Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets play the third and final game of a three game home stand tonight. The Rockets are 2-0-0-0 after back-to-back wins over Chilliwack (3-2) and Prince George (6-3). After tonight’s game the Rockets play road games in Swift Current Friday and in Medicine Hat Saturday night. The Rockets are gunning for their 30th win of the season tonight. It would mark the 13th time the Rockets franchise has had a 30 win season, in just 17 years of existence. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a season high six game home ice winning streak. The last time the Rockets won six straight games at home was February 22, 2006 to March 12, 2006. The 2005-2006 team had an 11 game home ice winning streak that season. Tonight the Rockets face the Portland Winter Hawks for the third of just four times this season. The Rockets are 2-0-0-0 after a 4-1 win in Portland November 17th, and a 4-2 home ice win December 1st. Following tonight’s game these two teams will conclude the seasonal series March 2nd in Portland. The Rockets have out-scored the Hawks 8-3 in the first two games.
Vs. The Hawks: Torrie Jung has started in goal in both games against the Hawks this season. Jung made 26 saves in a 4-1 win in Portland November 17th. Jamie Benn and Colin Long had 1+2=3 in that game. Jung made 20 saves in a 4-2 win over the Hawks December 1st. Colin Long had 2+1=3 while Luke Schenn had 3 assists.
Long Term Success: The Rockets are 10-2-0-0 against the Hawks on home ice dating back to the start of the 2002-2003 season. The Hawks only wins at Prospera Place came in a 3-2 victory in 2002 and a 6-3 win September 24, 2005.
Benn There, Done That: Rockets forward Jamie Benn is the CHL and WHL Player of the Week. Benn had 3+6=9 points in three games last week to pick up the awards. Benn had a career night Saturday collecting 6 points (2+4=6) in the Rockets 6-3 win over Prince George.
L-B-A-L=Success: Colin Long is riding a seven game point streak (3+10=13), and has points in 14 of his last 15 games (7+22=29). Jamie Benn is riding a 9 game point streak (8+13=21). Benn leads the team in power play goals with 13. Cody Almond has 46 points this season, and has tied his career high of 15 goals set all of last season. Almond has an eight game point streak (4+10=14). Brady Leavold is riding a 12 game point streak. Leavold has 12+13=25 over that period. The line of Long, Benn and Leavold have combined for 177 points this season, and have been in on 39 percent of the teams goals.
Rockets Tidbits: The Rockets are without Luke Schenn, Tyler Myers and Brandon McMillan tonight. All three are taking part in the CHL Top Prospects game in Edmonton. All three will rejoin the team in time for Friday’s game in Swift Current. All three will fly into Medicine Hat on Thursday…Rockets captain James McEwan will be getting his cast off of his wrist on January 28th. McEwan has the cast after suffering a cut, which severed two tendons on his wrist in a fight against Vancouver’s Garet Hunt. McEwan anticipates rejoining the team for the final two weeks of the regular season…While Brady Leavold’s 12 game point streak is impressive, Jesse Schultz had a 14 game point streak from December 28,2002 to January 24,2003. Schultz had 13+15=28 over that period…The Rockets lost 5 of their first 6 games at home, but since then they are 14-2-0-1…The Rockets have won 6 straight at home, with their last setback being a 4-3 loss to Kamloops on December 28th. The Rockets have out-scored their opponent 28-8 in those six home games… The Rockets have scored a power play goal in nine of their last ten games, going 17 for 61=27.9% over that period. The Rockets have allowed just 5 power play goals in 44 penalty kill opportunities in those ten games…The Rockets have points in 8 of their last 11 road games (6-3-0-2). The Rockets three road regulation losses over that period were against Kamloops (5-3), Vancouver (5-2) and Regina (4-3)…Rockets goaltender Torrie Jung has won his last 4 starts, having allowed just four goals over that period with a .955 save percentage…After the trade deadline the Rockets have the second youngest team in the WHL. Only the Prince George Cougars are younger.
Rockets vs. Divisions:
vs. BC: 18-8-0-1 vs. US: 4-5-2-0
vs. Central: 3-1-0-0 vs. East: 4-1-0-2
Rockets Schedule - Next 5 Games: Rockets Results - Last 5 Games:
Jan 25 @ Swift Current Rockets 11 Cougars 1 W
Jan 26 @ Med Hat Rockets 5 Cougars 2 W
Jan 30 vs. Everett Rockets 3 Kamloops 5 L
Feb 1 vs. Lethbridge Rockets 3 Chilliwack 2 W
Feb 2 @ Chilliwack Rockets 6 Prince George 3 W
Record by Month:
Month Games Record Home Road
September: 4 1-2-1-0 0-1-1-0 1-1-0-0
October: 11 5-5-0-1 3-3-0-1 2-2-0-0
November: 13 9-2-1-1 4-1-0-0 5-1-1-1
December: 12 6-4-0-2 2-1-0-0 4-3-0-2
January: 13 9-1-0-0 6-0-0-0 3-1-0-0
February: 11 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
Rockets Players by Province: BC=12 US=4 ALB=3 SASK=2 MAN=1 EURO=1 Total=23
Rockets Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored: 11 @ Prince George Jan 11/08 in an 11-1 win.
