Game Notes vs. Giants

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Giants are meeting for the third time this season. The Rockets are 0-2-0-0 against their division rivals, having been out-scored 7-1 in the first two games. The Giants are coming off back-to-back 5-0 and 2-1 victories over Kelowna. Following today’s game, the two teams clash again October 24th at Prospera Place. In total these two teams will face one another 10 times this season. The Rockets are playing their 3rd game in 4 days, and are coming off a 4-3 shootout win in Seattle Saturday night. The Rockets and T-Birds were tied at two after 20 minutes, with the Rockets carrying a 3-2 lead into the third period. The T-Birds would get the equalizer 8 minutes into the third period sending the game into overtime. After a scoreless five minutes, Dylan Hood would play the role of hero, scoring the game winner in the shootout. Kristofer Westblom made 18 saves in the win, including stopping all four shooters he faced in the shootout. It was Westblom’s first win of the season. The Rockets were 1/7 on the power play while the T-Birds were 2/9. After tonight’s game against the Giants, the Rockets return home to face the Calgary Hitmen before traveling to Spokane Saturday night.

House of Horror’s: The Rockets have struggled winning in Vancouver. The Rockets are riding a 6 game losing streak at Pacific Coliseum, having been shutout 4 times. The Rockets have been out-scored 27-6 in those 6 games. The clubs last win in Vancouver came March 3, 2006 in a 4-2 victory. In the bigger picture, the Rockets have just two wins in their last 11 appearances in Vancouver or 2-8-1-0.

Shootout Success: Saturday’s shootout win on the road was just the Rockets second in franchise history. The Rockets first shootout road win came October 12, 2005 in a 5-4 shootout win Moose Jaw. The Rockets all-time are 6 and 7 in the shootout. It’s worth noting the Rockets are 1 and 2 in shootout games lifetime against the Giants.

Let’s Make a Deal: Eight-teen year-old Jamie Benn joined the team last Sunday, after leaving the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies. Benn was named the league’s coastal conference rookie of the year last season, scoring 42 goals. Benn is a 5th round draft pick of the Dallas Stars. The Rockets also acquired 20 year-old forward Brady Leavold from the Swift Current Broncos for a conditional draft pick. Leavold led the Broncos in fighting majors last season with 12, while chipping in with 14 goals and 35 points in just 55 games. Leavold has played in 133 WHL games, making his WHL debut December 30, 2003 against the Saskatoon Blades. Leavold is one of four 20 year-olds on the Rockets roster. The other three are James McEwan, Kristofer Westblom and Lyon Messier.

Quick Facts: The Rockets out-shot the opposition for the first time this season in Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win in Seattle. The Rockets out-shot the T-Birds 37-21…Brady Leavold earned his first point in a Rockets uniform with an assist on Dylan Hood’s first period goal Saturday night…Hood has scored all four of his goals this season on American soil. Hood had two goals against Everett and two in Seattle Saturday night. One of those two goals doesn’t officially count in the statistics; despite scoring the game winner in the shootout…Goaltender Kristofer Westblom earned the win in Saturday’s victory in Seattle. It was the 20 year-olds first win since a 2-0 shutout over Vancouver February 3rd where he made 27 saves. The game saw Westblom suffer a season ending knee injury…Colin Joe returned to the lineup Friday night for the Rockets after missing the first four games of the regular season with a wrist injury…The Rockets have been out-shot in five of the six games this season…The Rockets have scored 16 goals so far this season after six games. Last season the team scored just 10 goals in their first six games, while allowing 20 against. After seven games last season the team scored just 10 times while allowing 24 against. The Rockets were shutout twice in their first seven games a year ago…The Rockets have eight players on their roster never drafted in the WHL bantam draft.

Tonight’s Notables: Luke Schenn is playing in game number 139 tonight. Schenn is 11 shy of 150 for his career. Colin Long is playing in his 96th career WHL game tonight. Myles MacRae plays in his 125th game tonight. Rockets overage forward Brady Leavold played in his 135th WHL game Saturday night. One hundred thirty-three of those games have been played as a member of the Swift Current Broncos. Tysen Dowzak played in his 100th WHL game September 26th against Vancouver. Cody Almond is 4 games shy of 100 for his career. Colin Joe has the most games under his belt of anyone in the Rockets lineup. Joe has played in 182 games. James McEwan played in his 175th game Saturday night. Justin Bernhardt played in career game 175 Saturday night as well. Bernhardt has 95 career points.