Game Notes vs. Ams

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets have won six of their last seven games, and have won three straight overall heading into tonight’s game with the Americans. It’s the second meeting of the season between these two teams and the final visit for the Rockets to the Tri Cities. These two teams opened the regular season at the Toyota Center on September 20th with the Americans earning a 5-2 win. Jason Reese had the hat trick in the win. Mitchell Callahan and Tyson Barrie scored for the Rockets while goaltender Kris Lazaruk made his Kelowna debut making 28 saves in the loss. Following tonight’s game the two teams will meet in Kelowna November 19th and January 14th. The Rockets are coming off a successful home stand where they won 4 of 5 games, outscoring the opposition 24-11. The Rockets are coming off a 5-2 win over the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings Sunday. Colin Long’s power play goal midway through the third period broke a 2-2 tie leading the Rockets to their 12th win of the season. Jamie Benn, Dylan Hood, Stepan Novotny and Jesse Paradis also scored. Adam Brown made 22 saves in the Rockets goal. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are not back in action until November 12th when they host the Vancouver Giants. That’s a week without any hockey.

What a Difference: Jamie Benn has 18+14=32 in 16 games this season. Last season Benn had 7+5=12 in his first 16 games, a difference of +20. Colin Long has 14+15=29 in 17 games this season. After 17 games last year Long had 6+14=20, a difference of +9. Tyson Barrie, the Rockets third leading scorer, has 5+16=21 in 19 games this season. Last season after 19 games Barrie had 4+9=13, a difference of +8.

Digging Deeper: Cody Almond has 6+9=15 in 17 games this season. Last season after 17 games Almond had 6+13=19 after 17 games, a difference of -4. Brandon McMillan has 2+13=15 in 18 games this season. Last year McMillan had 6+15=21, a difference of -3. Lucas Bloodoff has 6+6=12 in 18 games this season. Last season after 18 games Bloodoff had 2+3=5, a difference of +7.

Quick Fact: The Rockets have 9 players with 10 or more points this season. The Americans have 6 players with 10 or more points.

Adam’s Apple: Rockets rookie goaltender Adam Brown is 7-0-0-0 this season. Brown has wins over Seattle (twice), Chilliwack (twice), Edmonton, Lethbridge and Prince George. Brown is the first Rockets rookie goaltender in franchise history to win the first seven games he’s started. Brown was granted a free-agent tryout with the Rockets after playing midget hockey last season in Dallas Texas. Brown was originally listed by the Lethbridge Hurricanes, but was dropped from their roster.

Two Head to A-D-T: Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers have been named to team WHL, which will face the Russians in the A-D-T Canada/Russia Challenge next month. Games will be played in Swift Current and Prince Albert Saskatchewan.

Benn P-O-W: Rockets forward Jamie Benn was named the Western Hockey League Player of the Week and Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week October 26th. Benn had 9 points in three games helping the Rockets to a record of 2-1-0-0. Benn had 5 goals and 4 assists and was a +1 over those three games.

That’s a Fact Jack: The Rockets have scored the most power play goals in the WHL this season. The Rockets have scored 30 goals with the extra man…Jamie Benn has 15 goals in his last 10 games. Benn has 15+10=25 over that period. Benn is riding a 10 game point streak over that period….Colin Long enters tonight’s game with 161 career points and played in his 178th career game last night…The Rockets have scored a power play goal in 18 of the team’s 19 games this season. The only game where the Rockets were held off the score-sheet with the extra man was in a 4-1 loss in Medicine Hat…Kris Lazaruk has started 13 of the Rockets 19 games this season…Adam Brown has started in five of the last seven and has started the last three. Brown is 7-0-0-0 as a starter….The Rockets have played in just five-one goal game this season. Those games were a 4-3 win over Lethbridge, a 3-2 win against Seattle, a 2-1 loss in Portland, a 5-4 win against Kamloops and a 3-2 loss to Brandon…Tyson Barrie leads the WHL in scoring by defenseman. Barrie has 20 points. Fifteen of Barrie’s 21 points this season have been on the power play (5+10=15).