Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Blazers are meeting for the first of 8 times this season. These two teams meet Tuesday in Kelowna. After playing two of the first three games in the seasonal series in Kamloops, the next three games will be played at Prospera Place in Kelowna November 30th, December 28th and January 5th. Last season the Rockets were 2-3-0-0 in five appearances in Kamloops with both wins coming by 5-4 scores. That said, the Rockets were shutout twice at the Interior Savings Centre last season by 5-0 and 3-0 counts. It’s interesting to note that after starting last season with four straight losses, the Rockets first win of the season came in Kamloops on October 3rd. Overall the Rockets were out-scored 21-12 at the ISC a year ago. 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 6 games on home ice before playing 7 straight on the road, and 14 of their next 19 on opposition ice. The Rockets host Moose Jaw tomorrow night.
Who’s Hot: Colin Long is riding a six game point streak. Long has 1+7=8 over that period. Jamie Benn has points in five of his last six games (4+3=7) and has goals in three of his last six games, excluding a shootout goal Wednesday against Vancouver. Kyle St. Denis has 4 points in his last 7 games. Brady Leavold has three fighting majors in his last six games. Cody Almond has points in five of his last 6 games (6 assists), but hasn’t scored a goal in 7 games. Almond has points in 8 of the teams first 12 games this season. Myles MacRae is pointless in 7 games. Lucas Bloodoff has just one assist in 12 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 3 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 3 of the teams first 12 games this season. The Rockets have managed the feat against Vancouver, Seattle and Everett.
Tough Schedule vs. Heavyweights: In the Rockets first 12 games of the season they have 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 10 of the 12 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…Kristofer Westblom has 9 career shutouts. All nine have been recorded on home ice. Westblom is 4 wins shy of 50 for his career. Westblom’s next start will be his 96th of his career…Of the Rockets first twelve games; seven have been against teams in the U.S division. The Rockets have played just one team in the BC division, the Vancouver Giants two times.
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. The Rockets are 2-4-1-0 on those seven games…The Rockets all-time are 8 and 7 in the shootout…The Rockets have been out-shot in nine of the twelve games this season…The Rockets have scored 35 goals so far this season after twelve games. Last season the team scored 26 goals after 12 games, while allowing 39 against…The Rockets record after twelve games this season is 5-6-1-0, which is good for 11 points. Last season after twelve games the Rockets record was 4-6-0-2, which was good for 10 points. It was game thirteen that the hockey club lost 5 in a row. It all started with a 3-0 loss to the Blazers October 21st…Of the Rockets 35 goals this season, 16 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 145 tonight, 5 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 189th 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 27 vs. Moose Jaw Rockets 5 Calgary 0 W
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
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: Colin Long scores game winner Oct 24/07 in a 2-1 win over Giants. Dylan Hood scores in a 4-3 win in Seattle October 6/07.
vs. BC: 2-2-0-0 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 4-4-0-0 2-3-0-0 2-1-0-0
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)
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