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Okanagan Rockets stunned by Blazers, reset for Cariboo

Thompson upsets Rockets in two major midget games, first-place Cougars up next
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Okanagan Rockets forward Coleton Bilodeau (left) battles Thompson Blazer Jett Saharchuk in B.C. major midget action Saturday at CNC.

The Okanagan Rockets »å¾±»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t really see it coming.

Chances are, neither did the Thompson Blazers.

With just two wins in their first 16 games of the season, the Blazers were the overwhelming underdogs heading into a home-and-home set with the second-place Rockets.

When all was said and done, the Blazers had a sweep, while Okanagan (14-3-1-0) earned only one point.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœT³ó¾±²Ô²µ²õ fell into place for them and »å¾±»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t work out for ³Ü²õ,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ said Rockets head coach Eric Blais. 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵÀá ·É´Ç³Ü±ô»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t say we deserved it necessarily, but we sure got it.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœW±ð »å¾±»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t get the team play from the goaltender out, »å¾±»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t get the saves, »å¾±»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t get the defensive coverage and offensively we just ³¦´Ç³Ü±ô»å²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t finish. When that happens, ²â´Ç³Ü91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™r±ð not going to win very ³¾³Ü³¦³ó.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

On Saturday at the Capital News Centre, the Blazers scored early in overtime for a 5-4 victory.

Ryman Bassi scored twice in the loss, while Max Kryski and Coleton Bilodeau added the others.

On Sunday in Chase, the Blazers scratched out a 5-3 win. Kryski, Jeff Karpowich and Tanner Bahm tallied for Okanagan.

The Rockets held the edge in play for much of the two games, registering more than 90 shots, doubling the µþ±ô²¹³ú±ð°ù²õ91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ output.


While Blais may not have predicted the result against Thompson, he said his ³Ù±ð²¹³¾91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s play in recent games had become a concern.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœW±ð ·É±ð°ù±ð²Ô91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t quite playing quite the way we needed to going in, so I could kind of see us slipping a ±ô¾±³Ù³Ù±ô±ð,91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ Blais said. 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœH´Ç±è±ð´Ú³Ü±ô±ô²â ¾±³Ù91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s a wake-up call. But credit to them (Blazers), they outworked us and were ³ó³Ü²Ô²µ°ù¾±±ð°ù.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

The Rockets had some injuries to cope with and were also without a number of key players for the weekend set.

Eli Zummack is with the °Â±á³¢91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Spokane Chiefs, while defenseman Seth Barton played with the µþ°ä±á³¢91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s Nanaimo Clippers.

The Rockets will now get set for a showdown with the first-place Cariboo Cougars (16-1-1-0). The teams will face off Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. at CNC.

 





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