Game notes vs. Tigers on Wednesday

• Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Tigers are meeting for the first of just two times this season. The two teams get re-acquainted with one another when the Tigers again visit Prospera Place on January 30th. These two teams are meeting for the first time since January 30/09 when the Rockets skated away with a 10-1 win. The last time the Tigers won in Kelowna was January 14/06 in a 4-0 win. Matt Keetley made 27 saves in the shutout. The Rockets have won three straight games after back-to-back victories over the Chilliwack Bruins on the weekend. The Rockets out-scored the Bruins 13-6 in the two games. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Vancouver Friday night before hosting Prince George on Saturday.
• What a difference a year makes: Stepan Novotny leads the Rockets with 7 goals and 5 assists for 12 points in just 6 games. Novotny had just one point – a goal – in his first six games last season. Novotny has registered a point in five of his last six games. The only game where Novotny has been held off the score-sheet was in a 6-1 loss in Tri City September 19th.
• ‘Power’ to the people: The Rockets have scored seven power play goals (7/18=39%) in their last three games. The Rockets have scored a power play goal in five of the six games this season. The Rockets were 0/8 in a 4-1 loss in Kamloops September 25th.
• Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Brandon McMillan has points in all five games he’s played this season. McMillan has 8 assists. Stepan Novotny has points in 5 of the 6 games this season. Shane McColgan is riding a three game point streak (2+4=6). Mitchell Callahan has goals in back-to-back games and is riding a modest three game point streak (2+1=3). Kyle St. Denis has five points in his last two games (3+2=5). Rookie Brett Bulmer is riding a three game point streak. Bulmer has 3+3=6. Lucas Bloodoff has goals in three of his last four games.
• Game Day Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 25 goals in six games this season. That’s the second most goals scored per game in the WHL behind only the Portland Winterhawks. The Rockets average 4.1 goals per game while the Hawks average 4.7 goals per game…In case you were wondering, the Rockets have scored 25 goals in six games, 6 more than at the same time last year….The Rockets have allowed 22 goals against this season after six games, three more than at the same time last season…Six of Stepan Novotny’s seven goals this season have been scored on home ice. Novotny has 26 career goals, 16 of which have been scored at Prospera Place…Goaltender Adam Brown has played in all six games this season…Four of the Rockets next five games are on home ice…Ryan Huska coached in his 150th WHL game Saturday night in Chilliwack. Huska has 88 regular season victories…Cody Chikie scored his first WHL goal in last Saturday’s 5-0 win over the Blazers. Chikie has played 15 games with the Saskatoon Blades over the last two seasons, yet is still considered a WHL rookie…The Rockets acquired 19 year-old Tyler Matheson from Saskatoon September 28th for a 7th round draft pick in 2010...Rookie defenseman Colton Jobke is wearing the same number that Shea Weber wore when he broke in with the Rockets as a 17 year-old rookie. Weber wore #6 before eventually switching to #2... Kyle Verdino plays in his 100th career game tonight. Verdino is still looking for his first WHL goal. In case you are wondering, the longest wait for a Rockets defenseman before scoring a goal goes to Brett Palin. It took 163 games before Palin scored his first WHL goal.