‘It’s a confidence booster’ – Rockets AC on win over Winterhawks

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Yet, that supposed strength didn’t materialize, with both goalies often struggling as the team did.

It seems like when the team was treading water, looking for a save, they couldn’t get one.

When one goalie was off, so was the other.

A supposed strength, was shockingly, a glaring weakness.

That hasn’t been the case in the month of February, including Saturday’s brilliance from Talyn Boyko in the Kelowna Rockets’ 3-1 win over the high-powered Portland Winterhawks.

“Talyn did such a good job tonight”, with relief on the face of Rockets Assistant Coach Josh MacNevin. “I thought we limited the grade A scoring chances. We were ok on rebounds and when we weren’t, he [Boyko] was there. They are a team that shoots the puck a lot, so if you can keep those to the outside, you are in a pretty good spot.”

The Winterhawks, who average the second most shots on goal of any team in the WHL, fired 46 on the net but couldn’t solve the veteran goalie.

The only one to beat Boyko came on a power play when Hawks forward Gabe Klassen was able to find pay dirt.

“We actually scored it”, MacNevin said accurately with a chuckle after the puck went off the skate of d-man Jackson DeSouza and past Boyko. “It is preparations and execution. Guys blocking shots. Being on the penalty kill is hard minutes.

“For me, we are taking way too many penalties, you could argue some of them are not warranted, but whatever side you fall on, your best penalty killer is your goalie, always.”

The penalty-killing unit went 7 for 8 and also scored a shorthanded goal.

“We didn’t allow too many [shots] from the inside”, MacNevin added. “They get pucks to the net and they get traffic.”

The desperation to hang with a Winterhawks team that has scored the fifth most goals in the WHL was clearly evident.

No less than three times, forward Andrew Cristall, d-man Elias Carmichael and defender Jackson DeSouza were witnessed leaving their skates to break up passing plays.

“In order for there to be a dive, there must be a breakdown”, MacNevin said with a smirk on his face. “I think we got sleeping a couple of times. A really good effort for the guys to get back and make up for it. AC [Andrew Cristall] lost his coverage and then just buried his head and worked back and deflected the puck.

“Carmichael made a great play, but our d-men got a little bit wide, and we preached staying inside the dots, and this is a team that gets behind you. When that happens, you need to be aware of it.”

The Winterhawks opened the scoring, but the Rockets scored the next three goals with Marcus Pacheco, possessing a surprisingly good wrist shot that he tends not to use, scored on the home team’s only shot of the second period, when teammate Andrew Cristall was in the penalty box serving a double minor for high sticking.

“We are doing the little things, executing and playing together”, MacNevin added.

Goals from Turner McMillen, who has been absolutely excellent over the past two games specifically, and Adam Kydd’s goal-mouth goal to make it 3-1, set the team up nicely for a possible upset of two teams separated by 37 points in the standings.

The attention to detail defensively was clearly evident.

Late in the game, the puck was sent to the left corner inside the offensive zone by the Winterhawks, yet four Rockets players were in a perfect square, looking like they were attached by a string, following the puck in perfect formation in an effort to defend.

“If we protect the middle of the ice, and we have goalies that are going to stop those long shots, we are good,” MacNevin said. “When we get into trouble is when we give up those inside chances. We committed to it today and executed.

“Obviously we would have liked to generate a few more shots, but it was a good effort by the group collectively.”

After losing by one goal to teams in October and November like Seattle, Winnipeg, Moose Jaw, and Regina, have the Rockets turned the corner in a belief they can indeed compete with the elite?

“This win reaffirms what we’ve been telling them basically all year,” MacNevin said bluntly.

“We can play with anybody. We can beat anybody, but we have to play a certain way.”