Incumbent goalie, Salmond, impresses in Rockets’ exhibition opener vs. Royals
Brodan Salmond looked the part of a starting goaltender, stopping all 15 shots he faced in the first half of the Kelowna Rockets’ pre-season opener on Saturday night at Prospera Place.
The Rockets were looking good too, leading 2-0 when Salmond exited, but the visiting Victoria Royals rallied with three goals in the third period and prevailed 5-4 in overtime.
It was a rougher outing for Roman Basran, the Rockets’ top goaltending prospect and the franchise’s future between the pipes. The 16-year-old surrendered the first shot he faced in the second period — a no-chance conversion of a perfectly executed 2-on-1 by a pair of WHL veterans — and the only shot to come his way in the tiebreaker.
Salmond, the frontrunner to be the Rockets’ starter this season as a 19-year-old returnee, was especially sharp in the first half of the second period — making 10 saves in as many minutes as the Royals pushed the pace and produced the bulk of the scoring chances before the teams changed netminders simultaneously when Leif Mattson scored at 10:38 to make it 2-0 for Kelowna.
Salmond denied Ty Yoder twice in the opening minutes of the middle frame — once in close after a careless turnover, then again from the slot by kicking out his left pad moments later.
Salmond’s rebound control was also on point in swallowing up a one-timer on a Royals power play before inhaling Dante Hannoun’s shot off the rush at the eightminute mark.
Before departing, Salmond also stoned Eric Florchuk on the doorstep — leaving him looking skyward after receiving a centering pass at the top of the crease. Florchuk got his revenge on Basran, netting the winner at 3:23 of overtime. Dino Kambeitz led that Victoria rush and backed in Kelowna’s defence, then dished to Florchuk in the slot and his shot found its way past Basran, who was partially screened by big Braydyn Chizen.
The Rockets had their chance in overtime, with Liam Kindree misfiring on a wide-open net during a power play that the Royals were fortunate to kill off.
Indeed, Korczak is aware that Kelowna is deep on defence and that he won’t be served anything on a silver platter. However, he will get the chance to be a go-to guy this week in three straight exhibition games against the rival Kamloops Blazers, with Foote and a few other veterans heading off to NHL rookie camps.
“I just have to work my hardest and the chances will come,” Korczak said. “I’ll just stick to my game and our team’s game plan, and it should be fun.”
Foote is expected to return for another season of development — since he’s too young to play in the AHL and a long-shot to stick with Tampa Bay — but the spotlight will be shifting to Korczak and Zabransky in the eyes of scouts. Those two will be under the microscope this season, and even the hardcore fans and season-ticket holders are eager to see what they’re capable of.
“I haven’t thought about that too much. I’m just going to play my game and see how it pans out from there,” Korczak said when asked about the added attention and whether it was his goal to make the WHL’s All-Rookie Team, which won’t be easy with a terrific crop coming into the league — highlighted by his peers from that stacked 2016 bantam draft and several new imports such as Zabransky. “I’m just here to play my game and hopefully I can stay here.”
Of that, there is no doubt. Korczak will be on Kelowna’s roster when the regular season starts, with nothing left to prove at the midget level.
He’ll need to work his way up the depth chart here — whereas other rookies will be stepping right into prominent roles around the league — but there is nowhere Korczak would rather be.
“It is super special and I’m super lucky to be here,” Korczak said of Kelowna being an ideal landing spot for a budding defender — benefitting from that aforementioned reputation, the fact the Rockets are coached by a former NHL defenceman in Smith and having Foote as the perfect mentor. “It’s a great place for me to develop, and I know the coaches will do their job in getting me to the next level.”
Gazing up at the murals of former Rockets who have gone on to be successful pros — immortalized on the concourse walls at Prospera Place — one of those players stood out to the youngster.
“I think I model my game after Duncan Keith,” Korczak said. “He’s just an all-around good player, and he knows when to jump into the rush and create that offensive attack.”
No pressure, but Korczak is expected to continue that tradition.
He’ll be eligible for the 2019 NHL draft and projects as a potential first-round pick, along with Kelowna teammate Nolan Foote — a power forward and Cal’s younger brother.
“He’s obviously got a gift that got him to this point, and the opportunity he earned by getting drafted that high (out of bantam),” Smith said of Korczak. “Now it’s about the work you put in and the work we put in, as coaches, to develop him and make him the best player he can be. He’s got upside and it’s about learning to compete and play at a high level every day.
“We can sit here and talk about all the positives and whatnot, but you still have to go out and play the game,” Smith added. “He’s doing the things that are allowing him to grow, and that’s all you can ask. He’s putting the work in and he wants to get better.”