Opening weekend for OK Rockets
Kelowna-based BCMML club hosts Vancouver NE Chiefs
The Okanagan Rockets officially kick off their 2017-18 season this weekend when they host the Vancouver NE Chiefs.
Leaving off from last year: The NE Chiefs had a rock solid season, finishing only two points behind the first-place Cariboo Cougars.
After knocking off the Valley West Hawks in consecutive games in the quarter-finals, the Chiefs fell to the Greater Vancouver Canadians in a three-game semifinal series. As for the Rockets, an outstanding first half to the season was followed up by a mostly average second half, to finish in third place. The Rockets were upset via a first-round sweep at the hands of the Vancouver NW Giants.
Head-to-Head: The best matchup between the two teams in 2016-17 was the first meeting in Port Coquitlam, which saw the teams split the weekend. In February, the teams faced off in Penticton in the most lopsided weekend of the season for the Rockets. Okanagan dropped both games by 5-0 and 10-2 scores.
Historically Speaking: Looking back to the 2006-07 season, the Rockets have put up a 22-16-6 all-time record against the Chiefs — 12 of those wins have come on home ice, with this weekend being the Chiefs’ first trip to the Capital News Centre since 2014.
Returnees: The Rockets will have four returnees in their lineup heading into this season. Brandon Della Paolera and Mitchell Gove cracked last year’s opening-day roster as 15 year olds, and will make up a big part of the leadership core this year.
In 33 games, Gove put up 20 points (11-9), while Della Paolera finished with 14 points (5-9) in 34 games.
Other veterans are 16-year-old forward Will Reimer, and 17-year-old defenceman Palmer Jenkins, who each got promotions from the Tier-1 team partway through the season, finishing with 11 and five points respectively.
Fresh Faces: The Rockets will have plenty of people talking about the three WHL draft picks from the Pursuit of Excellence Academy’s Bantam Prep Team. At the top of the list is Kelowna’s Jack Finley, who had a couple memorable AP appearances with the team during last year’s playoffs and KIMMT tournament. Finley was taken sixth overall by the Spokane Chiefs after putting up 48 points in 27 games. He’ll also be joined up front by Ben King, who was taken 13th overall by the Swift Current Broncos. King had 46 points in 22 games last season.
On the defensive side, Tanner Brown will add some grit with offensive upside, as he recorded 29 points over 26 games last season. Brown was taken in the second round, 24th overall by the Vancouver Giants. Another defenceman to watch will be Scott Gilowski, an OHA grad who was picked in the seventh round by the Prince George Cougars. Forward Brendan Boyle has also spent time with the Cougars, while Nolan Corrado was a Broncos’ draft pick in 2016.
Between the Pipes: The Rockets will have a new tandem between the pipes this year, who are expected to split a lot of the time early in the season. Cole Schwebius, 16, comes from the OHA program, where he put up a 2.93 GAA with a .911 save percentage with the Elite 15s last season. He was also drafted by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 10th round of the 2016 draft, and spent time in their camp this year.
Schwebius will be joined by Kelowna Rockets draftee Roman Basran, who spent last season at Yale Academy in Abbotsford.
Basran was selected 64th overall in the third round last year, and put up a line of 3.13/.901 through 16 games last season.
Today’s puck-drop is set for 3 p.m., with Sunday’s rematch starting at 10 a.m. Both games are at CNC.