By Adrian Nieoczym /
The Kelowna Rockets entered the Western Hockey League playoffs as the league’s sixth ranked team, which gave them third seed in the Western Conference.
But when it was all said and done, they emerged as champions and are going to their fourth Memorial Cup in seven years.
In capturing the Ed Chynoweth Cup, the Rockets swept the Kamloops Blazers before going on to beat three teams who had better regular season records than they did.
The Rockets took out the Tri-City Americans and the Vancouver Giants in six games apiece and then zoomed to a surprising three games to none lead over the Calgary Hitmen in the final, who up until that point had won 12 playoff games in a row.
But with the playoff’s leading scorer, Jamie Benn, on the shelf after taking two tremendous hits from Calgary defenceman, Keith Seabrook, the Rockets sputtered and lost the next two games 6-2 and 6-1.
Benn, and another injured Rockets forward, Kyle St. Denis, returned for game six and the Rockets sealed the championship with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory.
The Rockets 19-year-old captain, Colin Long, joined the team for the 2005/06 season, the year after Kelowna made its third Memorial Cup appearance in a row.
“That was one of the big reasons I decided to come [to Kelowna],” said Long of the Rockets championship tradition. “I knew that the Rockets were committed to winning. It’s one of those organizations that anything less than a championship is not acceptable and that’s an environment I wanted to be in.”
Kelowna went through a quick rebuilding phase during Long’s tenure with the Rockets, failing to qualify for the 2007 playoffs. But only two years later, they are back competing for the national crown.
“It’s huge,” said Long about what the Memorial Cup means to him. “I watch it every year, usually it’s always outside looking in, wishing you were there. You see what a big deal it is on TV and you just hear about it. It’s just an honour for us to be able to compete for that trophy.”
While none of the Rockets current players has been to a Memorial Cup before, those running the organization certainly have and know how to prepare.
“As an organization we learned that if you get caught up in the carnival like atmosphere, you lose focus on what you’re there for,” said Rockets president and general manager, Bruce Hamilton. “I reiterated that to the team...I want you to have some fun, enjoy the experience but we’re there to win.”
Long said he and the other players shouldn’t have too much trouble putting the WHL championship behind them and focusing on the task at hand.
He liked the process to what the team went though after beating the Giants, one of the Rockets fiercest rivals.
“That was a big deal for us as well,” said Long. “We took maybe one and a half days to think about that and celebrate and then it was right on to Calgary and watching video of those guys and figuring out what we need to do. So that’s the same approach that we’re going to have.” |
