From the Jaws of Defeat

r Befitting a celebratory season-opener, Saturday’s 5-4 Rockets’ win over the Kamloops Blazers had plenty of exciting twists and turns.

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r The biggest turn came late in the second period when the home side scored 3 times during a 5-minute power play to erase a 3-0 lead and forge ahead to stay. Colin Long, who narrowly lost the WHL scoring title last season, was back in form on the night as he led the Kelowna comeback with a pair of goals.

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r And, to make life much nicer for Long, he found his prolific linemate, Jamie Benn, in the dressing room prior to the game. Though NHL training camps delayed things, the two gunners’ reunion looked as lethal as ever. Big Benn assisted on both of Long’s goals and turned in a strong performance after returning to Kelowna on Saturday morning.

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r Meanwhile, Kyle St. Denis scored a goal and added an assist to earn First Star honours on the night. It was his late second period goal that put the Rockets ahead to stay.

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r The Rockets looked tentative in the early stages of the first period. On an early power play, they did move the puck around fairly well and Benn rifled one off the short side post.  

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r But, it was Kamloops who opened the scoring – Jimmy Bubnick, notched his third of the season with the Blazers enjoying a manpower advantage at 7:21.

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r That goal seemed to knock the home side further back on their heels. And, again, the Blazers struck. Brendan Ranford earned his first career WHL goal when he jammed a loose puck under a prone Kris Lazaruk.

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r Kelowna regained some momentum as the first period wound down and forced Justin Leclerc to make several big saves. Colin Long was sprung on a breakaway but couldn’t beat Leclerc on a backhand deke. Later, Cody Almond slid a nifty pass to Kyle St. Denis who was stationed in the goal crease. A sharp Leclerc foiled him with a quick left pad.

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r Shayne Wiebe finished off a Kamloops rush to make it 3-0 for the visitors near the midway mark of period two. What started as a 2 on 2 ended up a 2 on 1, and then, an easy tap in for Wiebe thanks to some defensive miscues by Kelowna. But, instead of deflating them, the goal seemed to spark the home side.

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r Long started the Kelowna comeback when he made good on his second clear cut breakaway of the game. Benn sent his linemate in alone and Long rifled a beauty over the glove hand of Leclerc that caught the roof of the net and slammed to the ice.

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r Moments later, the Blazers got into the aforementioned penalty trouble and the game changed for good.  Jordan Rowley took a tripping penalty but it was Nick Ross’ major for interference that cost the heaviest price.

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r Ross caught Kyle Verdino with a hard hip check just inside the Blazers’ line that sent the sophomore to the dressing room favouring his left leg. Because Verdino had passed off the puck before the hit, interference was called with the severity of the hit making it a major with accompanying game misconduct.

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r A flurry of 3 Kelowna goals in 1:31 – each coming during the Ross major – completed the comeback and had the Rockets suddenly ahead 4-3 after 40 minutes.

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r Evan Bloodoff tapped in a pretty Brandon McMillan centering pass at 17:20 before Long swept in front and slid home his second of game at 18:21. Then, St. Denis converted McMillan’s pass off a two-on-one rush at 18:51 to the thunderous roar of the jubilant home crowd.

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r Lucas Bloodoff made good on a breakaway chance at 4:52 of the third period to give the Rockets a 2-goal lead (goal pictured at left). But, the Blazers were in no mood to roll over and play dead – especially after losing 6-2 to Kelowna on home ice the night before.

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r Bubnick was left alone in the slot and made no mistake in sliding home his 4^th of the season and second of the game at 9:51. Kris Lazaruk was called on to make some big saves as the game wore on and his team clinging to the 5-4 lead. In particular, Lazaruk robbed Bubnick of his hat trick with a beautiful glove save from in close.

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r The Rockets return to action on Wednesday when they host the Everett Silvertips at Prospera Place.

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