RIMOUSKI, Que. – First, he put the tag on Windsor. Next, he tagged Kelowna. Maybe tonight, it’ll be Guy Boucher’s Drummondville Voltigeurs who’ll be labelled as favourites.
Then again, maybe not.
After two days of rest, the Rockets return to action in the 2009 Memorial Cup, as Kelowna plays Drummondville, a contest featuring two unbeaten teams at 1-0. The Rockets opened the tournament on Friday with a convincing 4-1 victory over the host Rimouski Oceanic, while the Volts defeated the Windsor Spitfires the next night, 3-2 in overtime.
After that win, Boucher was asked about tonight’s game against Kelowna. Game time between the Rockets (1-0) and Volts (1-0) is 4 p.m. PT.
"If we’re going to have a chance, we can’t give (Kelowna) any turnovers because they get back really quick," said Boucher, Drummondville’s head coach. In a pre-tournament coaches preview on Thursday, Boucher said Windsor, on paper, was the top team in the tournament. On Saturday, he said Kelowna was a major contender.
"(Kelowna) is fast, they hold four guys back in the neutral zone, and, hey, they’re very solid out back,” continued Boucher. "Their defencemen control the play, then settle things down, and that’s very hard to play (against).”
Boucher was also complimentary towards 6-foot-8 Rockets defenceman Tyler Myers. The two were teammates for Canada at the 2009 world junior hockey championship in Ottawa, where Boucher was an assistant coach.
"Oh, boy, has he really stepped up," said Boucher. "I had him last year at the under-18 in Russia and the under-20 now, and I’ve never seen him play that good. He was always a good player, but, right now, he’s outstanding.
“He controls the game and when you have that on your team, you can hold (your own). In the bigger picture, they’re definitely a greater contender in this tournament."
What Boucher was selling, excluding Myers, the Rockets weren’t buying.
"Well, I don’t know about that . . . every team here in this tournament is a good hockey club," Rockets head coach Ryan Huska said on Kelowna being a major contender. "Really, we’re in a position where we’re not supposed to be here. There were two other teams out west that everybody picked to be here.
"But every team can win a game, every team can beat each other here. It depends on how hard you’re working and how hard you play to your systems."
As was the case in Saturday’s afternoon matinee between Windsor and Drummondville, the Kelowna Rockets’ coaching staff scouted Sunday’s contest. For the WHL champions, Windsor’s power play was a mix between the Calgary Hitmen’s and Tri-City Americans’ extra-man play, in that it was driven primarily by the Spitfires’ defencemen.
"These teams are just like the ones we have out west," said Huska. "We’re just trying to pick up on some of the small differences that they may do, or if there’s something that we have to make our players aware of.
"And you also get to see how their coaches use their players and use their bench as well."
For the Rockets, two days have come to an end, and now it’s two straight days of work, with Drummondville tonight, then Windsor on Tuesday night.
"For our club, these days off were important," said Huska. "We haven’t had the greatest success in back-to-back games, so these two days off have given us a chance to energize the guys again, refocus again and we’ll have a good, hard effort (tonight).
"Then I know our guys, because of where we are, will put in that same effort on Tuesday night."
Windsor president and head coach Bob Boughner is also looking forward to Tuesday, since the Spitfires are in a must-win scenario.
"We know the contest we have Tuesday night: Kelowna is a heck of a hockey team with a lot of offence," said Boughner. "The only way we’re going to get any life out of this tournament is if we throw a defensive gem. I’m convinced of that."
Earlier Sunday, the Rockets trekked 30 kilometres southeast to Saint-Fabien to practice, just as they did on Saturday.
"It was a good day," said Huska. "We had a lot of energy and a lot of jump. Our kids are antsy and I know they’re looking forward to playing the game tomorrow night." Top of Page
