With a throng of his relatives in the stands, Eli Zummack had plenty of moral support on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.
The Kelowna product played a WHL game in his hometown for the first time, as his Spokane Chiefs took on the Kelowna Rockets.
A 16-year-old rookie with Spokane, »å¾±»å²ÔÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™t look a bit out of place, picking up an assist on the ²µ²¹³¾±ðÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s second goal and helping his teammates knock off the hometown Rockets in overtime.
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½œO²ú±¹¾±´Ç³Ü²õ±ô²â it was a big game, playing in my hometown, having lots of family here to ·É²¹³Ù³¦³ó,ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ said Zummack, whose parents, aunts and uncles, cousins came to watch him play. ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½œJ³Ü²õ³Ù like every game, ±õÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™m pumped right from the get-go and this one was a big one.
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½Àá had some nerves, but it ·É²¹²õ²ÔÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™t bad, once I got out there and got the first shift out of the way, it was ²µ´Ç´Ç»å.ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½
A second-round bantam draft pick of the Red Deer Rebels in 2015, the Chiefs acquired the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Zummack in a trade early in 2016.
In a season-plus with the B.C. Major Midget ³¢±ð²¹²µ³Ü±ðÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s Okanagan Rockets, Zummack was an offensive juggernaut, racking up 72 points in 47 games.
After just 10 games of midget hockey this season, the Chiefs saw no point in waiting any longer to tap into ´Ü³Ü³¾³¾²¹³¦°ìÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s potential.
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ÀátÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s awesome, a lifetime experience and ±õÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™m enjoying it so ³¾³Ü³¦³ó,ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ said Zummack, who has two goals and six points in his first 19 WHL games. ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½œ±õÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™m grateful for the opportunity. ±õ³ÙÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s an unreal league, ¾±³ÙÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s tough day in and day out, but ¾±³ÙÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s ²¹·É±ð²õ´Ç³¾±ð.ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½œ±õÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™m enjoying my time, trying to make the most of it and see where it takes ³¾±ð.ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½