Rockets notes vs. Cougars

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets look for their 12^th straight home ice win tonight against the visiting Prince George Cougars. This is the 5^th meeting of the season between the two teams. The Rockets are 3-1-0-0, having out-scored their BC Division rivals 18-11. The Cougars have not scored a goal in Kelowna in two visits, losing 3-0 and 5-0. The last Cougars goal at Prospera Place came last season from Troy Bourke, who scored into an empty net in a 3-1 win. Overall, the Rockets have four regulation losses in their last nineteen games (14-4-0-1) with setbacks to Tri City (3-2) twice by the same score, a 5-3 loss in Edmonton October 27^th and a 4-2 setback in Seattle December 1^st. The Rockets have won eleven of their last fourteen games overall. The Rockets head out on a five game road trip before Christmas next week with stops in Kootenay (Tues), Lethbridge (Wed), Medicine Hat (Fri) Red Deer (Saturdday) and Calgary (Sunday).       

Team Canada Calls Kelowna: Captain Colton Sissons was named to the training camp roster for the Canadian World Junior team. Sissons is unable to participate because of injury. Sissons was trying to become the 12^th player in the organization to play for Canada at the WJHC. The Rockets have been well represented on Team Canada, with 17 players, coaches and medical staff. Current assistant coach Dan Lambert played for Canada at the 1989 tournament in Alaska.    

This and That: The Rockets won 18 straight home games during the 2002-2003 season…Myles Bell is two points shy of 150 for his WHL career…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 16 of their last 21 games with one game being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have allowed eight power play goals against in their last fourteen games….The Rockets have seven power play goal in their last fifteen games (7 for 49 over that span)….The Rockets have eighteen wins in 29 games this season….In the Rockets 18 wins, Myles Bell has earned 33 points (13+20=33). Of the 89 goals scored by the team in those eighteen wins, Bell has been in on 33 of them….Bell has 18+25=43 after 29 games; two points shy of his career high of 45 points set with the Regina Pats as a 17 year-old….. The Rockets have scored 93 goals in their last twenty-one games....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 150^th career WHL game Nov 3^rd against visiting Prince George…Ryan Huska recorded his 200^th WHL regular season victory November 24^th against the visiting Saskatoon Blades…The Rockets are 12 and 2 after 14 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 7^th 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 in late December in Quebec. The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 65-26 on home ice this season…The Rockets are one of six teams in the WHL with over 100 goals scored this season (117). Last season the team scored 217 times....Zach Franko had 3+4=7 after 26 games last season. This season the Winnipeg resident has 12+17=29 after 27 games.

Who’s Hot: Myles Bell had 16 points in November (8+8=16). Bell has 19 points in his last ten games. Colton Sissons is riding a seven game point streak (1+7=8). Ryan Olsen has (8+3=11) in his last ten games. Zach Franko has 3+9=12 in last eight games. Tyson Baillie has 2+7=9 in last eleven games. 

Man Games Lost to Injury = 78 games lost

J.T Barnett: 21 games lost     Mitchell Chapman: 29 games lost

Carter Rigby: 12 games lost   Zach Franko: 2 games lost

MacKenzie Johnston: 14 games lost   Jordon Cooke: 2 games lost

Colton Sissons: 1 game lost

Three Stars:

Myles Bell leads the Rockets in three star-balloting with 9. Bell has been named the second star a team leading six times…Jordon Cooke has been named a star 7 times, with a team leading three – first star appearances. Zach Franko has also been named a star 7 times.