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 it91裸聊视频檚 going to be an interesting start to the season to play his old team right away.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檒l be a little weird for sure. Even through the short preseason I91裸聊视频檝e developed a kind of hate for that team so to speak,91裸聊视频� Kryski said. 91裸聊视频淓ven though these guys are all still my buddies I still feel that rivalry.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淜amloops is a hard team to play against; I91裸聊视频檝e kind of realized that since coming over to Kelowna,91裸聊视频� said Kryski. 91裸聊视频淥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. It91裸聊视频檚 definitely going to be a good battle.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 going to be different,91裸聊视频� said Gatenby. 91裸聊视频淚 didn91裸聊视频檛 play in the exhibition game so I can91裸聊视频檛 say what it91裸聊视频檚 going to be like. I91裸聊视频檓 sure its going to be exciting. I91裸聊视频檓 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 it91裸聊视频檚 just a matter of getting better every day. I91裸聊视频檓 liking the situation here and get along with my teammates and I just want to build on that and have a really good year.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淚 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,91裸聊视频� Kryski said. 91裸聊视频淏ut at times we had some lulls and we weren91裸聊视频檛 playing our best, but that91裸聊视频檚 preseason so now we look forward to just having a good year.91裸聊视频�
Kryski, much like his teammates, is just eager to get the regular season started.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 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,91裸聊视频� 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.
