When the Kelowna Rockets open the WHL regular season this weekend, an off-season trade will begin to be measured with the Rockets playing Kamloops in a home-and-home series and two former players from each team making their regular season debuts.
The Rockets will open the regular season on Friday night in Kamloops before hosting its home opener on Saturday at Prospera Place in Kelowna.
The games will mark the first regular season game for Jake Kryski in a Rockets uniform after the 18-year-old Vancouver native was acquired from Kamloops in a summer trade that saw Rockets defenceman Joe Gatenby sent to the Blazers along with his brother, prospect Danny Gatenby.
Kryski led the Rockets in scoring in the WHL preseason, with four goals and four assists in five preseason games. The skilled forward spent his first two seasons in the WHL with the Blazers and says it香蕉视频直播檚 going to be an interesting start to the season to play his old team right away.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檒l be a little weird for sure. Even through the short preseason I香蕉视频直播檝e developed a kind of hate for that team so to speak,香蕉视频直播 Kryski said. 香蕉视频直播淓ven though these guys are all still my buddies I still feel that rivalry.香蕉视频直播
During his tenure with Kamloops Kryski amassed 65 points in 136 games played including 23 goals and 42 assists. He also knows what type of team the Blazers have.
香蕉视频直播淜amloops is a hard team to play against; I香蕉视频直播檝e kind of realized that since coming over to Kelowna,香蕉视频直播 said Kryski. 香蕉视频直播淥bviously in the playoffs last year getting knocked out by Kelowna set a fire under some guys in their room so these first two games everyone will be coming out hard. It香蕉视频直播檚 definitely going to be a good battle.香蕉视频直播
On the other bench will be Joe Gatenby, the Kelowna native who spent three full seasons with the Rockets before the trade.
The 19-year-old Gatenby admits it will be different hitting the ice in Kelowna as a member of the opposition.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 going to be different,香蕉视频直播 said Gatenby. 香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 play in the exhibition game so I can香蕉视频直播檛 say what it香蕉视频直播檚 going to be like. I香蕉视频直播檓 sure its going to be exciting. I香蕉视频直播檓 just going to try to keep my focus on doing what I can on the ice and not let those external things get in the way. I think it香蕉视频直播檚 just a matter of getting better every day. I香蕉视频直播檓 liking the situation here and get along with my teammates and I just want to build on that and have a really good year.香蕉视频直播
As for Kryski, who was brought in to provide offence, he thinks the key for the Rockets this weekend against his old club is to come out hard, and fast.
香蕉视频直播淚 think we need to establish our identity as a fast, good battling team early. Through the preseason we played pretty well through most of the games,香蕉视频直播 Kryski said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut at times we had some lulls and we weren香蕉视频直播檛 playing our best, but that香蕉视频直播檚 preseason so now we look forward to just having a good year.香蕉视频直播
Kryski, much like his teammates, is just eager to get the regular season started.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 nice to finally get preseason over with and get regular season started. My first regular season game with the Kelowna Rockets is going to be really exciting for me,香蕉视频直播 he said.
The regular season begins on Friday in Kamloops at 7:00 p.m., and the Rockets home opener is on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.