Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor
Tij terrorizing goalies
Things that make me go hmm…
Oct 25, 2023 | 8:00 AM
- More love for Tij Iginla. Acquired in a trade this summer with Seattle, the 17-year-old has an incredible shot, silky hands, and above-average skating. Iginla is three goals shy of Terik Parascak of the Prince George Cougars for the WHL lead. Iginla has scored 12 goals in the opening 11 games. The last Rockets player to score with that type of proficiency to start a season was Jesse Schultz in 2002-2003 when the then 20-year-old also scored 12 goals in his opening 11 games of the season. Schultz would go on to score 53 times. I know, you were thinking Jamie Benn had to have scored more goals in a quicker amount of time. Nope. Benn had 10 goals in his opening 11 games in 2008-2009. That too is a torrid pace.
- With November quickly approaching, where men’s health is at the forefront, RocketFAN spoke candidly with Vancouver Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros about his battle with prostate cancer. “I ended up having two cancers,” the 57-year-old admitted. “I went for a routine checkup and my bloodwork came back that something could be wrong.” What advice does he have for men so they can avoid the same cancer scare he went through? “Just go get tested,” he said. “See your doctor. Get a PSA test. It takes a 45-minute visit. If things don’t feel right, don’t be the tough guy.” Viveiros’ story is a happy one, where he is feeling good, healthy, and cancer-free. We appreciate him sharing his story during a pre-game interview, which frankly isn’t ideal to be asking a visiting coach pointed questions.
- Having a late birthdate has Kelowna Rockets d-man Ethan Mittelsteadt on the NHL draft radar. Still, 17, being December born, the well-spoken defender is getting some early season attention. This is what one unidentified scout told RocketFAN. “He seems like a player that is very confident in his own abilities. He is a good passer. He isn’t the nicest skater, but he is a good skater. He makes quick decisions with the puck. A player worth watching as he grows his game.”
- Who is the best goalie I’ve seen so far this season? I haven’t seen the entire allotment, but Tri-City rookie Lukas Matecha is at the top of my list. At 18, this Chechia-born netminder is the real deal. A big goalie, with a good glove hand, his compete is excellent. After a 4-3 shootout loss, where he allowed two goals on three shots in the ‘skills competition’, yet was excellent in overtime, Matecha was so mad after the game that he threw a water bottle at the Americans’ bench, which slammed against the plexiglass, startling fans who were waiting around to acknowledge the three stars. I love players that hate to lose, and Matecha, (pronounced Ma-tech-ah) is clearly a winner. Plus, he has a certain swagger to him too.
- It has been an interesting few weeks with several of what I would call new radio broadcasters coming through Prospera Place. Medicine Hat’s radio head Gino De Poli was like a kid in a candy store during the team’s recent trip to the BC Division. It was refreshing to see him in awe at the buildings he stepped foot into, something we long-toothed radio nerds sometimes take for granted. Swift Current Broncos broadcaster Mat Barrett was another great example. Barrett too was enjoying the trip immensely, but almost made a fatal mistake by setting up his broadcaster gear in Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton’s box. Fortunately, I steered him in the right direction before he made himself at home, guiding Barrett to the visitor’s broadcast booth. No harm, no foul. I remember too being slightly rattled going into unfamiliar buildings where seeking out a phone line to connect to the radio station was often priority number one. For the record, phone lines are no longer used, having since been replaced by hardline internet. I hope both De Poli and Barrett take one thing away from their journey…broadcasters in BC are so much more fun than fellow colleagues in the US/Central and East Division. Add a wink emoji after that statement.
- He’s back. After a summer overseas, colour analyst Gord McGarva has returned and will be by my side in the broadcast booth for all home games moving forward. Thanks for putting up with my solo effort in the opening 11 games, where misspeaking is often part of the process, with no one beside me for correction. McGarva has been with me since the start of the 2008-2009 season. Faithful would be an understatement.
- Congratulations to Kamloops Blazers play-by-play radio broadcaster Jon Keen on being recognized for 20 seasons of calling games with the Blazers and the Swift Current Broncos. Being honoured before a home game with the Broncos as the visitors was a nice touch. Keen is in year 14 with the Blazers after 7 in Swift Current. This is technically year 21 being behind a WHL microphone.
- The Wenatchee Wild’s weekday Tuesday and Wednesday home games are all played at 6 pm. Every other team across the league starts at 7:00 pm, 7:05 pm or 7:30 pm local time. It will be interesting to see how this impacts the crowds during the season. I can see it being a benefit, specifically on school night’s to attend the game and then get the school kids to bed in a reasonable hour. It is worth watching and seeing if others follow the Wild’s lead.
