With the exception of surrendering a couple of late goals, the couldn乌鸦传媒檛 have asked for much more in their Western Hockey League season opener.
The Rockets scored the game乌鸦传媒檚 first six goals, then cruised to a over the Kamloops Blazers Friday night at Prospera Place.
Kyle Topping scored twice and added and assist, while Kole Lind, who just returned Thursday from the NHL乌鸦传媒檚 Vancouver Canucks, scored a goal and added a pair of assists in the Rockets乌鸦传媒� home opener in front of 5,238 fans.
乌鸦传媒淲e had a really good start to the game, I thought we were moving our feet well, getting pucks deep and really wearing down their D-men and it started to show in the second, they were getting pretty tired,乌鸦传媒� said Lind. 乌鸦传媒淎ll around it was a good game, I thought we could have had a better ending to it, but we乌鸦传媒檙e just hoping to carry the momentum into tomorrow.乌鸦传媒�
Tomas Soustal, Jack Cowell and rookie Liam Kindree, with his first WHL goal, also scored for the Rockets.
With the loss of the likes of high-scoring forwards Nick Merkley, Reid Gardiner and Calvin Thurkauf from last year乌鸦传媒檚 team, the Rockets will need scoring to come from up and down the lineup this season.
The Rockets got just that on opening night, with four of six goals coming from either first or second-year players.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 what you want from your group, you want your players that have maybe moved up in the lineup and are getting more opportunity this year to create offense and kind of fulfill the role of some of the players that we乌鸦传媒檝e lost and that乌鸦传媒檚 junior hockey,乌鸦传媒� said Rockets head coach Jason Smith.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 about developing players, moving them on and players stepping up when they get the opportunity, grow their game and be a big part of your group.乌鸦传媒�
Brodan Salmond, the Rockets newly-appointed No. 1 goaltender stopped 33 shots and had his shutout broken by a pair of Kamloops goals three minutes apart late in the third period.
Defenceman Cal Foote celebrated his first game as Rockets乌鸦传媒� captain with three assists and was named the game乌鸦传媒檚 first star.
Foote, 19, was announced as the 23rd captain in club history earlier in the day.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a huge honour, you look at the wall here and a lot of them have captaincies, very honoured and it乌鸦传媒檚 a dream to be a captain of an organization like the Kelowna Rockets,乌鸦传媒� said Foote, a draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Serving as alternate captains to Foote will be forward Dillon Dube and 20-year-old defencemen Gordie Ballhorn and James Hilsendager.
Dube remains with the NHL乌鸦传媒檚 Calgary Flames and didn乌鸦传媒檛 play with Kelowna Friday.
The Rockets and Blazers will meet again tomorrow night in Kamloops.
