Exhibition season moves; Rockets looking for the right mix
By Kevin Parnell
The Kelowna Rockets expect to see the first returnees from NHL training camps back in Kelowna this week while continuing to build a roster for the upcoming Western Hockey League season, now just 11 days away (Sept. 25 vs. PG).
Kelowna is 3-1 this exhibition season after splitting a home and home with Kamloops on the weekend, the last a 4-2 win in Prospera on Saturday night.
“I think we’re getting better,” said Rockets assistant general manager Lorne Frey. “Last week we had a week of practice and there was definite improvement from last weekend to this weekend. We’re trying to see if that continues with several individuals.”
The Rockets maintain a roster near 30 and hope to get down to 24 for the season. A half dozen players are at NHL camps with defencemen Colton Jobke and Antoine Corbin expected to return later this week. The return of forwards Evan Bloodoff and Geordie Wudrick (Phoenix), Brett Bulmer (Minnesota) and Mitchell Callahan (Detroit) is still unknown.
As in year’s past the team soldiers on, moving towards its last two exhibition games this coming weekend with another home and home series, this time with Chilliwack.
With roster decisions still needed to be made, Frey said the team is being patient, trying to find the right mix.
“We have to be a little patient here and see some more of the individuals that haven’t performed as well as we would have liked,” he said. “But we’re still very early into the exhibition schedule. We’re not in the process of making any major decisions here. At the moment we have to wait till everybody gets back and plays some games to see what kind of team we have.”
The exhibition season has had its fair share of highlights, despite team’s rosters’ changing on a nightly basis. Cody Chikie scored a sweet goal in Saturday’s win while Tyler Matheson dropped the mitts in a spirited scrap that brought the loudest cheer of the young season.
Each weekend has produced more entertaining games and with players battling for spots, this weekend’s home and home series should be even more intense as just a week will remain until the 2010-11 WHL season.
Kelowna fans again get a Saturday night home game and there are tickets available through www.selectyourtickets.com. Game time from Prospera on Saturday is 7:05 p.m.
