Rockets game notes vs. Tips (Saturday)

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Tips are meeting for the first of just four times this season (2 at home and 2 on the road). These two teams will meet again November 13 in Everett before the Rockets make a return visit on December 2nd. The two teams conclude the seasonal series January 6th at Prospera Place. These two teams met four times last season with the Rockets recording a 3-1-0-0 record. The only loss came in an 8-6 setback in Everett October 17/08. The Rockets enter tonight’s game with one loss in their last seven games. The club’s season high six game winning streak came to an end Tuesday with a 4-2 loss to Tri City. During that stretch the Rockets had out-scored the opposition 33-13. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Tri City Friday, host Vancouver Saturday before visiting the Giants on Sunday. Tonight’s game is the conclusion of a three game home stand.

Tipping over the Tips: The Rockets have had no lack of success at home since the Everett Silvertips came into the league in 2003-2004. The Rockets are 8-4-0-0 in 12 regular season meetings at Prospera Place. The Tips last win in Kelowna was October 19/07 in a 4-3 win. Dan Gendur scored the game winning goal at the 2:58 mark of the third period.

What Happened Last Game? Kyle St. Denis scored twice in the Rockets 4-2 home ice loss to Tri City Tuesday night. Jarrett Toll had a goal and an assist in the win for the Americans, who were out-shot 32-23. The Rockets were 2/4 on the power play while the Am’s were 1/1. Adam Brown made his 10th straight start and suffered the loss in goal.

‘Power’ to the people: The Rockets have scored fourteen power play goals (14/36=39%) in their last seven games. The Rockets have scored a power play goal in nine of the ten 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 eight games he’s played this season, but is sidelined 3 weeks with a cracked bone in his foot. McMillan has 4+11=15 this season. Stepan Novotny has points in 8 of the 10 games this season. Shane McColgan is riding a seven game point streak (4+8=12). Mitchell Callahan has points in five of his last seven games (2+5=7). Kyle St. Denis has ten points in his last six games (6+4=10). Lucas Bloodoff has goals in five of his last eight games.

Game Day Tidbits: Rockets 16 year-old Shane McColgan is second in rookie scoring in the WHL (4+9=13), just one point fewer that Red Deer’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins…Veteran defenseman Tyson Barrie has missed 7 straight games after being injured September 25th in Kamloops…Spencer Main already has more points (6) than he had in 61 games all of last season. Main had three points (1+2=3) as a rookie in 2008/09…Main has points in 4 of his last 5 games. Main has 2+4=6 over that period…The Rockets are 6-3-1-0 after ten games this season. Last year the Rockets were 5-5-0-0 after ten games…The Rockets have scored 42 goals in ten games this season after scoring 37 times in the teams first ten games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed 33 goals against this season after surrendering 37 goals after ten games last year…Ryan Huska has 91 regular season victories as the Rockets head coach …The Rockets have participated in 27 shootout games since the new format was implemented for the start of the 2005/06 season. The Rockets are 12 and 15…Former Rockets defenseman Tyler Myers scored his first NHL goal Friday night in the Buffalo Sabres 6-3 win over the New York Islanders. Myers was named the games 3rd star. Myers has 1+3=4 in five NHL games…The Rockets have scored the second most power play goals in the WHL (Tied for 2nd with 16 power play goals) only behind Vancouver’s league leading 18.