Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets
close out the first half of the season (36 games) tonight when they face the
Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets also play the final game of seven consecutive on
the road. The team just completed a six game in nine night Eastern Division
road trip prior to the Christmas breaking by winning three of six games. The
team earned wins in Regina, Moose Jaw and Swift Current and suffered losses in
Brandon, Prince Albert and Saskatoon. Following tonight’s game the Rockets
return to Prospera Place for the first time since December 5th when
they host the Blazers in the back end of a home and home series between the two
BC Division rivals. After these two games against the Blazers, the Rockets
won’t see them for another 27 games when they collide on March 4th. The Rockets
have won 20 of their last 27 games overall (20-6-0-1) and are 12-2-0-0 on home
ice and 13-7-1-0 on the road. Overall; the Rockets have points in 17 of 21
games (16-4-1-0). Overall, the team has won six of its last nine games but has
lost two straight.
Home Ice Success: The Rockets are
riding an eight game home ice winning streak. The team’s last loss at Prospera
Place was October 30th against the Prince George Cougars (2-1
L). In seven of those eight games, the
team has scored four or more goals. In those eight home ice wins, the team has
allowed three or more goals only once when beat Lethbridge 5-3.
Oh Canada! Rourke Chartier is in
Finland representing Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. The
Rockets have been well represented at the World Juniors. Madison Bowey, Josh
Morrissey and GM Bruce Hamilton came home with a gold medal last year from the
prestigious tournament. Other notable players from the Rockets that have played
for Canada include: Jamie Benn, Tyler Myers, Brandon McMillan, Tyson Barrie,
Luke Schenn, Blake Comeau, Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Chuck Kobasew, Brett McLean
and Robb Gordon. Chartier is the 14th player from the Rockets to
play for Team Canada.
Seasonal Series vs.
Blazers: Outside
of one game, two of the three between the Rockets and Blazers have been decided
by a single goal. The Rockets were a 4-3 winner on September 25th
and squeezed out a 4-3 overtime win in their last visit to Kamloops on November
18th. Back on September 26th the Rockets earned a 7-3
victory at Sandman Centre.
Whistle Racking Up
Winning Record:
Twenty year-old Jackson Whistle is going after his 86th career win
in a Kelowna Rockets uniform this evening. Here are the franchise leaders:
1)
Adam
Brown: 107 wins
2)
Jordan
Cooke: 92 wins
3) Jackson Whistle: 85 wins
4)
Kelly
Guard: 83 wins
This and That: Tyson Baillie is
playing in career game #295 this evening….Jackson Whistle played in five of the
six games on the Eastern Division road trip. The only game he did not start was
a 6-3 victory in Swift Current….Tyson Baillie’s hat-trick December 15th
in Swift Current was the first of his WHL career in his 291st career
game…The Rockets are rated as the 5th best team in the country after
being ranked 4th best for four consecutive weeks in the CHL Top 10
rankings….Tomas Soustal is playing for the Czech Republic at the World Junior
Hockey Championships.…Calvin Thurkauf is representing Switzerland at the World
Junior’s….The Rockets play 12 games in December with 7 of those 12 on the
road…Three members of the Rockets have been rated by NHL Central Scouting.
Lucas Johansen and Dillon Dube are rated as ‘B’ prospects for June’s draft in
Buffalo. Tomas Soustal, who was not selected last year, is ranked as a ‘C’ prospect…Rookie
Gordie Ballhorn leads the Rockets with a +17 ratings….Nine of Justin Kirkland’s
12 goals have been scored on the road this season….Jackson Whistle has started
23 of the last 29 games…The Rockets receive relief from the schedule maker when
they play 9 of 10 at home from January 19th to February 8th….Cole
Linaker has 96 career points…Lucas Johansen is playing in career game #98.
Who’s Hot: Tyson Baillie has
points in 22 of his last 25 games……Justin Kirkland has points in 9 of his last
14 games. Kirkland has 4+12=16 over that period…Cole Linaker has points in 7 of
his last 13 games. Linaker has 4+5=9
over that stretch…Dillon Dube has 12+16=28 in his last 21 games….Lucas Johansen
has 11 more point this season as he did all of last year.
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