Most Goals Allowed: 6 vs. Kootenay Nov 23/07 (7-6 OTW), @ Tri City November 21/07 (6-1 L)
Most Power Play Chances: 10 vs. Prince George Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win, 9 @ PG Nov 10/07 (6-1 W – 4/9) vs. Warriors Oct 27/07. Rockets were 0/9 losing 4-3 in shootout.
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 4 @ Cougars Jan 11/08 (11-1 W), vs. Cougars Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win, @ PG Nov 10/07 (6-1 W)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 @ Vancouver Dec 29/07 (5-2 L), @ Everett Sept 29/07
Most Shots Taken: 41 @ Prince George Jan 12/08 (5-2 W).
Fewest Shots Taken: 9 @ Vancouver Sept 29/07 (5-0L)
Most Shot Allowed: 48 @ Vancouver Sept 30/07
Fewest Shots Allowed: 13 vs. Blazers Oct 30/07 (6-1 W)
Last Shutout: - Kristofer Westblom 22 saves vs. Cougars Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win. Kristofer Westblom 28 saves vs. Calgary (5-0 W)
Last Time Shutout: - @ Vancouver Sept 29/07 – Sexsmith 9 saves (5-0 L)
Most Points by a Player: Jamie Benn had 2+4=6 vs. Prince George Jan 19/08.
Most Goals by a Player: Brady Leavold scored 4 goals vs. Prince George Jan 19/08.
Penalty Shots: Lucas Bloodoff fails to score on Justin Leclerc in 4-3 loss to Kamloops December 28th. Torrie Jung stops Bruins forward Cody Smuk in a 4-1 win in Chilliwack Dec 31/07. Torrie Jung stops Hawks forward Luke Walker Nov 17/07 in a 4-1 win in Portland. Kristofer Westblom stops Everett’s Shane Harper in a 3-2 overtime loss Nov 16/07 in Everett. Torrie Jung stopped Michal Repik in the 3rd period of a 5-0 loss Sept 29/07.
Overtime Winning Goal: Jamie Benn scored at 4:59 December 15/07 in a 3-2 win in Saskatoon. Tyler Myers scored at 3:58 of overtime December 5/07 in a 4-3 win over Medicine Hat. Colin Long scored at :44 of overtime Nov 23/07 in a 7-6 win over Kootenay. Jamie Benn scored at 1:07 of overtime Nov 2/07 in a 3-2 win over Chilliwack.
Shootout Game Winning Goals: Dylan Hood scores in a 4-3 win in Seattle October 6/07. Colin Long scored the game winner in a 2-1 win over Vancouver October 24th.
Roster Stats:
Player total: 24
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s – 3 Westblom, McEwan, Leavold
19’s – 3 Dowzak, MacRae, Joe
18’s – 8 Long, Kytnar, Brusciano, L. Bloodoff, Jung, Schenn, Almond, Benn
17’s – 6 St. Denis, E. Bloodoff, McIntosh, Myers, McMillan, Hood
16’s – 4 Bowman, Barrie, Paradis, Verdino
Average Age: 17.7
Rookies – 7
NHL Draft Picks-Training Camp Attendees: Jamie Benn (Dallas 07), Torrie Jung (Tampa Bay 07), Cody Almond (Minnesota 07), Milan Kytnar (Oilers 07), Tysen Dowzak (Tryout Philadelphia).
Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel (AM 1150)
4 comments:
Hey Regan !! I here one our Rocket's received another award last night. Brandon MacMillan was the fastest skater at the Top Prospects Skill Competition. Cudo's to him!!
Here is the info from the Edmonton Oil Kings website:The fastest skater of the night turned out to be Kelowna Rocket Brandon McMillan turning around the pylons and circling the rink with a blistering time of 13.897 seconds.
The hardest shot competition turned out to be a close call between a couple of Western Hockey League boys with Saskatoon's Jyri Niemi booming a 97 mph slap shot to edge Kelowna Rocket Luke Schenn's pair of 94 mph shots.
With a shot like that I would want Luke to shoot alot more than he does, I didn't realize he had such a boomer!!
Luke had a good night. He obviously has a great shot, but like anyone who participates in that hardest shot competition, some days you have it, some days you don't.
Post a Comment