91裸聊视频� Marissa Tiel

For the first time this season, the Kelowna Rockets are winners on home ice.

The Rockets beat the Swift Current Broncos 3-2 Tuesday night, making newly-minted head coach Adam Foote91裸聊视频檚 debut a victorious one.

The home team got off to a strong start, with Lane Zablocki logging his first goal of the season, sneaking the puck past Broncos goaltender Joel Hofer91裸聊视频檚 left glove 4:31 into the first frame.

Swift Current answered around six minutes later with Dalton Gally in the box for a cross-checking minor.

91裸聊视频淲e tried to stick to a plan and we got off it a little bit,91裸聊视频� said Foote. 91裸聊视频淚 think we got frustrated. Their goalie really kept them in it, I felt, the first 10 minutes of the first period, gave them a bit of life and I felt we might have tried to press a little too much.91裸聊视频�

READ MORE: Kelowna Rockets do well with new head coach

With the game tied 1-1, Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 Kyle Topping scored his fifth of the season at 7:27 in the second frame.

The lead was short-lived as the Broncos scored one of their own 16 seconds later to tie it up again.

Jack Cowell got his second of the season just over halfway through the second period, the eventual game-winner.

Gally, Erik Gardiner, Kaedan Korczak (2), Conner Bruggen-Cate and Mark Liwiski all logged assists in the game.

91裸聊视频淭he effort was there,91裸聊视频� said Foote, 91裸聊视频渁nd guys tried to do what we asked.91裸聊视频�

The win at home marked a first for the team at Prospera Place this season.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 so much fun to win at home in front of the crowd,91裸聊视频� said veteran forward Topping. 91裸聊视频淲e wanted to give them a nice win tonight and I thought we were really good as a group.91裸聊视频�

The Swift Current Broncos were at the end of a six-game road stint. The 2018 WHL Champions have struggled this season with only a single win.

The game was the first for Foote behind the bench after being named head coach Tuesday morning.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been on a bench before, that91裸聊视频檚 for sure, but it91裸聊视频檚 fun to see those kids look back and ask questions,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 different than the pros. They really care. They don91裸聊视频檛 want to let you down.91裸聊视频�

Foote wasn91裸聊视频檛 too happy about having a game on his first night as head coach. He91裸聊视频檇 only had one practice with the team, but was confident in goalie James Porter91裸聊视频檚 abilities.

91裸聊视频淚 think Porter kept us in it,91裸聊视频� said Foote. 91裸聊视频淗e made some big saves at the end.91裸聊视频�

The Rockets had to kill a four-minute high sticking penalty late in the third period to hold on to win.

Foote was impressed with how his team killed penalties, noting several players sacrificed their bodies to block shots.

91裸聊视频淚 love the character and the will to block shots,91裸聊视频� he said.

Foote91裸聊视频檚 appointment to head coach comes a day after the Rockets announced they were parting ways with former head coach Jason Smith.

Smith was hired before the start of the 2016/17 season and spent two full seasons as head coach. He led the team to a 45-22-5-0 record in his first year and a 43-22-5-2 record last season.

91裸聊视频淎nytime you let someone go that is the quality of Jason Smith it91裸聊视频檚 very tough, however, the success of our hockey club ultimately falls with myself and I feel at this time we need to go in a different direction,91裸聊视频� said Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton in a news release Monday morning. 91裸聊视频淛ason is just a wonderful person and we want to thank him for his time here.91裸聊视频�

The announcement came a few weeks after the club was named as 2020 Memorial Cup host.

91裸聊视频淏ecause we host the 2020 Memorial Cup, we know a number of personnel moves will have to be made,91裸聊视频� said Hamilton. 91裸聊视频淲e are confident Adam will be able to help us move forward, not just this year, but next season also.91裸聊视频�

The coaching change was a surprise to the players.

91裸聊视频淲e weren91裸聊视频檛 expecting this. Gator (Smith) was a great guy and a great coach,91裸聊视频� said Topping, who has shared ice time with both of Foote91裸聊视频檚 sons, Cal and Nolan as a Rocket.

He said the transition has been manageable as Foote knows the players.

91裸聊视频淲ith Adam coming in, the one thing I noticed and a couple of the guys have been talking, is he91裸聊视频檚 familiar with us and obviously with both Footers (Cal and Nolan) playing here, he91裸聊视频檚 watched almost every game and he knows us personally and he knows our style of play.91裸聊视频�

Foote, now 47, had a 19-year career in the NHL, logging 308 points (66 goals, 242 assists). In his first season in the NHL, he amassed 168 penalty minutes and would go on to log many more before his retirement.

He was drafted 22nd overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1989.

The former captain of the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets was a gritty stay-at-home defender. He won two Stanley Cups with the Avs in 1996 and 2001 and won Olympic gold with Team Canada at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

Most recently, Foote has been a defensive coach with the Avs.

The Foote family has close ties with the Rockets organization. Nineteen-year-old Cal played three WHL seasons with Kelowna and was selected in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lighting. He currently plays in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch.

Younger brother Nolan, 17, is an active member of the Rockets, an assistant captain who is widely considered a first-round 2019 NHL Entry Draft pick.

In his first press conference Tuesday morning, coach Foote addressed the question of coaching his son.

91裸聊视频淚 have to feel safe at home and Nolan has to feel safe at home. He91裸聊视频檚 going to have a bad day and cost us a game; I hope he never does, but chances are, it may happen and he91裸聊视频檚 gotta come home and not be holding that. I91裸聊视频檓 not going to talk about it. I91裸聊视频檓 going to be dad at home,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 can91裸聊视频檛 skate him harder because he didn91裸聊视频檛 put his dishes away either.91裸聊视频�

Foote said he respects Smith, also a former NHLer, as a player.

91裸聊视频淗e taught my kids a lot. They loved him. He treated them really well.91裸聊视频�

The Rockets will have a few days at home before they suit up for their next game against the Prince George Cougars Saturday night at Prospera Place.

These next few days will be a welcome break for the Rockets as they recover from the personnel changes and build chemistry with the new coach.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 huge. I think you look at the whole change, our coaching staff, the emotions that went on with everybody. I think everyone felt overwhelmed in the last 18 hours and it91裸聊视频檚 going to be nice to get some flow, get some practices and maybe not try to cram too much too soon down them,91裸聊视频� said Foote. 91裸聊视频淚t will be good for our team.91裸聊视频�

Foote said the coaching staff won91裸聊视频檛 give the team too much to work on, but the neutral zone is on the list.

91裸聊视频淓veryone is a little overwhelmed with the change,91裸聊视频� said Foote. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檒l be a little tired tomorrow, so we won91裸聊视频檛 throw too much on their plate.91裸聊视频�

Topping is hoping to ride the momentum from this home win.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檒l get in a nice groove with some practices and a lot of time off,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e going to work on some things and be ready for Saturday.91裸聊视频�

The Rockets, who improved to 5-10-0-0 host the Prince George Cougars (5-691裸聊视频�0-1) Saturday. Puck drop is 7:05 p.m. at Prospera Place.

edit@kelownacapnews.com
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