Cap New: Injury bug bites hard
r Rockets forward Brendan McMillan is the latest in a series of injuries the team has suffered. Help could be on the way this weekend. Marissa Baecker photo.
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r By Kevin Parnell – Kelowna Capital News
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r Every hockey team goes through it. But you couldn’t fault the Kelowna Rockets for feeling they are getting bit extra hard by that age-old hockey foe: The injury bug.
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r Speedy forward Brandon McMillan was the latest Rockets regular to find himself on the shelf after blocking a shot with his foot last weekend.
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r He missed Tuesday’s game, snapping an eight game scoring streak. But at least he wasn’t lonely on the sidelines. No, McMillan found plenty of company in dress clothes as he joined veterans Tyson Barrie (knee and shoulder), Kyle Verdino (ankle and knee), Evan Bloodoff (knee), Mark Guggenberger (pelvis) and rookies Mitchell Chapman (shoulder) and Max Adolph (ankle) on the sidelines.
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r “It’s not something you want to be in but to be honest every team goes through it once or twice a year,” said Rockets’ head coach Ryan Huska. “We happen to be in that phase. Hopefully once we come out of it we’ll be done with it for some time.”
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r Losing McMillan, who had accumulated 15 points in just eight games since returning from the Anaheim Ducks NHL training camp, was a tough blow.
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r But it also continued to shine the spotlight on the Rockets youngsters who have been getting more ice time than they would have been had there not been this run of injuries.
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r “It helps with their confidence,” said Huska of the team’s young players. “It allows them to play in more situations. I think when you have a lineup full of veterans sometimes your first year guys do feel the pinch until they can prove themselves. Our younger guys have raised their level early and that’s something we are pleased with.”
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r The youngest of the young guys is Shane McColgan, a 16-year-old dynamo who is living up to the hype that comes along with being a first round draft pick (13th overall, 2008).
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r McColgan is third in team scoring with 13 points in 10 games so far this season while Brett Bulmer, 17, has put up six points in his first 10 WHL games. On defense Colton Jobke, 17, has been steady and playing plenty of minutes.
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r “They’ve done a good job,” said Huska. “I think it comes down to the adversity factor. When certain guys are out of the lineup it gives guys a chance to play more and I think they’ve taken advantage of it.”
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r Help from the sidelines could be on the way this weekend when the Rockets play the Everett Silvertips on Saturday.
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r Both Barrie and Chapman participated in a full contact practise Thursday for the first time and will be game time decisions.
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r “We’ll see how those guys continue to feel,” said Huska. "They’re both close and we’ll see on Saturday.”
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r The prognosis is not as good for the rest of the Rockets walking wounded as the next wave of returnees may still be a few weeks away.
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r The Rockets play just once this weekend, hosting Everett on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Prospera Place.
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