchewan, acting as an assistant for Team WHL against Russia in the Subway Super Series.

While the WHL all-star squads split that two-game set — winning 5-2 with three Rockets in the lineup at Regina on Wednesday, then losing 7-5 the next night in Moose Jaw — Huska was able to hit the reset button with a different cast.

“It’s an honour to be part of something like that,” Huska said of coaching alongside head coach Don Hay (Vancouver Giants) and assistant coach Lorne Molleken (Saskatoon Blades). “They are great coaches in our league with a lot of wins, and you can learn a lot of things from those guys. It allows you to take a deep breath and get rejuvenated and excited to go again. We have a good group (in Kelowna) that we’re going to continue to push and build and get better with.”

It was a welcome reprieve for everybody. The Rockets were reeling, dropping eight of 10 games, and needing that bit of downtime.

While captain Colton Sissons, Brett Bulmer and Zach Franko suited up for Team WHL, the rest of the Rockets, including leading scorer Shane McColgan, remained in Kelowna to fine-tune their skills with assistant coaches Ryan Cuthbert and Dan Lambert.

The reunion took place in Prince George, where Huska guided the Rockets (8-11-2-1) to consecutive road wins — 3-2 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday — over the Cougars (6-15-0-2), who visit Prospera Place on Wednesday. That is the start of a season-long, seven-game homestand for the Rockets, suddenly winners of three of their last four overall.

“We have to be a hard team to play against at home,” Huska said. “You’re not always going to get the results you want, but if you’re playing the game the right way, eventually things will happen for you. We want to play the game with some more speed and more support around the puck, and once we do that, I think our whole lineup can get involved in the game.”

Secondary scoring was prevalent already in Prince George, with Kelowna getting goals from seven different players, including Carter Rigby, Cody Chikie, Madison Bowey, Mitchell Chapman, Zach Franko, Tyson Baillie and Tyrell Goulbourne.

Bowey and Baillie scored the winners, while Rigby registered his first goal in 12 games and Chikie only his second over the same span. Chapman, a stay-at-home blue-liner, notched his second goal of the season and fourth in 148 career WHL games, while Franko’s fifth of the season was his first in six games. Goulbourne’s third of the campaign came after a seven-game drought.

Huska singled out Goulbourne and Colton Heffley, two NHL draft-eligible forwards, for their weekend contributions.

“They did a great job killing penalties and they were two young guys that were hard to play against, and that’s what we need from our forwards,” Huska said.

As for the Super Series, another top NHL draft prospect, Sissons, stood out amongst his peers by playing a gritty two-way game and setting up a shorthanded goal that gave Team WHL a two-goal cushion in the third period.

“Colton played very well,” Huska said. “He played physical and played the style that (Hay) likes his teams to play. He was up and down his wing and hit everything he could. He had a solid game and had people talking afterwards.”

That was Wednesday night, and on Thursday morning NHL Central Scouting listed Sissons as the WHL’s best draft-eligible forward, sixth overall among 25 WHL skaters in its preliminary rankings for the 2012 NHL draft.

“No surprise there,” Huska said. “People are noticing him and hopefully as this year progresses Colton will continue to improve his performance. The good thing is he’s not one-dimensional. People look at him and see him as potentially a top-six forward in the NHL, but he’s also good defensively and does much more than just score goals.”