Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets play game two of four straight on the road with a stop in Lethbridge. It’s the first of just two meetings between the two teams this season. The Hurricanes make a return visit on November 1st. In two meetings last season the Rockets were out-scored 12-6. The Hurricanes were a 3-2 shootout winner December 7th in Lethbridge before beating the Rocket 9-4 February 1st in Kelowna. The Rockets are riding a 6 game winless streak in Lethbridge dating back to the 2003-2004 season. The last time the Rockets earned two points at the Enmax Centre was February 9, 2003 in a 4-3 win. On that night Rockets assistant coach Ryan Cuthbert had a goal in the win. Last night the Rockets three game winning streak came to an end with a 4-1 loss in Medicine Hat. Jamie Benn scored the lone goal for the visitors, his first of the season. The goal came shorthanded. The Rockets were out-shot 30-28 and were 0/5 on the power play. It was the first time in six games that the Rockets have failed to score a power play goal. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Cranbrook to face the Ice on Sunday before meeting the Giants in Vancouver Friday night.
Scoring First Ain’t Easy: The Rockets have failed to open the scoring in five of the six games this season. The exception was Evan Bloodoff’s power play goal in game two of the season against the Portland Winter Hawks. The Rockets have been out-scored 9-3 in the first period this season.
Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Colin Bowman has points in four of his last six games. Bowman has 1+5=6. Colin Long has points in all four games he’s played this season. Long has four goals in his last three games. Long has registered 3 or more points in a game ten times in his career. Jamie Benn has points in the three games he’s played this season. Benn has 1+3=4. Tyson Barrie has points in four of his first six games. Dylan Hood has gone 22 games without a goal dating back to last season. Hood’s last goal was February 1st of last season against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Walking Wounded: Rockets defenseman Kyle Verdino has missed the last two games with a knee injury. First year forward Mitchell Callahan sat out last night’s game in Medicine Hat after getting his bell rung Wednesday against the Everett Silvertips.
Dare to Compare: Last season the Rockets were 2-3-1-0 in their first six games. The Rockets scored 17 goals in their first six games, two fewer than this season. After six games last season the Rockets had allowed 24 goals against. That is 5 more than this season. The Rockets longest winning streak last season was 7 games.
Milestones:
Kyle St. Denis has 47 career points.
Colin Long is playing in his 165th game tonight. Long has 140 career points and 46 career goals.
Evan Bloodoff is playing in his 135th game tonight.
Brandon McMillan is playing in his 132nd career game tonight.
Tyson Barrie has 52 career points and is playing in his 78th career game tonight.
Jesse Paradis played in his 50th career game last night.
7 comments:
Regan, any thoughts on what is going on with some of these guys? Lucas has been alright on the PP but invisible 5 on 5. Evan, Hood, Paradis and Matejka look absolutely brutal out there. You would think Hood and Evan are 16 again by the way they are playing.
Ryan:
I have seen or listened to most of the rockets and have the following comments.
1)Kelowna's D-men other than Barrie, Myers, aren't developing. And that will hurt the rockets down the road. Tyson Barrie must get 40 minutes of play. HOw do others develeop?
2) Sure Benn is scoring out there, but he sure does not put in the effort. Takes a while for these NHL Camp goers to come down to earth. Hopefully its sooner than later.
3) Your talkig about Dylan Hood and Evin Bloodoff playing like their 16 again. What about Cody Almond? He's a 19 ye ar old and looks invisble.
All in all, I still think we have the team to do some damage in the playoffs, however the team right now doens't look like its playing as a team.
Regan what's ur thoughts?
I have to disagree with some of your points "rockets". Since when has Tyson Barrie been logging 40 minutes a game? Those are immensely high numbers even by NHL standards. And Bowman alone proves that the Rockets are still one of the best at developing defensemen. He is having a phenomenal season even if it's still early.
As for developing players, I'm really liking the progress of Gogol and Boreyko. The only defensemen I'm really unimpressed with is Riley McIntosh. He's going to be 19 soon, and he's being shown up by 16/17 year old kids. He looked lost out there many times against Everett. I really hope for his sake that he picks it up quickly, or else he could be following Jung if Schenn and/or Dowzak return.
As for Benn, watch him when he doesn't have the puck. He isn't being lazy. He's watching the play. He's looking for openings and staying available to the player with the puck. Including Schenn, I'd say Benn is far and away the most NHL ready player on the Rockets right now because of how aware he is at all times. At first I thought the same thing as you, and I thought he had caught a bit of BCS. (Blake Comeau Syndrome - Packing it in early because an NHL contract has already been signed) But he's obviously picked up some tricks from that Dallas camp, and it's helping this team win every night.
I do however agree with you on Cody Almond. I really thought he would come out and be a leader for this team this season. But he looks very immature on the ice. He takes stupid penalties in the offensive end, and isn't that strong defensively. He is a good depth forward for the Rockets, but I expected a lot more.
I think the only real issue the Rockets have right now is team toughness. I think the Rockets need to pick up an enforcer who will ensure we don't get pushed around.
I also like the rumors that the Rockets are looking to pick up a player like Kyle Beach. Offense isn't a major issue for the Rockets, but you can never have enough offensive weapons.
Just heard Regan's comments on the radio and I have to agree with him, Benn was absolutley horrible. And Long and Almond aren't that far behind.
HUska, you better get all players on teh same team or this ship will start to sink.
If Huska thinks he will win with playing Barrie every other shift, then he's only fooling himself.
Bring the gritty Dylan Hood back and maybe rest Benn for a day.
Forget your password on the first account so you had to come back with another?
Benn is horrible? He started a fight against Everett, sparked the Rockets, and eventually carried them to victory. The next game against Medicine Hat he scores a shorthanded goal to try and spark the Rockets again, but this time the team didn't bite. Then tonight he scores the first goal of the game, continues trying to bring life back to the Rockets and is rewarded with the third star of the game.
Yeah, this guy is obviously our problem and should be replaced with Dylan Hood who has played 6 games, got 1 assist and has put up a -2 rating.
Thank god you aren't the one calling the shots in Kelowna.
Let me clarify that I did not say anything bad about Benn's play in any way on Saturday's broadcast. He threw some great hits in the first period, and scored the opening goal. What more can we ask? Benn was the least of the teams problems Saturday night.
Folks: It may be too early to panic. Rockets have the bodies to go far, but the chemistry, we'll see? Up to now the players have been believing their own press clippings. Huska's job is to make them realize how hard they have to work to make the press stories come true. I think he can do that but if they are missing anything it's toughness. With Schenn back (I hope) and Dowzak not back (I predict) they have room for two more 20s. If only there were two Leavolds hanging around the league...
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