For much of the 2016-17 Western Hockey League season, Connor Ingram had the Kelowna Rockets乌鸦传媒� number.

With three wins and a scant three goals allowed in his first three starts against Kelowna, the Kamloops Blazers乌鸦传媒� netminder looked next to unbeatable.

But in the final meeting between the clubs on Feb. 24 in Kamloops, the Rockets broke the dyke against Ingram, chasing the Blazers乌鸦传媒� stopper with six goals on 26 shots, en route to a .

After struggling to find an answer for Ingram early in the season, leading scorer Kole Lind said the Rockets乌鸦传媒� last encounter with the Blazer goalie was a positive sign.

乌鸦传媒淗e was (in our heads) a little bit, I think,乌鸦传媒� Lind said of Ingram乌鸦传媒檚 early dominance of Kelowna.

乌鸦传媒淚 think there was a little bit of doubt in our minds against him, but I think we finally figured him out, so it should be a fun series.

乌鸦传媒淲e just gotta keep going at him,乌鸦传媒� added Lind, who led the Rockets with 87 points this season. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 going to make brilliant saves, we know that but I think we just gotta keep firing pucks, second and third chances, and battling for pucks in front will be a huge part of it.乌鸦传媒�

Ingram乌鸦传媒檚 play will be centre stage as the Rockets battle the Blazers for the second straight year in the opening round of the WHL playoffs.

Game 1 goes Friday, 7:05 p.m., at Prospera Place.

The Rockets gave more than a few opposing goalies fits down the stretch, scoring 76 goals and closing out the season with 12 wins in 14 games.

Kelowna GM Bruce Hamilton said the club乌鸦传媒檚 offense乌鸦传媒攚hich struggled at times earlier in the season乌鸦传媒攈as awakened at the right time of the year. Now it乌鸦传媒檚 a matter of maintaining that attack against Ingram and the Blazers.

乌鸦传媒淕etting pucks by (Ingram) is going to be one of the differences in the series,乌鸦传媒� said Hamilton. 乌鸦传媒淲e made some goalies look pretty good in this building this year early on, where we just didn乌鸦传媒檛 finish. But it乌鸦传媒檚 been a lot better the last part of the season.

乌鸦传媒淣ow I think our team understands you gotta go to some areas where you乌鸦传媒檙e going to get whacked and that乌鸦传媒檚 just the way it is if you want to have success.乌鸦传媒�

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series goes Saturday, 7:05 p.m., at Prospera Place, with Games 3 and 4 in Kamloops next Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Blazer faces ex-mates乌鸦传媒�

Defenceman Joe Gatenby will have a different perspective than a year ago when he was wearing Rockets乌鸦传媒� colours for their first round series against the Blazers.

The 19-year-old from Kelowna was dealt to Kamloops by the Rockets in the off-season and has been one of the Blazers more dependable blueliners in 2016-17.

Gatenby is looking forward to the challenge of facing his former team but assures he won乌鸦传媒檛 be feeling the least bit sentimental towards the Rockets once the puck drops.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 exciting, it乌鸦传媒檚 a great opportunity for our team and that乌鸦传媒檚 all I really look at,乌鸦传媒� said Gatenby, who had seven goals in 38 points in 71 games this season. 乌鸦传媒淩eally now I乌鸦传媒檓 just focused on the series, what we need to do.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 get caught up too much in the storylines and the history. Once the game starts, that乌鸦传媒檚 all I乌鸦传媒檓 thinking about, trying to do what I can to help the Blazers win.乌鸦传媒�

As for what key factor will determine a winner in the series, Gatenby believes it will simply come down to the will to win.

乌鸦传媒淚n the end, it乌鸦传媒檚 two really good teams going head to head that want the same thing,乌鸦传媒� said Gatenby. 乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 just going to be who wants it more, that乌鸦传媒檚 all it will really come down to.乌鸦传媒