Game Notes vs. Warriors

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Warriors are meeting for the first of just two times this season. The Rockets return the favor when they visit the Moose Jaw Civic Centre on December 11th. These two teams met just once last season with Moose Jaw earning a 6-4 win at Prospera Place December 30/2006. In the Warriors last seven appearances in Kelowna, they’ve managed a record of 2-3-2-0 dating back to the start of the 1998-99 season. The largest margin of victory for the Rockets over the Warriors in Kelowna was a 7-0 victory November 27/99. The Warriors largest margin of victory in K-Town was November 28/98 in a 7-0 shutout win. The last time the Warriors didn’t play a game in Kelowna was during the 2003-2004 campaign. The Rockets have already won 3 road games this season, half way to the win total of 6 on opposition ice last season. The Rockets open a portion of their schedule playing four of their next 5 games on home ice before playing 7 straight on the road, and 14 of their next 19 on opposition ice. The Rockets host Kamloops Tuesday night.

Most Notable Warrior: Brady Calla will be the most well known Warrior to hockey fans in the Okanagan. The Kelowna resident has played 214 career games, scoring 35 goals and collecting 102 career points. Calla was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2003 WHL draft by the Everett Silvertips. That summer the Tips took Zach Hamill with their first pick, Peter Mueller with the second selection and Taylor Ellington with the third pick. What a great draft for the Tips! Calla made his WHL debut January 30/2004 in Portland as a member of the Tips. Calla has played 6 career games in Kelowna, and has never managed a point in his hometown.

Who’s Hot: Colin Long is riding a seven game point streak. Long has 3+8=11 over that period. Jamie Benn has points in six of his last seven games (4+4=8). Kyle St. Denis has 4 points in his last 8 games. Cody Almond has points in five of his last 7 games (6 assists), but hasn’t scored a goal in 8 games. Almond has points in 8 of the teams first 13 games this season. Myles MacRae is pointless in 8 games. Lucas Bloodoff has just one assist in 13 games this season. Bloodoff’s last goal came March 3rd of last season in a 7-4 loss in Prince George. Evan Bloodoff already has 4 goals this season, after scoring 4 times in 59 games a year ago.

Winning on the Shot Clock: The Rockets have out-shot the opponent in just 4 of the teams first 13 games this season. The Rockets have managed the feat against Kamloops, Vancouver, Seattle and Everett.

Tough Schedule vs. Heavyweights: In the Rockets first 12 games of the season they played against teams with a combined record of 51-17-4-5. That includes 4 games against Vancouver, and two each against Spokane, Seattle and Everett. It also includes a 5-0 win over WHL leading Calgary.

This and That: The Rockets have given up a power play goal in 11 of the 13 games they’ve played this season. The exception was a 2-1 shootout win over Vancouver Wednesday and a 5-0 shutout win over Calgary October 10th…The Rockets 4-3 loss to Spokane last Saturday marked the first time the team has lost a game this season when carrying the lead into the third period…The Rockets have lost four of six home games this season by a single goal…The Rockets have been out-scored 21-20 at home this season.

Broadcasters Quick Hits: Defenseman Luke Schenn was one of 31 players named to the WHL All-Stars that will participate in the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. Games will be played in Cranbrook and Medicine Hat November 28th and 29th…The Rockets have been involved in seven – one goal games this season, including three in a row at home. The Rockets are 2-4-1-0 on those seven games…The Rockets all-time are 8 and 7 in the shootout…The Rockets loss last night in Kamloops was the first time this season the team has out-shot the opponent, but have failed to win the game…The Rockets record after thirteen games this season is 5-7-1-0, which is good for 11 points. Last season after thirteen games the Rockets record was 4-7-0-2, which was good for 10 points…Of the Rockets 38 goals this season, 17 have been scored in the first period…The Rockets longest unbeaten streak last season was just four games. The Rockets had 3 wins and a shoot-out loss over that period…The Rockets are just 1 and 6 in their last seven overtime appearances. The Rockets are 7 and 7 in overtime games dating back to the start of the 2005-2006 season.

Tonight’s Notables: Luke Schenn is playing in career game number 146 tonight, 4 shy of 150 for his career. Colin Long played in his 100 career WHL game October 13th in Spokane. Rockets overage forward Brady Leavold played in his 135th WHL game Oct 6/2007 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 played in his 100th career game October 19th against Everett. Colin Joe has the most games under his belt of anyone in the Rockets lineup. Joe plays in his 190th career game tonight. James McEwan played in his 175th game October 6/07 in Seattle. Justin Bernhardt played in career game 175 also against the T-Birds October 6th. Bernhardt recorded his 100th point of his WHL career with a second period goal in a 4-3 loss to Everett October 19th.

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

Oct 30 vs. Kamloops Rockets 1 Spokane 2 L
Nov 2 vs. Chilliwack Rockets 3 Everett 4 L
Nov 7 vs. Red Deer Rockets 3 Spokane 4 L
Nov 9 @ PG Rockets 2 Giants 1 SHW
Nov 10 @ PG Rockets 3 Kamloops 5

Rockets Players by Province: BC=13 US=4 ALB=3 SASK=3 MAN=1 EURO=1 Total=25

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: 48 @ Vancouver Sept 30/07
Fewest Shots on Goal Taken: 24
Last Shutout: - Kristofer Westblom 28 saves vs. Calgary (5-0 W)
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: 2-3-0-0 vs. US: 2-4-1-0
vs. Central: 1-0-0-0 vs. East: 0-0-0-0

Roster Stats:
Player total: 25
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s – 3 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 – 7

Record by Month:
Month Games Record Home Road
September: 4 1-2-1-0 0-1-1-0 1-1-0-0
October: 11 4-5-0-0 2-3-0-0 2-2-0-0
November: 13 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
December: 12 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
January: 13 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
February: 11 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0

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

Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel (AM 1150)