As his team hits the quarter mark of the 2017-18 season, Bruce Hamilton admits the are more or less in the position he expected.

At 8-6-2-1, the Rockets sit second in the B.C. Division, eight points back of first-place Victoria and four ahead of Vancouver.

乌鸦传媒淚 think we乌鸦传媒檙e pretty much where we thought we乌鸦传媒檇 be in this kind of race,乌鸦传媒� said Hamilton, the Rockets president and GM. 乌鸦传媒淲e went through a little four or five-game funk there where we struggled in goal, but it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 just the goalies.

乌鸦传媒淥ur whole team got thinking that maybe they were better than they were,乌鸦传媒� added Hamilton. 乌鸦传媒�(Goalie) James Porter has really got his game going, that乌鸦传媒檚 helped a lot and I think all in all, we乌鸦传媒檝e been playing better the last little while here.乌鸦传媒�

With the departures of offensive weapons Nick Merkley, Calvin Thurkauf, Reid Gardiner and Lucas Johansen from last year乌鸦传媒檚 club, Hamilton said the Rockets乌鸦传媒攅ven with Kole Lind and Dillon Dube returning乌鸦传媒攌new goals would likely be harder to come by this season.

Finding ways to win games 3-2 and 4-3, particularly in a division with a high degree of parity, may become a season-long necessity for the Rockets.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e not going to be a real flashy team, we乌鸦传媒檙e going to have to work hard and play really well defensively, we have young guys in goal and we乌鸦传媒檝e got to back them up and support them,乌鸦传媒� Hamilton said.

To continue being better than a middle-of-the-pack type of team, Hamilton said the Rockets will require contributions from up and down the entire lineup.

乌鸦传媒淲e need some miles from our over age players here,乌鸦传媒� Hamilton said of Carsen Twarynski, Gordie Ballhorn and James Hilsendager. 乌鸦传媒淲e need them to have an impact in the outcome of every game.

乌鸦传媒淎nd we need to see some development from some of our younger guys in the scoring department.乌鸦传媒�

As for Jason Smith and his progress as Rockets乌鸦传媒� head coach, Hamilton said the second-year bench boss is growing with each game.

乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 done a real good job,乌鸦传媒� Hamilton said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a learning process, the group we had last year and this year are a little different. These guys are more and more his team now, last year乌鸦传媒檚 was more inherited. I think they乌鸦传媒檙e coming along (under Smith).乌鸦传媒�

While Smith isn乌鸦传媒檛 entirely dissatisfied with his team乌鸦传媒檚 performance at the quarter point of the season, he believes the Rockets have considerably more to offer.

Head coach Jason Smith:

乌鸦传媒淚 think you can always look at where you乌鸦传媒檙e at and we want to be better,乌鸦传媒� said Smith. 乌鸦传媒淚 think we乌鸦传媒檝e been inconsistent in playing complete games, I think there乌鸦传媒檚 games where we乌鸦传媒檝e done things really well for stretches, then we乌鸦传媒檝e taken our foot off the pedal and gotten sloppy.

乌鸦传媒淲e just haven乌鸦传媒檛 competed at the level we need to and that乌鸦传媒檚 what we乌鸦传媒檙e going to work at and strive to be a better team and a more consistent team.乌鸦传媒�

The Rockets will settle into Prospera Place for a four-game home stand beginning Friday against the Giants. Face off at Prospera Place is 7:05 p.m. The Red Deer Rebels will visit Kelowna on Saturday.

Rockets with Team WHL

Dillon Dube, Kole Lind and Cal Foote returned to the Rockets this week after playing with Team WHL during the Canada-Russia series in Saskatchewan.

As part of Hockey Canada乌鸦传媒檚 evaluation process for the 2018 national junior squad, Dube scored twice and added three assists as the teams split the two-game set in Moose Jaw and Swift Current. Lind had a goal and two assists, while Foote posted a +2 rating.

Team Canada乌鸦传媒檚 final selection camp will be held Dec. 12 to 15 in St. Catharines, ON.

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