Thursday, December 27, 2012

Rockets game notes vs. Blazers


Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets officially hit the half way point of the season tonight when they host the Kamloops Blazers. These two teams are meeting for the 4th time on the ten game seasonal series. The Rockets are 1-1-1-0 in the first three games, having out-scored their BC Division rivals 12-7. In the last meeting between the two teams, November 1st, the Rockets were a 3-0 winner. The Rockets look for their 7th win in eight games tonight. The team ended a five game in six night Central Division road trip before the Christmas break with four wins and just one loss. The only loss came in 6-2 setback in Calgary. Overall, the Rockets have five regulation losses in their last twenty-five games (19-5-0-1) with setbacks to Tri City (twice), Edmonton, Seattle and Calgary. The Rockets have won sixteen of their last twenty (16-4-0-0) games overall. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a 12 game home ice winning streak. The only two teams to beat the Rockets on home ice this season are the Blazers and Spokane.  The Rockets close out the month of December with a stop in Vancouver tomorrow before hosting Everett on Sunday December 30th.      

This and That: Since a 3-0 win over the Blazers November 1st, the Rockets are 14-4-0-0. Since that loss to the Rockets, the Blazers are 9-8-1-1….These two teams are separated by six points in the standings. The Rockets have played three fewer games….The Rockets have scored 11 more goals than the Blazers and have allowed 10 few goals against….The Rockets are 23-10-1-1 after 35 games this season…Madison Bowey was named to the roster for the upcoming CHL-NHL Top Prospects game. Last season two members of the organization participated in the game. Damon Severson and Colton Sissons showcased their skills and were both 2nd round draft picks this summer by New Jersey and Nashville…Tyson Baillie has 12 goals, a career high after scoring ten last season as a rookie...Baillie has six goals in his last six games…Cole Martin has three career WHL goals. All three have been game winners…The Rockets 12 game home ice winning streak is 6 wins shy of the 18 straight wins in 2002-2003 season…Myles Bell has 153 career points, with 100 of them assists….Bell and line-mate Dylen McKinlay are the only two Rockets to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 20 of their last 27 games with one game being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have allowed eleven power play goals against in their last twenty games….The Rockets have 17 power play goal in their last twenty-two games (17 for 79 over that span - 21.5%)….The Rockets have twenty-three wins in 35 games this season….In the Rockets 23 wins, Myles Bell as earned 38 points (15+23=38). Of the 113 goals scored by the team in those twenty-three games, Bell has been in on 38 of them…The Rockets have scored 119 goals in their last twenty-seven games (average 4.4)....Jordon Cooke was named the CHL/Vaughn Goaltender of the Week for October 22-28th. Cooke had two wins last week which included a shutout and a save percentage of .967…Ryan Olsen played in his 150th career WHL game Nov 3rd against visiting Prince George…Ryan Huska recorded his 200th WHL regular season victory November 24th against the visiting Saskatoon Blades…The Rockets are 13 and 2 after 15 home games this season…Madison Bowey (10), Mitch heaton (22) are rated among the top skaters in the WHL by NHL Central Scouting for June’s draft. Jackson Whistle is ranked 7th among WHL goalies…Austin Glover (Team Western), Rourke Chartier (Team Western) and Riley Stadel (Team Pacific) will all play at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge this week in Quebec… The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 72-28 on home ice this season…The Rockets have scored the second most goals in the WHL (143). Only Portland (159) has scored more…The Rockets have allowed the third fewest goals against in the league….Three of the Rockets next four games are on home ice.

Who’s Hot: Myles Bell has 23 points in his last fifteen games. Colton Sissons is riding a seven game point streak (1+7=8). Ryan Olsen has (8+7=15) in his last fifteen games. Zach Franko has 1+8=9 in his last seven games…..Tyson Baillie has six goals in his last six games…Damon Severson has points in five of his last six games (2+9=11.) 

Man Games Lost to Injury = 102 games lost
J.T Barnett: 21 games lost     Mitchell Chapman: 35 games lost
Carter Rigby: 13 games lost   Zach Franko: 2 games lost
MacKenzie Johnston: 20 games lost   Jordon Cooke: 3 games lost
Colton Sissons: 8 games lost


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