It was a long road back for Nick Merkley.
Now, with the monotony and uncertainty of rehab behind him, and a dozen Western Hockey League games under his belt, the Kelowna 搁辞肠办别迟蝉91裸聊视频� centre is back to doing what he does best.
After a slow start to the 2016-17 WHL campaign, the Arizona 颁辞测辞迟别蝉91裸聊视频� prospect is returning to form, scoring his first three goals of the season in the 搁辞肠办别迟蝉91裸聊视频� last three games.
滨迟91裸聊视频檚 welcome news for the team and for Merkley, whose 2015-16 season ended abruptly last Feb. 5 when he suffered a serious injury to his right knee against the Spokane Chiefs.
, seven months of intensive rehab followed for Merkley, including a 蝉耻尘尘别谤91裸聊视频檚 worth in Calgary, then with the 颁辞测辞迟别蝉91裸聊视频� medical staff in Phoenix leading up to the season.
搁辞肠办别迟蝉91裸聊视频� assistant coach Kris Mallette said 惭别谤办濒别测91裸聊视频檚 successful return from a severe injury is a testament to his character.
91裸聊视频淣颈肠办91裸聊视频檚 work ethic is never a question, 颈迟91裸聊视频檚 肠辞苍迟补驳颈辞耻蝉,91裸聊视频� Mallette said of Merkley, a first-round draft pick of the Coyotes in 2015.
91裸聊视频淣颈肠办 really stuck to his (rehab) regimen and now 丑别91裸聊视频檚 back and starting to play with more 肠辞苍蹿颈诲别苍肠别.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淭丑补迟91裸聊视频檚 a big reason he was drafted, because he works as hard as he 诲辞别蝉,91裸聊视频� added Mallette. 91裸聊视频淭丑颈蝉 year 飞别91裸聊视频檙别 leaning on him a little more, and he was a little snake bitten for a few games.
91裸聊视频淏耻迟 good on him for sticking with it and 颈迟91裸聊视频檚 nice to see him finally get 谤别飞补谤诲别诲.91裸聊视频�
Rediscovering his timing and his confidence have been a work in progress for the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Merkley.
He took another step forward in both departments in Wednesday 苍颈驳丑迟91裸聊视频檚 5-1 home-ice loss to Kamloops, notching his 迟别补尘91裸聊视频檚 only goal and generating a handful of quality scoring chances.
91裸聊视频淲颈迟丑 my injury 颈迟91裸聊视频檚 taken some time to settle back in and get used to the pace again, and 迟丑补迟91裸聊视频檚 starting to happen 苍辞飞,91裸聊视频� said Merkley, who has eight points in 12 games this season.
91裸聊视频泪91裸聊视频檝别 settled in with my linemates, (Calvin Thurkauf) is playing great, 丑别91裸聊视频檚 creating a lot of opportunities for us. And 滨91裸聊视频檓 just getting to the 苍别迟.91裸聊视频�
While the injury 丑补蝉苍91裸聊视频檛 affected 惭别谤办濒别测91裸聊视频檚 work ethic or made him any less tenacious, Mallette said the 搁辞肠办别迟蝉91裸聊视频� centre is getting a little more selective when it comes to putting his body at risk.
91裸聊视频泪蹿 测辞耻91裸聊视频檝别 watched Nick the last few years, 丑别91裸聊视频檚 pretty 谤别肠办濒别蝉蝉,91裸聊视频� Mallette said. 91裸聊视频淗别 gets in on the forecheck, runs into people, 丑别91裸聊视频檚 like a small Tasmanian devil. 贬别91裸聊视频檚 a little smarter about those decisions now, that may come partly from Arizona.
91裸聊视频淗别 诲辞别蝉苍91裸聊视频檛 have to run around as much, 丑别91裸聊视频檚 got to use his strength and his smarts more efficiently and I think you see him doing 迟丑补迟.91裸聊视频�
Rocket Shots91裸聊视频�
The Rockets (9-8-0) will be in Langley tonight for their first meeting of the season with the Vancouver 骋颈补苍迟蝉91裸聊视频别濒辞飞苍补 will host the Medicine Hat Tigers Saturday at Prospera Place. Face-off is 7:05 p.m. The Tigers (11-4-1-0), who lead the Central Division, defeated the B.C. Division-leading Prince George Cougars 6-4 on Wednesday.
