Tonight’s Preview: This is the fourth and final game of a four game home stand for the Rockets tonight. The Rockets are 2-1-0-0-0 in the first three games. The Rockets host the Portland Winter Hawks for the first time this season, and clash for the second time this year. These two teams opened the seasonal series November 17th in Portland in a Rockets 4-1 win. The Rockets received a goal and two assists from Colin Long in that victory. Following tonight’s game these two teams will meet again January 23rd in Kelowna before closing out the series March 2nd in Portland. The Rockets are coming off a 7-4 win over the Kamloops Blazers last night. The Rockets had a 5-4 lead heading into the third period and scored two goals in the final frame for the team’s 15th win of the season. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having recorded a point in 13 of their last 15 games (10-2-1-2), having out-scored the opposition 57-39 over that period. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having won 5 of their last 6 home games, with points in 7 of their last 8 (4-1-1-1). The Rockets are in Chilliwack tomorrow night before hosting Medicine Hat on Wednesday.
Home Ice Success: The Rockets have had home ice success against the Hawks over the years. Since the start of the 2000-2001 season the Rockets are 14-3-0-0 in the last 17 home dates against Portland. The last Hawk win at Prospera Place/Skyreach Place was September 24, 2005 in a 6-3 victory. Last season the Rockets beat the Hawks in two visits to Kelowna by scores of 4-2 and 4-0.
Jung vs. Hawks: Rockets goaltender Torrie Jung is familiar with the Portland Winter Hawks. Jung made his WHL debut in Portland September 30th 2006 in a 5-2 loss. Nick Hotson scored twice for the Hawks in the win. Jung has three career starts against the Hawks, including a shutout win when he made 17 saves in a 4-0 victory February 7th 2007.
Long Month of November: Rockets forward Colin Long had a month of November he would like to duplicate in December. Long led all players with 19 points during the month (5+14=19). Long also shared the lead with line-mate Brady Leavold with a team high +8 during the month. Jamie Benn had 14 points during the month (7+7=14), and was tied with Lucas Bloodoff for the team lead in goals in November with 7. Kyle St. Denis was third in points recorded in November with 12 (5+7=12). Brady Leavold had 10 points (3+7) while Cody Almond had 8 points (2+7=9).
November to Remember? The Rockets were 9-2-1-1=20 pts in 13 games during the month of November. How does that compare with other years?
2006-2007: 4-5-1-0=9pts 2005-2006: 5-3-1-0= 11pts
2004-2005: 8-1-0-0 and 4 ties=20pts 2003-2004: 11-3-0-0 and one tie=23pts
2002-2003: 5-4-0-0 and two ties=12pts
Red Hot Rockets:
Brady Leavold: Leavold has points in six of his last 9.
Tyson Barrie: 2+7=9 in last 10 games Colin Long: points in 12 of last 14 (5+13=18)
Jamie Benn: 7+6=13 in last 13 games Kyle St. Denis: 6+6=12 in last 14 games
Tyler Myers: Has scored goals in three straight games.
Brandon McMillan: Snapped a 12 game goal scoring drought with two goals in last nights win over the Blazers.
Broadcasters Bits: Four of the Rockets 7 goals last night were scored by defenseman…Cody Almond returns tonight after sitting out two games with a suspension for kneeing…Rockets goaltender Kristofer Westblom has started twelve of the team’s last fourteen games, posting a record of 8-2-1-1. It stands to reason that Westblom has been in goal in 13 of the Rockets 15 wins this season…Colin Long has been held off the score-sheet in just six of the teams first 28 games this season…The Rockets have 15 wins this season, just 7 shy of the 22 they had all of last season..… The Rockets have points in seven of their last 8 road games (5-1-1-1)…The Rockets have given up a power play goal in 21 of the 28 games they’ve played this season…The Rockets have been involved in a one goal game in 10 of their first 14 home games. The Rockets are 4-4-1-1 in those one goal contests…The Rockets have been involved in fifteen – one goal games this season, including twelve of their last 19 games overall…The Rockets all-time are 8 and 9 in the shootout…Riley McIntosh scored his first WHL goal in last night’s win.
Rockets Milestones:
Colin Joe played in his 200th WHL game Sunday November 18th in Vancouver.
James McEwan is 6 games shy of 200 for his career.
Lucas Bloodoff is playing in his 98th career game tonight.
Lucas Bloodoff has 10 goals this season, the same number he scored in 69 games in his rookie season.
Colin Long has surpassed his point total of 28 set last season. Long has 35 points this season.
Only four Rockets have played in all 28 games this season. Lucas Bloodoff, Brandon McMillan, Colin Long and Kyle St. Denis have dressed in every game this season.
Brandon McMillan has 7 more points than he did all of last season.
Rockets Schedule - Next 5 Games: Rockets Results - Last 5 Games:
Dec 2 @ Chilliwack Rockets 5 Giants 3 W
Dec 5 vs. Med Hat Rockets 1 Americans 6 L
Dec 7 @ Lethbridge Rockets 7 Kootenay 6 OTW
Dec Dec 9 @ Regina Rockets 3 Cougars 4 L
Dec 11 @ Brandon Rockets 7 Kamloops 4 W
Rockets Players by Province: BC=13 US=4 ALB=3 SASK=2 MAN=1 EURO=1 Total=24
Rockets Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored: 7 vs. Kamloops Nov 30/07 (7-4 W), vs. Kootenay November 23/07 (7-6 OTW)
Most Goals Allowed: 6 vs. Kootenay Nov 23/07 (7-6 OTW), @ Tri City November 21/07 (6-1 L)
Most Power Play Chances: 9 @ PG Nov 10/07 (6-1 W – 4/9) vs. Warriors Oct 27/07. Rockets were 0/9 losing 4-3 in shootout.
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 4 @ PG Nov 10/07 (6-1 W)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 @ Everett Sept 29/07
Most Shots Taken: 38 vs. Kamloops Nov 30/07 (7-4 W), @ Portland Nov 17/07 (Rockets 4 Hawks 1)
Fewest Shots Taken: 9 @ Vancouver Sept 29/07 (5-0L)
Most Shot Allowed: 48 @ Vancouver Sept 30/07
Fewest Shots Allowed: 13 vs. Blazers Oct 30/07 (6-1 W)
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 stops Hawks forward Luke Walker Nov 17/07 in a 4-1 win in Portland. Kristofer Westblom stops Everett’s Shane Harper in a 3-2 overtime loss Nov 16/07 in Everett. Torrie Jung stopped Michal Repik in the 3rd period of a 5-0 loss Sept 29/07.
Overtime Winning Goal: Colin Long scored at :44 of overtime Nov 23/07 in a 7-6 win over Kootenay. Jamie Benn scored at 1:07 of overtime Nov 2/07 in a 3-2 win over Chilliwack.
Shootout Game Winning Goals: Dylan Hood scores in a 4-3 win in Seattle October 6/07. Colin Long scored the game winner in a 2-1 win over Vancouver October 24th.
Rockets vs. Divisions:
vs. BC: 8-5-0-1 vs. US: 3-5-2-0
vs. Central: 3-0-0-0 vs. East: 0-0-0-1
Roster Stats:
Player total: 24
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s – 3 Westblom, McEwan, Leavold
19’s – 3 Dowzak, 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 5-5-0-1 3-3-0-1 2-2-0-0
November: 13 9-2-1-1 4-1-0-0 5-1-1-1
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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