By / Adrian Nieoczym
The scoring story for the Kelowna Rockets so far this year is much as it was for most of last year: Colin Long and Jamie Benn.
Last season, Long was second in league scoring, one point away from the top spot with 100, while Benn put up 65 points in 51 games as a 17-year-old rookie.
Through 19 games this year, Benn is at the top of the WHL scoring charts with 32 points (18G 14A) while his linemate, Long, is second with 29 points (14G 15A).
“I don’t think we’ve lost any of it, which is good,” said Benn, when asked whether the chemistry he had with Long last season has carried over into the current campaign.
Been credited the on-ice connection between the two players, in part to the bond the snipers have off it.
“I think that helps when you’re good buddies, best friends off the ice, it brings good momentum into the game,” he said.
Rockets head coach, Ryan Huska, hesitated when asked if he was happy with how Long and Benn have developed
this year.
“I think they’re getting better but I still think they’re capable of more,” he said. “There are times when we watch them play and they’re almost kind of there, they’re not there, and then when they decide to turn it up, then they’re a scary, scary line to play against.”
And getting his players to put in a consistent effort no matter what the situation or opponent, to keep working and skating hard, is key in Huska’s opinion, if Kelowna is going to jump up and join the league’s elite teams.
Just how important Long is to the Rockets was demonstrated when his team mates voted to give him the captain’s ‘C.’ Benn and their other linemate, Lucas Bloodhoff, were both made alternates.
According to Huska, his three top-liners are expected to live up to the letters on their chests. “They have to be our best guys. If they don’t play a certain way, then why should the rest of our team play that way? That’s they’re challenge,” he said.
Huska also said that Long is strong enough and mature enough to be a good captain, but he is also going to find out that it’s not an easy job.
“It’s actually very difficult because when things don’t go right, as far as the coaching staff’s concerned, we go to him and we’re hard on him for other guys not playing well.”
Notes
While the Rockets have likely seen the last of star defenseman Luke Schenn, now that he has made it past the 10-game mark with the Toronto Maple Leafs, their defence corps did get a much needed talent and age boost when the New York Rangers returned 20-year-old blueliner, Tysen Dowzak, after a five-game stint in the minor leagues. |