Blazers hoping to make points

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Tyler Shattock, the captain of the Kamloops Blazers, would love nothing better than to pull off a two-game sweep this weekend.
Should that happen, it would mean that the Blazers (a) had opened the WHL season with four victories, and (b) finally had beaten those dastardly Kelowna Rockets.
You may have heard by now that the Rockets beat the Blazers 13 times last season. Yes, the teams met on the same sheet of ice on 13 occasions — nine in the regular season and four in the playoffs — and the Rockets won each and every time.
The teams will play tonight at Interior Savings Centre and Saturday in Kelowna’s Prospera Place. Game time both nights is 7 o’clock.
“Hopefully, we can win these next two,” Shattock said. “I don’t think a team has gone 4-0 for a while here. I know I haven’t.”
Shattock is in his fourth season here. His four-game starts, beginning with his first season, have gone 1-2-0-1, 1-2-1-0 and 2-1-0-1.
The Blazers haven’t opened a season with four straight victories since 2002-03 when they finally lost in Game 5.
“It would be nice to go 4-0,” Shattock said.
Having said that, he knows it won’t be easy. He knows the Rockets will be ugly like a wounded bear because they have lost their first two games, albeit the first one in overtime.
“We have to concern ourselves with what we do,” Shattock said. “But I think we have a lot of motivation for this series. . . . We have a bit of payback for them.”
All of which is fine with head coach Barry Smith, but he would prefer his bunch not get too caught up in it.
“Guys are looking at it,” Smith said. “How can you not? People bring it up and talk about it. It’s just another hurdle you have to overcome. It’s part of the growing process.”
Smith said this weekend is a matter of his team imposing its will on the opposition.
“We have to worry about ourselves and how well we play,” he stated. “Take care of your own house and make other teams have to adjust to you.”
Defenceman Zak Stebner agreed and added that the Blazers will need to get off to a good start.
“The start is important in every game, but obviously (tonight) is big because we’re starting off a season series with a new team,” he said. “You want to prove yourself to the other guys. You have to play them eight times, so . . .”
Smith added: “We have to come out and play right off the bat. You have to try to win hockey games in the first period with that mindset. You go out and play that first strong period . . . you set the tone . . . Saturday night was one where you don’t win it in the first period but you do. And then the rest of the game, we controlled it. We emphasized that.”
Stebner also admitted that the Blazers feel they have something to prove to Kelowna.
“Oh yeah . . . definitely,” he said. “You’re going to want to win these ones more than some other ones because of the rivarly and these guys beat us in the playoffs.”
If the Blazers are to win, they will do it with sophomore Jon Groenheyde in goal. Smith has decided to give him his second straight start — he beat the visiting Chilliwack Bruins 4-2 on Saturday after Justin Leclerc went the distance in a 4-3 victory in Chilliwack one night earlier.
“I thought (Groenheyde) played a strong game,” Smith explained. “Was there a huge differnce? No. My feeling was that it was better. It’s an A-plus versus an A.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
 

SCOUTINGREPORT
KELOWNA ROCKETS at KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
Today, 7 p.m., Interior Savings Centre (Radio NL 610)

KELOWNA (0-1-1-0): The defending-champion Rockets have given up 12 goals in their two losses, which explains why they spent a lot of practice time this week on defensive zone play. . . . They lost 6-5 in OT to the visiting Vancouver Giants and then dropped a 6-1 decision to the host Tri-City Americans. . . . The Rockets have surrendered 75 shots in two games. . . . D Tyler Myers, 19, is with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, while high-scoring F Colin Long, 20, hasn’t signed but is with the San Antonio Rampage, the AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes. . . . F Stepan Novotny, the Rockets’ lone import, scored four goals in the loss to Vancouver. He has five points, while F Mitchell (Dirty Harry) Callahan has three. . . . G Adam Brown likely will make his third straight start. . . . The Rockets are carrying a dozen freshmen among the 28 players on their roster. . . . Injuries: G Mark Guggenberger (pelvis, out); F Evan Bloodoff (knee, out).
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KAMLOOPS (2-0-0-0): The Blazers are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2002-03. . . . They will play the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday night. . . . The Blazers have lost 13 straight games to the Rockets — nine in the regular season and four in the playoffs. . . . G Jon Groenheyde makes his second straight start tonight. . . . Kamloops scored four power-play goals in beating the visiting Bruins 4-2 on Saturday night. . . . The Blazers are carrying eight defencemen, which means there will be two healthy scratches. . . . One forward also will be a healthy scratch. . . . F Tyler Shattock leads the team in goals (3) and points (5), while F Shayne Wiebe has a team-high four assists. . . . After tonight, Kamloops is next at home Wednesday against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Injuries: F Dalibor Bortnak (spleen, out); F Colin Smith (broken arm, out).
— GREGG DRINNAN