The Okanagan Rockets »å¾±»å²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t really see it coming.
Chances are, neither did the Thompson Blazers.
With just two wins in their first 16 games of the season, the Blazers were the overwhelming underdogs heading into a home-and-home set with the second-place Rockets.
When all was said and done, the Blazers had a sweep, while Okanagan (14-3-1-0) earned only one point.
Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥œT³ó¾±²Ô²µ²õ fell into place for them and »å¾±»å²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t work out for ³Ü²õ,Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥ said Rockets head coach Eric Blais. Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥Àá ·É´Ç³Ü±ô»å²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t say we deserved it necessarily, but we sure got it.
Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥œW±ð »å¾±»å²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t get the team play from the goaltender out, »å¾±»å²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t get the saves, »å¾±»å²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t get the defensive coverage and offensively we just ³¦´Ç³Ü±ô»å²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t finish. When that happens, ²â´Ç³ÜÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™r±ð not going to win very ³¾³Ü³¦³ó.Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥
On Saturday at the Capital News Centre, the Blazers scored early in overtime for a 5-4 victory.
Ryman Bassi scored twice in the loss, while Max Kryski and Coleton Bilodeau added the others.
On Sunday in Chase, the Blazers scratched out a 5-3 win. Kryski, Jeff Karpowich and Tanner Bahm tallied for Okanagan.
The Rockets held the edge in play for much of the two games, registering more than 90 shots, doubling the µþ±ô²¹³ú±ð°ù²õÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ output.
While Blais may not have predicted the result against Thompson, he said his ³Ù±ð²¹³¾Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s play in recent games had become a concern.
Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥œW±ð ·É±ð°ù±ð²ÔÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t quite playing quite the way we needed to going in, so I could kind of see us slipping a ±ô¾±³Ù³Ù±ô±ð,Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥ Blais said. Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥œH´Ç±è±ð´Ú³Ü±ô±ô²â ¾±³ÙÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s a wake-up call. But credit to them (Blazers), they outworked us and were ³ó³Ü²Ô²µ°ù¾±±ð°ù.Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥
The Rockets had some injuries to cope with and were also without a number of key players for the weekend set.
Eli Zummack is with the °Â±á³¢Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s Spokane Chiefs, while defenseman Seth Barton played with the µþ°ä±á³¢Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s Nanaimo Clippers.
The Rockets will now get set for a showdown with the first-place Cariboo Cougars (16-1-1-0). The teams will face off Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. at CNC.