Rockets will test Silvertips twice

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, November 27, 2003

EVERETT – They’re the defending Western Hockey League champions.

They’ve got the best winning percentage in the Western Conference.

They’re ranked No. 1 in the Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association poll.

They’re the Kelowna Rockets, and they’re coming to town for a double dip this weekend.

The Everett Silvertips play host to the Rockets tonight and Saturday, and this weekend will go a long way toward determining just how good this Everett team is.

After beating Seattle 5-2 Wednesday, Kelowna improved to 17-8-2, and Everett’s back-to-back games against the Rockets this weekend present the Silvertips, fresh off breaking .500 for the first time in franchise history at 10-9-3-1, with their biggest challenge to date.

“They’re one of, if not the best team, in all of junior hockey, not only in the Western Hockey League but across Canada,” Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. “We’re going to have to play the best hockey we’ve played all year.”

The Rockets were like a force of nature last season. Kelowna finished with a record of 51-14-6-1, was first in the WHL in both points (109) and goals scored (311), and was second in the league in fewest goals allowed (164).

The Rockets were, if anything, even more dominant in the playoffs. Kelowna swept its first two playoff series against Vancouver and Spokane 4-0, beat Seattle 4-1 in the conference finals, then beat Red Deer 4-2 for the league championship.

“It was an exciting team to play for,” said Everett forward David Jacobson, who had five goals and six assists in 45 games for the Rockets last season. “We pretty much went through our big winning streak where we won 25 in a row or so. To make it to the Memorial Cup is a big challenge for every team in the league, and for us to do it was great.”

But with all-star forwards Jesse Schultz and Kiel McLeod and all-star defenseman Tomas Slovak off to the professional ranks this season, the Rockets had to adjust, and Kelowna began the season a pedestrian 5-6-1.

However, the Rockets turned it around during a stretch from Oct. 21-25, when Kelowna posted consecutive shutouts against Prince Albert, Vancouver and Kamloops, which at the time were the top three ranked teams in the league. Since then the Rockets have gone 12-2-1 and surged to the top of the poll, earning 14 of the 16 first-place votes.

“It’s gone pretty good,” Kelowna coach Marc Habscheid said. “We lost a lot from last year, especially in terms of scoring. So we’ve got a really young team this year and we’re playing hard and playing together.”

Kelowna does not have the high-powered scorers it had last season – 17-year-old rookie forward Justin Keller leads the team with 13 goals – and the Rockets’ 64 goals put them in the bottom quarter of the league.

But one thing the Rockets have always had, regardless of personnel, is defense. Kelowna has allowed a league-low 45 goals this season. The Rockets have accomplished this through a combination of a smothering defensive system that prevents opponents from getting shots off, and the goaltending of 20-year-old Kelly Guard (16-6-2, 1.45 goals-against average, .928 save percentage through Wednesday).

“They’re big, strong, work hard and give you very little,” Constantine said. “If you can muster 15 shots against them you’re above average because they don’t give up more than 14 or 15 a game. They’re just a good team with good players that’s well coached, very disciplined and works hard. They’re kind of everything you want to be in a team.”

The Rockets should be back at full strength tonight. Captain Josh Gorges, a 19-year-old defenseman, and 19-year-old forward Randall Gelech both missed the Seattle game playing for Team WHL in the RE/MAX Canada Russia Challenge Series. The series ended Thursday and the duo was scheduled to fly into Seattle this morning and suit up tonight.

In the teams’ previous meeting in Kelowna on Nov. 11, Everett managed just five shots on goal through the first two periods. However, the Silvertips fought back from a 2-0 deficit with third-period goals from Jeff Schmidt and Chad Bassen to force overtime. Kelowna’s Shea Weber scored the winner in OT.

“People didn’t think we were playing that well, but it’s a real tough building and a tough team because they’re really tight defensively,” Schmidt said. “So when we came back in the third and scored two, to even get points against them is just huge for our team.”

And if Everett can get any more points against the Rockets this weekend, it will even more evidence that the Silvertips have arrived.