- Who has been the most pleasant surprise in the opening 11 games for the Kelowna Rockets? I’m amazed at how good 19-year-old Michael Cicek has been. Acquired from the Spokane Chiefs this summer for only a fifth-round prospects pick, Cicek is an excellent passer and is especially adept at throwing long bomb passes out to an awaiting teammate at centre ice after making a pronounced effort to play hard in his own zone. I’d suggest after the first five weeks of the season, Cicek, who has more points this season than all of last year with the Chiefs, is the team’s best defensive forward. The dude has a strong fashion sense too. The suit he was wearing in Tri-City the other night was top-drawer terrific.
- I had to chuckle inside the other day when the Rockets had to stop at the Osoyoos border crossing before entering the USA on their way to Kennewick, Washington. With the players, single file, going through security, one friendly USA Border Guard asked a group of the players, who the goalie was. You could see the guard’s eyes gravitating to forward Ty Hurley, the smallest player in the group. It came as a surprise to the guard when 6’4 Jake Pilon stepped forward. Oh yes, the days of the goalie being small and agile are over. Even the big guys have cat-like reflexes.
- Connor Bedard move over. You’ve got company. Much has been made about Bedard’s larger-than-life thighs. Kelowna Rockets rookie d-man Jackson Gillespie doesn’t skip leg day either. The 16-year-old has extremely large, muscular thighs, you can’t but notice them when he is wearing shorts. RocketFAN had to ask Gillespie about his tree-trunk legs. “I am a workout fiend”, the Keller, Texas resident said. “I love the weight room, so that is how I spend the summers trying to get there as much as I can. I do squats, split squats, RDL’s (Roman Deadlifts).” How does it help him as a defender? “My acceleration and speed and my overall power is better, plus it adds to my weight considering I am a little lighter,” he said.
- Did you know former Kelowna Rockets head coach Ryan Huska’s roommate while playing junior hockey with the Kamloops Blazers was Jarome Iginla, Tij Iginla’s dad? Huska made the revelation during an interview last week with NHL.Com. To be honest, I was unaware of that factoid, and I’ve asked ‘Husk’ every question in the book.
- It was nice to shake hands with Swift Current Broncos Assistant Coach Taras McEwan last week. McEwan is the son of Brad McEwan, who was an assistant coach under Todd McLellan when I was calling games for the Broncos in the late 90’s. Taras was just a kid back then, telling me he spent grade three through seven in Swift Current before his family moved to Medicine Hat. Brad McEwan is an amateur scout with the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.
- Someone suggested the other night when the Swift Current Broncos were in town that I mentioned that goaltender Reid Dyck was from ‘The great US of A’. If indeed that phrase left my lips, which I believe it did not, I am losing it. I know for a fact Dyck is the pride of Winkler, Manitoba, and in my prep before the game, I purposely looked up David Schulz, who is also from Winkler and played for both the Broncos and Rockets. If I said in error Dyck was from the USA, I may need to see a doctor.
- They weren’t teammates in Kelowna, yet both played as 20-year-old’s with the Rockets. Carson Golder has joined Mark Liwiski as members of the Norfolk Admirals of the East Coast League this season.
- One more note after rookie d-man Jackson Gillispie scored his first career WHL goal. “My phone blew up after I got on the bus,” the likable defender told RocketFAN. “A lot of my family members and parents were watching, so when I saw my phone, there were 32 notifications, including my girlfriend, so that was pretty cool.”
- I spent $7.33 on a latte the other day at a Kelowna coffee establishment. I won’t mention its name. When I received my cup, it looked like a small. I asked if they had made a mistake. Unfortunately, they only have one size. If that is the case, I won’t be visiting that barista again. At 75 cents a slurp, that price tag was hard to swallow.
- I was asked the other day by a fan if I knew who logs the most ice time on the Rockets d-core. Head Coach Kris Mallette says Jackson DeSouza is the minute’s muncher, now that the 20-year-old is also featured on the power play. DeSouza has missed the last three games with injury, yet the team has dug deep and is enjoying its longest winning streak (three games) of the season.
- At 1741 words, for a second straight week I am over my 1,000-word limit. We will return next Wednesday with more useless observations. Oh, if you are sick, stay at home will ya. Haven’t we learned our lesson yet? The key is to not infect others!
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