麻豆AV

The 麻豆AV Rockets were one of the Western Hockey League鈥檚 hottest teams heading into the 2016-17 postseason.

The Kamloops Blazers felt that heat on Friday night at Prospera Place.

Carsen Twarynski scored twice and added an assist and Michael Herringer made 15 saves as the Rockets shutout the Blazers of the best-of-seven playoff series between the B.C. Division rivals.

The Rockets dominated from start to finish in front of a crowd of 5,503, outshooting Kamloops 48-15 and solving Blazers鈥� goalie Connor Ingram with a pair of goals 28 seconds apart late in the opening period.

Twarynski scored at 17:20, followed by Tomas Soustal at 17:48 and the Rockets never looked back.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we could have asked that first (game) to go any better,鈥� said Twarynski, who the Rockets acquired from the Calgary Hitmen prior to the WHL trade deadline in January. 鈥淲e were all over them, stuck to our game plan and obviously it worked out.

鈥淏ut Kamloops isn鈥檛 a team that鈥檚 going to fold right away,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy about that one but we鈥檝e gotta focus on the next game and do the same thing.鈥�

Soustal, who was playing his first game since March 1 due to an upper body injury, made a noticeable return to the lineup with a goal and an assist.

Reid Gardiner also scored for the Rockets, who had won 12 of their last 14 regular season games before Friday night鈥檚 playoff opener.

麻豆AV head coach Jason Smith said the Rockets were able to carry over many of the good habits they developed late in the season.

鈥淭he way we ended the year, we played a lot of complete games and it gave us a chance to get the results we did,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淟eading up to the game, we talked about playing with composure and discipline and work ethic. Add structure to that and you give yourself an opportunity to win games.鈥�

Game 2 goes Saturday night, 7:05 p.m. at Prospera Place. Games 3 and 4 are set for next Tuesday and Wednesday nights in Kamloops.