Game Notes vs. Bruins

Rockets host Bruins
Wednesday January 9, 2008
Game Time 7:00 pm

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Bruins are meeting for the 5th of 10 times this season. The Rockets have out-scored the Bruins 12-9 in the seasonal series, with the Rockets earning a 4-1 win in their last meeting December 31st in Chilliwack. The Rockets are coming off a 6-1 win over the Kamloops Blazers Saturday night, with Colin Long (2+0=2), Brady Leavold (0+2=2) and Cody Almond (0+2=2) leading the way in the clubs 24th win of the season. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a four game winning streak, having out-scored their opponent 20-3 over that period. The Rockets are playing the final game of a four game home stand tonight. The Rockets are in Prince George for a pair of games this weekend before traveling to Kamloops on Tuesday night. The Rockets next home game is January 18th against the Bruins. Overall the Rockets enter tonight’s game with points in ten of their last thirteen games (8-3-0-2).

Breaking it Down vs. Bruins: Goaltender Kristofer Westblom has started in three of the four games against the Bruins this season. The exception was December 31st when Torrie Jung led the Rockets to a 4-1 win in the Wack. The Rockets are 4 for 14=28.6% against Chilliwack with the power play this season while the Bruins are 5 for 19=26.3% with the extra man. The Rockets out-shot the Bruins in the first two meetings of the season, yet the Bruins have out-shot the Rockets in the last two encounters. Overall the Bruins have directed 112 shots towards the Rockets net (28 per game), while the Rockets have fired 110 shots at the Bruins goal (27.5 per game) in the first four games.

Period Scoring Breakdown vs. Bruins:
Period 1 2 3 OT SO Total
Rockets: 3 5 3 1 0 12
Bruins 3 4 2 0 0 9

Shooting Out the Lights: The Rockets are coming off back-to-back games where they have managed to score 6 goals. When was the last time the Rockets scored 6 or more goals in back-to-back games? The Rockets scored 6 goals December 3/05 against Prince George and then scored a whopping 7 goals against Tri City four night’s later. What is even more amazing is prior to those back-to-back lopsided wins, the Rockets beat the Regina Pats 8-3. That’s 21 goals scored in three straight games.

Schenn’s Triumphant Return: Rockets defenseman Luke Schenn is being honored before tonight’s game for winning gold for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. Schenn was not on the ice for an even strength goal against in the tournament. The Rockets were an impressive 8-2-0-1 in 11 games without Schenn’s services. Following tonight’s game Schenn will head back to his home in Saskatoon, meaning he will miss a pair of games up in Prince George this weekend.

Quick Hits: The Rockets have scored 150 goals this season, just 6 off of the teams final regular season total of 156 from a year ago…Torrie Jung has started in 4 of the Rockets last 5 games…The Rockets have allowed just one power play goal in their last 4 games. Overall the Rockets have killed off 16 of their last 17 attempts shorthanded…The Rockets are 10 for 36 with the power play (27.8%) in their last 6 games… Cody Almond is 3 goals shy of his career high of 15 goals set last season…Brady Leavold is two points shy of his career high when he registered 35 with the Swift Current Broncos in 2005-2006…Leavold has never been a plus player in his 3+ years in the WHL. This season the 20 year-old is +22… The 24 wins this season is two better than the Rockets had all of last season.

Games Played Counter:
Colin Joe: 219 Dowzak: 138 L. Bloodoff: 111
Leavold: 171 Long: 132 McMillan: 98
MacRae: 156 Almond: 131

Red Hot Rockets:
Colin Long: Long has points in 16 of his last 18 games (12+20=32).
Cody Almond: has 6+7=13 in his last seven games.
Jamie Benn: goals in nine of his last 12 games. Overall Benn has 11 goals in his last 12 games.
Luke Schenn: 1+4=5 in last five games.
Brady Leavold: 8+11=19 in last 14 games, and is riding a 6 game point streak (4+7=11).
Torrie Jung: Jung is 3-1-0-0 in his last four starts.

Rockets vs. Divisions:
vs. BC: 13-7-0-1 vs. US: 4-5-2-0
vs. Central: 3-1-0-0 vs. East: 4-1-0-2

Rockets Schedule - Next 5 Games: Rockets Results - Last 5 Games:
Jan 11 @ PG Rockets 2 Vancouver 5 L
Jan 12 @ PG Rockets 4 Chilliwack 1 W
Jan 15 @ Kamloops Rockets 4 Vancouver 1 W
Jan 18 vs.Chilliwack Rockets 6 Prince George 0 W
Jan 19 vs. Prince George Rockets 6 Kamloops 1 W

Rockets Players by Province: BC=12 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: 10 vs. Prince George Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win, 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 vs. Cougars Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win, @ PG Nov 10/07 (6-1 W)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 @ Vancouver Dec 29/07 (5-2 L), @ 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 22 saves vs. Cougars Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win. Kristofer Westblom 28 saves vs. Calgary (5-0 W)
Last Time Shutout: - @ Vancouver Sept 29/07 – Sexsmith 9 saves (5-0 L)
Penalty Shots: Lucas Bloodoff is stopped by Justin Leclerc in a 6-1 win over Kamloops Jan 5/08, Torrie Jung stops Bruins forward Cody Smuk in a 4-1 win in Chilliwack Dec 31/07. 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: Jamie Benn scored at 4:59 December 15/07 in a 3-2 win in Saskatoon. Tyler Myers scored at 3:58 of overtime December 5/07 in a 4-3 win over Medicine Hat. 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.

Roster Stats:
Player total: 24
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s – 3 Westblom, McEwan, Leavold
19’s – 3 Dowzak, MacRae, Joe
18’s – 7 Long, Kytnar, 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 6-4-0-2 2-1-0-0 4-3-0-2
January: 13 3-0-0-0 3-0-0-0 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)