Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets are playing game three of a three game homestand tonight. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Spokane Tuesday before hosting the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday night. The Rockets are coming off an 8-2 home ice win over Brandon Thursday night. Brady Leavold had two goals and three assists in the win, snapping a two game home ice losing streak. The two teams were scoreless after one period before the Rockets exploded for six goals in the second period. Colin Long had a goal and three assists in the team’s 32nd win of the season. The Rockets enter tonight’s game with two wins in their last eight games (2-4-0-2). After tonight’s game the Rockets play 4 of their next 7 games on the road.
Rockets vs. Expansion Teams: When it comes to success against expansion teams, the Rockets results have been mixed. Last season the Rockets lost 3-1 to the expansion Chilliwack Bruins. In 2003 the Rockets were a 3-2 winner over the then expansion Everett Silvertips. In 2001 the Rockets earned a 3-3 tie in their first meeting ever against the Vancouver Giants. During the 1996-97 season the Rockets faced the expansion Edmonton Ice. It was February 15/97 when the Rockets earned a 7-5 win. The game - in Kelowna - saw the Ice take a 5-1 lead into the third period before the Rockets would score 6 unanswered goals in the final 10:32 of the final frame. Brett McLean led the way with two goals and three assists. Aaron MacDonald made 20 saves for the Rockets in goal while Jordon Landry had a goal and an assist in the loss for the expansion Ice.
Rockets Explode for Six: The Rockets scored 6 goals in the second period of Thursday’s 8-2 win over Brandon. It marks the third time this season the Rockets have scored six goals in one period. The Rockets scored six times in the first period in an 11-1 road win in Prince George January 11th. The Rockets also scored 6 goals in the second period of a 9-2 home ice win over Portland January 23rd.
Kruiser is Back in K-Town: His nickname is ‘Kruiser’ with the Edmonton Oil Kings, yet Rockets fans know him as Brett Breitkreuz. Breitkruez was acquired from the Rockets by the Oil Kings in the WHL expansion draft. Breitkruez played 58 games with the Kelowna Rockets last season, scoring 8 goals and collecting 14 points. Breitkruez made his WHL and Kelowna Rockets debut September 29/06 in Everett and got into a fight that night with Kyle Beach. The Springside Saskatchewan resident scored his first WHL goal October 18/06 against the Prince George Cougars. Breitkreuz was the Rockets 2nd round pick in the 2004 WHL draft. Breitkreuz was taken 20 players after Rockets d-man Luke Schenn was selected in the opening round.
Quick Hits: Rockets forward Jamie Benn will miss his 7th straight game tonight with a sprained ankle. The Rockets are 2-3-0-1 in his absence…Torrie Jung has started 8 of the Rockets last 9 games….The Rockets have clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference for the 16th time in franchise history. The team has missed the playoffs just once in 17 years…The Rockets have 6 road games left, with stops in Chilliwack, Vancouver, Spokane, Seattle, Portland and Tri City…The Rockets have lost 6 times in the shootout this season. That’s a league high shared with Moose Jaw and Edmonton…The Rockets have been held to a single goal 3 times at home and 5 times on the road this season. The Rockets have been shutout twice this year.
Games Played Ticker:
Brady Leavold: 186 Colin Long: 147 Dylan Hood: 98 Tyler Myers: 119
Cody Almond: 146 Brandon McMillan: 112 Myles MacRae: 171
Kyle St. Denis: 54 Evan Bloodoff: 114 Tysen Dowzak: 153
Lucas Bloodoff: 126 Luke Schenn: 175 Colin Joe: 234
Rockets vs. Divisions:
vs. BC: 18-10-0-2 vs. US: 6-5-2-0
vs. Central: 3-2-0-1 vs. East: 5-3-0-2
Rockets Players by Province: BC=12 US=4 ALB=3 SASK=2 MAN=1 EURO=1 Total=23
Rockets Schedule - Next 5 Games: Rockets Results - Last 5 Games:
Feb 19 @ Spokane Rockets 4 Lethbridge 9 L
Feb 22 vs. Seattle Rockets 3 Chilliwack 6 L
Feb 23 vs. Vancouver Rockets 1 Kamloops 2 SOL
Feb 24 @ Vancouver Rockets 1 Chilliwack 4 L
Feb 27 vs. Spokane Rockets 8 Brandon 2 W
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 10-2-0-1 8-0-0-0 2-2-0-1
February: 11 1-3-0-1 1-2-0-0 0-1-0-1
Rockets Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored: 11 @ Prince George Jan 11/08 in an 11-1 win.
Most Goals Allowed: 9 vs. Lethbridge February 1/08 in a 9-4 loss.
Most Power Play Chances: 11 @ Chilliwack Feb 2/08 in a 6-3 loss, @ Swift Current Jan 25/08. The Rockets were 0/11, losing 4-0.
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: - @ Swift Current Jan 25/08 – Guggenberger 30 saves (4-0 L)
Most Points by a Player: Jamie Benn had 2+4=6 vs. Prince George Jan 19/08.
Most Goals by a Player: Brady Leavold scored 4 goals vs. Prince George Jan 19/08.
Penalty Shots: Juuso Puustinen fails to score on Torrie Jung Feb 8/08 in a Rockets 2-1 shootout loss to the Blazers. 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, 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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