The goalie crease in Kelowna may be a bit crowded, but that's just fine with Chad Ketting.
The 18-year-old goalie from Halfmoon Bay is back in B.C. after an Oct. 10 trade between the Rockets and the Swift Current Broncos.
Kelowna acquired Ketting for a conditional seventh round Western Hockey League (WHL) draft pick in 2011.
The trade was a blessing for Ketting who was excited to suit up for the defending WHL champs.
"Growing up it was either the Rockets or the [Vancouver] Giants," said Ketting. "Swift Current was a tough situation and I knew something was going to happen. We had three pretty good goalies and when one came back from injury the coaching staff called me in to their office and said they were going to put me on the trade wire. It worked out in my favour big time. Kelowna is a great organization. I'm excited to be here."
The 5-11 goalie played last year for the Sicamous Eagles of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.
His only start so far with the Rockets was an Oct. 25 5-4 road loss to the Giants at the Pacific Coliseum. Ketting made 31 saves. He said he was bolstered by the fact his family, friends and members of the Sunshine Coast Atom A Blues made the trip to Vancouver for the game and were in the stands cheering him on.
"It was a great experience. It sucked that we lost, but I felt good out there," he said. "To have minor hockey and my family out was great."
After the game, Ketting spent some time with the team signing autographs and wishing them well.
Ketting said he's been working hard in practice and should get in some more game action this weekend as the Rockets play three games in three nights in Everett, Portland and Spokane.
The Rockets crease is a crowded one. Twenty-year-old goalie Mark Guggen-berger recently had surgery for an athletic hernia. Guggenberger, who backstopped the Rockets to the WHL title last year and one win from the Memorial Cup, is out for six weeks. That leaves back-up Adam Brown as the Rockets new starter, but the Rockets expect Ketting to push Brown.
"We wanted to bring another goalie in to push Adam Brown for playing time," said Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton in a press release announcing the Oct. 10 trade.
The team also added goalie Warren Shymko to the mix until Guggenberger returns. Once that happens, then the Rockets will have some decisions to make, but Ketting hopes to make that decision a hard one for the hockey club.
"It sucks when you're not playing, but if you work your butt off in practice, the coaches will notice and they will have to give you that chance," he said. "When you get that chance you have to show them you deserve to play, and that's what I intend to do."
