Depleted Lineup Leads To Home Ice Loss

• With just 15 skaters, the Rockets came close but fell 4-3 on home ice to the Prince George Cougars Saturday night. Not only were the Rockets without Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers, who are taking the weekend off to recover from the world junior hockey championships, but leading scorer Colin Long also sat out the game with a head injury.
• Rookie forward Lukas Matjeka earned his first WHL assist on the first goal of the game scored by Mitchell Callahan less than two minutes into the game. The line of Matejka, Callahan and Spencer Main saw significant ice time courtesy of the depleted lineup.
• Cougars forwards Brett Connolly and Justin Maylan are going to be fun to watch over the next couple of years. Both had great goals in this one. Connolly's goal was the game winner when he went in on a clear cut breakaway when the Rockets were on the power play late in the third period.
• Forward Ryley Grantham picked up his first point in a Rockets uniform, an assist, on Brandon McMillan's third period goal which made it 3-2.
• Prior to the Rockets 6th home loss of the season came the end of the Western Hockey League trading deadline. I spoke to GM Bruce Hamilton about the moves that were made. www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1196.MP3&nid=856091
• I spoke to rookie goaltender Adam Brown about the release of veteran Kris Lazaruk.www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1198.MP3&nid=856093
• Cougars coach Wade Klippenstein may have left last night's game with a souvenir - a bruise. Klippenstein was hit by a puck in the side of the head when Cougar forward Robbie Ciolfi attempted to clear the puck in his own zone.
• Trade deadline day comes with mixed emotions for the management, coaches and players involved in these deals. I spoke to Rockets head coach Ryan Huska about the 'negative' aspect of trade deadline day. www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1197.MP3&nid=856094