Blazers and Rockets set to renew acquaintances after 465 days — game lineups could get younger.

January 11, 2020 — a 7-2 Blazers win over the Rockets at Prospera Place in Kelowna.

Tonight they renew acquaintances — this time at the Sandman Centre hub.

This will be game 10 of the 24 game season for the Blazers —- only the 5th game for the Rockets, who were shutdown after two games, and for over two weeks, after positive COVID tests.

They returned with a vengeance and plenty of fire power —- a 7-5 win over Prince George in the Kamloops hub last Saturday, followed by a 7-2 win over Victoria last night in Kelowna.

“A team probably more similar to Vancouver.” says Blazers head coach Shaun Clouston. “A little bit older, a little bit bigger. They play a hard game. I think it’s a great challenge for us. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves if things don’t go right early — we’re going to have to play 60 minutes, simplify things —- they’have some good players, they’have some good depth, they have experience in net, so I think it’s a big challenge.”

With yesterday’s announcement by the Western Hockey League that there won’t be playoffs of any kind, the Rockets aren’t scheduled to makeup any of their games postponed — which means they will only play 15 games.

The cancellation of playoffs means the rest of the season will be little more than an exhibition schedule.

If this wasn’t already considered a development season, it certainly is now.

Most teams have been icing younger rosters, and now they will probably get even younger.

For the Blazers, who are carrying six 16-year olds and a 15, there may not be much choice.

Logan Stankoven is gone for the rest of the season with the U-18 national team, and overage forward Orrin Centazzo is out with an upper body injury.

“It just creates challenges.” says Shaun Clouston. “Guys have to bump up — add Centazzo to that mix —- he’ll miss some time, it will probably be a week or two. It just drastically changes everything. Every line gets affected. The way we’re looking at it and the way the players have to look at it is that everybody wants more ice time and now guys are going to get that opportunity. It’s an opportunity for younger players, maybe a second year or even first year player to play a little higher in the lineup — which is what they really want, and now it’s ‘hey, are you ready to do it.'”

by Earl Seitz

Blazers and Rockets set to renew acquaintances after 465 days — game lineups could get younger.

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