Rockets burst Broncos bubble

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For Rockets assistant coach Mike Reagan, the foundation for the offensive explosion was laid before the puck was even dropped.

Listen below for the post-game show recap, including the audio interview with AC Mike Reagan:

“You know, we had a really good pregame skate earlier on today, and you could feel that the guys had some energy and had their legs,” Reagan said. “There was good energy on the ice, and I think that just transferred to our first period.”

The Rockets needed that energy early, especially against a Swift Current team playing its second game in as many nights.

Kelowna jumped out quickly, but the Broncos did manage to make things interesting when they cut the deficit to 2-1.

That moment could have changed the direction of the game.

Instead, the Rockets responded.

A key moment came when Kelowna successfully killed off a five-on-three penalty, allowing the Rockets to protect their lead before taking control again.

“I think it was big for us,” Reagan said. “You never like to start a game like that.”

The Rockets eventually restored their three-goal cushion and added two more before the first intermission, taking a 5-1 lead into the dressing room.

From there, the challenge became maintaining the same level of focus.

It is one thing to build a big lead. It is another to continue playing the right way when the scoreboard suggests the game is already decided.

Reagan admitted there was some concern.

“I’m a big Edmonton Oilers fan, so, you know, I witnessed that, the game against Vancouver there,” he said.

The reference was to the danger of allowing a large lead to create complacency.

Instead, the Rockets continued to push.

Kelowna added three more goals in the second period, turning a 5-1 lead into an 8-1 advantage after 40 minutes.

There were moments when the Rockets strayed from their structure, but Reagan liked the way they continued to compete and manage the game.

“There were some times in the second period that I thought that we got away from our game,” he said. “But we also, I think, there was one shift where we actually hemmed them in their zone and had three line changes during that time.”

That sequence was significant because it showed the Rockets were beginning to understand that managing a game is about more than simply protecting a lead.

It is about continuing to play with purpose.

Reagan also pointed to something the coaching staff has emphasized, particularly during second periods.

“That’s something that we’ve talked about, especially in second periods, is making sure that we’re getting line changes,” he said. “I thought we did a good job of that tonight.”

The lopsided score also allowed the Rockets to reward some of their younger players with additional ice time.

William Matte, Gabriel O’Brien and Von Lakovic all saw more action, and ‘Willie’ scored his first goal.

Reagan believes it’s valuable to learn how to stay engaged even when minutes are limited.

“Being able to go out there and do a job, staying mentally engaged in the game, so I thought the guys did a good job of that tonight and it’s nice to see them get rewarded with more ice time,” he said.

The offensive production was impossible to ignore.

Eleven different Rockets recorded multi-point games as Kelowna scored 10 goals for the first time since the 2022-23 season, when they defeated Spokane 10-3.

For a team that entered the season with questions about where its goals would come from, the outburst was a welcome sight.

But Reagan was careful not to suggest Wednesday’s performance had suddenly solved everything.

“I think scoring is about confidence,” he said.

The challenge now is to make sure Wednesday becomes more than just one memorable night.

The Rockets will return to Prospera Place Saturday against the Brandon Wheat Kings, looking to build on the momentum from their second consecutive home game.

“The most important thing is Saturday night,” Reagan said. “How do we come out from this? Do we take a step forward again, or do we take a step back?”

For one night, at least, the Rockets took a very big step forward.