Tuesday, May 26, 2015

That's more like it!!


  • Now that's more like it. The Kelowna Rockets showed their true colours last night with a dominating 7-3 win over the Quebec Junior Hockey League Champion Rimouski Oceanic. The Rockets exploded out of the gates with a quick 3-0 lead before the Oceanic made things interesting with back-to-back goals to make it a one goal game. But on this night the Rockets were on their game and scored three unanswered goals for the most convincing win of the four games we've seen at the 2015 Master Card Memorial Cup.
  • While Leon Draisaitl and Nick Merkley both had two goals and an assist in the win, Gage Quinney's play with Tyson Baillie and Dillon Dube really stood out. Quinney has been a valuable player, who's skill level was untapped in his time in Prince Albert. In his time with the Rockets, the soft spoken Las Vegas resident has been terrific. Quinney's two goals came in the same arena that his father Ken spent some time as a member of the Quebec Nordiques. Ken Quinney played 30 games with the Nordiques in 1986-87 and 1987-88.
  • The Rockets scored their second shorthanded goal of the tournament when Leon Draisaitl completed a highlite reel move in the third period while skating down the right side. The 19 year-old cut wide on the Rimouski player, shielded away the defender with one hand before roofing a shot pasty Oceanic goalie Phillipe Desrosiers. The goal made it 7-3, but was clearly the best goal of the game and maybe the tournament. 
  • The Rockets power play struck once in five chances. The team now has three power play goals in two games at the Memorial Cup and has the best unit of the four teams competing in the ten day event. 
  • Draisaitl has goals in six straight games if you include goals in four straight against Brandon in the WHL Championship series.
  • Up next is a date with the undefeated Oshawa Generals. The Generals, who won two fewer but lost two fewer games than the Rockets clash at the Colisee in a match up that will likely witness the smallest crowd of the tournament. With no QMJHL rep on the ice, interest in this game you would suspect locally will be  very low. Last night's crowd saw the smallest crowd with 6,981 patrons.   

3 comments:

Unknown said...

What are all the possible final standing outcomes? I know we want to concentrate on tonight's game but if we win--where do we stand? If we lose, where do we stand? I know it depends on tomorrow's game as well between Rim and Quebec. Can we take top place with a win tonight?

Jared Comeau said...

Quinney, in my opinion, is making a VERY strong case to be one of the 3 O/A's next season Regan. What do you think?

Regan Bartel said...

With a win, they could have advanced to the final. The loss means they will likely play Quebec in the semi finals unless Rimouski beats the Remparts by eight goals this evening. That is doable but highly unlikely. If I was a betting man, the Rockets will play Friday.