'Hogg Wild' to play the Rockets

Kris Hogg has to be licking his chops heading into tonight’s game against the Kelowna Rockets.

The pride of Sicamous, BC will not only be playing his final game in the Okanagan as a junior aged player, but Hogg has had success against Kelowna dating back to his days as a Kamloops Blazer.
Hogg has played in an amazing 30 games against the Rockets over his career, scoring 8 goals including a natural hattrick as a member of the Blazers in 2004.

Hogg has been around forever, or at least it feels that way.

In fact Hogg is playing in his 330th W.H.L game tonight.

Hogg is having a career season as one of the Hurricanes overagers with 35 goals and 60 points.

But the player to watch tonight is Zach Boychuk.

This guy is just 17, yet leads his team in scoring with an impressive 25 goals. You think that's good? Check out the assists with 49.

That’s 74 points for a second year forward?

No sophomore jinx for him.

You would think Boychuk would be a 1st round pick of the Hurricanes from a couple of years ago with those type of numbers?

Nope!

How about a 5th rounder in 2004, 88th overall.

The Hurricanes picked 5 other guys before selecting Boychuk.
Boychuk was taken 8 picks after the Rockets selected Cody Almond in round 4.

Watch Boychuk tonight. He’s small, just 5’9, but this kid can play.

On the Rockets front rookie Tysen Barrie is back in the lineup tonight for the Rockets.

The 15 year-old defenseman will be playing in his 3rd game with the Rockets this season, and may see quite a bit of ice time now that Tyler Myers and Riley McIntosh after attending the Canada Winter Games.

Evan Bloodoff and Brandon McMillan are also out of the game, participating at that same tournament.

The coaches have told me all four will miss about 6 games.

It makes you feel bad though for Dylan Hood.

Hood never made team BC, so won’t be joining his fellow 16 year-olds at the games.
Maybe he can score his first W.H.L goal tonight?
That would take away the sting from not making team BC.

It’s a big weekend for the Rockets with three games in three nights.

A win tonight would set them up nicely for Saturday’s game in Chilliwack. Tonight the Bruins are facing Kamloops, so if everything works out right, the Rockets could carry a 4 point lead into that game tomorrow and could bury the Bruins chances of a playoff spot on home ice.

In case you are wondering, Chris Ray won’t play at all this weekend with a badly bruised shoulder.

One other thing while doing some research for tonight's game I noticed the Hurricanes had a terrible bantam draft in 2002. They had two-first round picks that year and traded them both.

Check it out.

First round - Michael Kaye - traded to Tri City

First round - Ken Petkau - traded to Chilliwack (expansion draft - left unprotected)

Second round - Chase Henitiuk - not on roster (Former Rocket Joel Henitiuk's younger brother)

Third round - Judd Blackwater - traded plays in Spokane

Fourth round - R.J Larochelle - traded him to Swift Current

The only other player to play in the W.H.L that the Hurricanes picked that year was Phil Magistrale, who was selected in the 6th round, but was traded to Tri Cities where he played 43 games with both the Americans and Spokane Chiefs last season.

That draft in 2002 may explain why they are dead last in the Central division this season?

Come to think of it, the Hurricanes have to be on cloud nine that they have 29 wins this season with a draft they'd certainly like to forget.

But before we Rockets supporters get too cocky, the team has just one player around from that 2002 draft.

Who is he?

Answer - Kristofer Westblom!