The Kelowna Rockets are about the face the Prince George Cougars for three straight games.
Normally, that should build a lot of animosity early, but . . .
“The focal point tonight is starting with a complete game a full game,” said Rockets head coach Jason Smith.
After losing their first two games of the season, the Rockets are just looking to put together a good 60 minutes.
That’s something they failed to do in their first two games of the season against the Kamloops Blazers.
“You don’t want to dwell on two bad games too much, but it’s about what we do moving forward that’s going to get us turned around,” Smith said.
This season’s crop of Rockets have lost the ability to seemingly score at will. Dillon Dube is threatening to take someone else’s job with the Calgary Flames.
Cal Foote, who anchored the Rockets’ back-end for years, had to be set adrift to patrol the waters of Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.
So the natural question some are asking is: Who will step up and lead this season’s team on and off the ice ?
“We’re a team that doesn’t have an elite scorer or an elite line like we have had in the past. We’re a team that’s going to rely on getting contributions from everybody,” said Smith.
One player that the Rockets will need to contribute and lead is third-year veteran and San Jose Shark draft pick Kyle Topping.
“Now that I’m an older guy, I definitely want to be know as a leader and help the younger guys out with anything on or off the ice,” said Topping.
Look for James Porter to get the start in net against the Cougars in Kelowna, but forward Liam Kindree is still day-to-day with a shoulder injury.