Friday, October 1, 2010

Toyota Center is a graveyard for BC Division teams

When former Kelowna Rockets forward Justin Keller was seen practicing with his old team two weeks ago at Prospera Place, no one likely pulled him aside to ask what the key was in beating the Tri City Americans at the Toyota Center.
Why would they ask the now 24 year-old that question you ask?
As it turns out, Keller was one of the key figures in the Kelowna Rockets last regular season win at the Toyota Center. Keller scored twice in a 4-2 victory during the 2006 season. Since that night, the Rockets have failed to win a regular season game in that building. It's a losing streak that has reached eight games.
But before we get too excited with the lack of success, the Toyota Center has been a graveyard for more teams than just the Rockets.
In the BC Division, the Kamloops Blazers can sympathize with what the Rockets are going through.
The Blazers have just one regulation win in their last seven appearances at the Toyota Center while the Vancouver Giants are equally as inept with a 1 and 5 record in their last six stops there.
The Chilliwack Bruins must feel like gang busters with two wins and six losses in their last eight dates where the Vengaboys are played loudly every time the Americans score.
But before all four of those BC Division teams jump off the nearest cliff when accessing their lack of success at the Toyota Center, they can all feel better about themselves when comparing their results with the Prince George Cougars.
The Cougars have lost 12 straight regular season games at the Toyota Center. The last time the Cougars beat the Americans was November 2, 2003.
To say the Americans have been a dominant force on home ice against teams based in the BC Division would be an understatement.

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