Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets open a three game home stand tonight against the Chilliwack Bruins. The Rockets host Prince George tomorrow night before facing the Portland Winter Hawks next Wednesday. The Rockets concluded a three game road trip Tuesday night with a 5-3 loss in Kamloops. Jamie Benn scored his team leading 25th goal of the season in the Rockets 14th loss of the campaign. Colin Long chipped in with two assists while Brady Leavold and Brandon McMillan also lit the lamp for the Rockets. The loss snapped the Rockets season high 7 game winning streak. The Rockets out-scored the opposition 39-7 over that period. Tonight’s game against the Bruins is the 6th of 10 meetings between these two teams this season. The Rockets are 4-1-0-0 in the first five games, out-scoring the Bruins 15-10. After tonight’s game the two teams meet again February 2nd in Chilliwack before clashing again in Kelowna February 9th. The Rockets are playing the 11th game of 12 straight against an opponent in the BC division. The Rockets are 7-3-0-0 over that period.
Bruising Up the Bruins: The Rockets are 4 for 18=22.2% on the power play in the seasonal series against the Bruins. Chilliwack is 5 for 22=22.7% with the extra man against Kelowna. The Rockets have out-shot the Bruins in 3 of the 5 games this season. The Rockets have 141 shots on goal, an average of 28.2 per game. The Bruins have 128 shots on the Rockets net, for an average of 25.6 per game. Kristofer Westblom has started in 4 of the 5 games against the Bruins in the seasonal series.
Period Scoring Breakdown vs. Bruins:
Period 1 2 3 OT SO Total
Rockets: 4 7 3 1 0 15
Bruins: 3 4 3 0 0 10
The Big 4: Colin Long has 69 points this season, 41 points more than a year ago. Long’s 23 goals are over double the 11 he scored as a 17 year-old. Long is riding a modest five game point streak (3+5=8), and has points in 12 of his last 13 games (7+17=24). Jamie Benn is riding a 7 game point streak (6+8=14), and is a plus 7 over that period. Benn leads the WHL in rookie scoring, 7 points better than Calgary’s T.J Galiardi. Cody Almond has 44 points this season, one more than he had all of last season. Almond is one goal shy of his career high of 15 goals set a year ago. Almond has a six game point streak (3+9=12), and is a +6 in his last 9 games. Brady Leavold has 41 points this season, six more than his career best of 35 points set with the Swift Current Broncos in the 2006-2007 season. Leavold also set a career high with his 15th goal of the season Tuesday night in Kamloops. Leavold is riding a 9 game point streak. Leavold has 7+12=19 over that period, and is a plus 10 over those 9 games.
Rockets Tidbits: The Rockets have won 4 straight at home, with their last setback being a 4-3 loss to Kamloops on December 28th. The Rockets have out-scored their opponent 19-3 in those four home games… The Rockets have scored a power play goal in eight straight games, going 15 for 48=31.3% over that period. The Rockets have allowed just 3 power play goals in 33 penalty kill opportunities in those 8 games…The Rockets have 15 games left on home ice, and just 10 on the road… Colin Long is tied with Chilliwack’s Mark Santorelli for the WHL points lead…The Rockets have points in 8 of their last 11 road games (6-3-0-2). The Rockets three road regulation losses over that period were against Kamloops (5-3), Vancouver (5-2) and Regina (4-3)…The Rockets have scored the most goals in the WHL (172), and have scored 16 more goals than they had all of last season…Kyle St Denis has a six game point streak (4+6=10)…Tyson Dowzak is a +9 in his last 11 games….The Rockets now have 13 wins at home and 14 on the road…Rockets goaltender Torrie Jung has won his last 4 starts , having allowed just four goals over that period with a .955 save percentage…After the trade deadline the Rockets have the second youngest team in the WHL. Only the Prince George Cougars are younger.
Rockets vs. Divisions:
vs. BC: 16-8-0-1 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 19 vs. PG Rockets 6 Kamloops 1 W
Jan 23 vs. Portland Rockets 3 Chilliwack 1 W
Jan 25 @ Swift Current Rockets 11 Cougars 1 W
Jan 26 @ Med Hat Rockets 5 Cougars 2 W
Jan 30 vs. Everett Rockets 3 Kamloops 5 L
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 7-1-0-0 4-0-0-0 3-1-0-0
February: 11 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
Rockets Players by Province: BC=12 US=4 ALB=3 SASK=2 MAN=1 EURO=1 Total=23
Rockets Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored: 11 @ Prince George Jan 11/08 in an 11-1 win.
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 @ Cougars Jan 11/08 (11-1 W), 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: 41 @ Prince George Jan 12/08 (5-2 W).
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 fails to score on Justin Leclerc in 4-3 loss to Kamloops December 28th. 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 – 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: 17.7
Rookies – 7
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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