Game Notes vs. Hitmen

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Hitmen are meeting for the one and only time this season. The Rockets do not make a stop in Calgary this season. The same holds true for a stop in Edmonton against the expansion Oil Kings. Last season the Rockets made a pair of visits to Cow-Town, losing 4-3 in overtime and 5-1. The Hitmen’s last visit to Kelowna was November 4, 2005 in a 2-1 victory. Despite that loss, the Rockets have beaten the Hitmen in 5 of their last 7 visits to Prospera Place. The Rockets are riding a two game winning streak after back-to-back road wins last weekend. The Rockets were a 4-3 shootout winner over Seattle Saturday, and manufactured an impressive 4-2 victory in Vancouver Monday afternoon. Despite the two game winning streak, the Rockets are winless in 3 straight to start the season on home ice. The Rockets have been out-scored 12-6 over that period on home ice. Last season the Rockets were winless in four straight games on home ice on two separate occasions. Tonight’s game is the Rockets fourth game in 6 nights. The Rockets are in Spokane Saturday night before hosting Everett October 19th.

Benn Bag’s His First: Rockets rookie forward Jamie Benn scored his first WHL goal in his 3rd career game in Monday’s 4-2 win in Vancouver. Benn beat Giants goaltender Kraymer Barnstable with a nice snap shot midway through the first period, tying the game at one.

Barrie - Mr. Power Play? Rookie Tyson Barrie scored his 2nd career goal Monday afternoon. All of Barrie’s points have come on the power play this season. The 16 year-old is being compared to many gifted offensive defenseman, including Giants veteran Jonathon Blum, and former Rocket Josh Gorges. Blum scored 7 goals as a 16 year-old while Gorges scored 4 times.

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.

Quick Facts: The Rockets win in Vancouver Monday, snapped the clubs 6 game losing streak at Pacific Coliseum…Cody Almond’s fight Monday against Giants Mike Berube was odd to see. Almond fought just twice last season, once against Garet Hunt in Vancouver and once in Kamloops against Ryan Bender. Oddly enough Almond’s fight against Hunt last season came 4 seconds after the opening face-off. Monday’s tilt came 3 seconds after the drop of the puck. Almond has just 3 career fighting majors…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 against Seattle.…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 last Friday for the Rockets after missing the first four games of the regular season with a wrist injury…The Rockets have been out-shot in six of the seven games this season…The Rockets have scored 21 goals so far this season after seven games. Last season the team scored just 10 goals in their first seven games, while allowing 24 against. After eight games last season the team scored just 11 goals while allowing 29 against. The Rockets were shutout twice in their first seven games a year ago…Of the Rockets 21 goals this season, 11 have been scored in the first period.

Tonight’s Notables: Luke Schenn is playing in career game number 140 tonight. Schenn is 10 shy of 150 for his career. Colin Long is playing in his 97th career WHL game tonight. Myles MacRae played in his 125th game Monday in Vancouver. Rockets overage forward Brady Leavold played in his 135th WHL game Saturday in Seattle. One hundred thirty-three (133) 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 3 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 183 games. James McEwan played in his 175th game Saturday night in Seattle. Justin Bernhardt played in career game 175 Saturday night as well. Bernhardt has 97 career points.

Rockets Schedule - Next 5 Games: Rockets Results - Last 5 Games:

Oct 13 @ Spokane Rockets 6 Silvertips 4 W
Oct 19 vs. Everett Rockets 0 Vancouver 5 L
Oct 20 vs. Spokane Rockets 1 Seattle 4 L
Oct 24 vs. Giants Rockets 4 Seattle 3 SOW
Oct 26 @ Kamloops Rockets 4 Giants 2 W

Rockets Players by Province: BC=13 US=5 ALB=3 SASK=3 MAN=1 EURO=1 Total=26

Rockets Season Highs and Lows:

Most Goals Scored: 6
Most Goals Allowed: 6
Most Power Play Chances: 7
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 2
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 @ Everett Sept 29/07
Most Shots Taken: 37
Fewest Shots Taken: 9 @ Vancouver Sept 29/07 (5-0L)
Most Shot Allowed: 35 @ Everett Sept 29/07
Fewest Shots on Goal Taken: 24
Last Shutout: - Torrie Jung 17 saves in a 4-0 win over Portland Feb 7/07
Last Time Shutout: - @ Vancouver Sept 29/07 – Sexsmith 9 saves (5-0 L)
Penalty Shots: Torrie Jung stopped Michal Repik in the 3rd period of a 5-0 loss Sept 29/07.
Shootout Goals: Dylan Hood scores in a 4-3 win in Seattle October 6/07.
vs. BC: 1-2-0-0 vs. US: 2-1-1-0
vs. Central: 0-0-0-0 vs. East: 0-0-0-0

Roster Stats:
Player total: 26
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s – 4 Messier, Westblom, McEwan, Leavold
19’s – 4 Dowzak, Bernhardt, MacRae, Joe
18’s – 8 Long, Kytnar, Brusciano, L. Bloodoff, Jung, Schenn, Almond, Benn
17’s – 6 St. Denis, E. Bloodoff, McIntosh, Myers, McMillan, Hood
16’s – 4 Bowman, Barrie, Paradis, Verdino
Average Age: 17.8
Rookies – 8

NHL Draft Picks-Training Camp Attendees: Jamie Benn (Dallas 07), Torrie Jung (Tampa Bay 07), Cody Almond (Minnesota 07), Tysen Dowzak (Tryout Philadelphia).

Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel (AM 1150)