New Is Nice!

This is how the ice looked at 5 am in the morning when we arrived in Kent. High school basketball was the focal point Friday night at the Showare Center.

The visitors dressing room. "Excuse me sir, can you help me find section 14 and 15? Oh it's staring me right in the face with the larger than life green numbers. Thank you!"

At ice level. I would think this section on ice level is for wheel chair ticket holders only? What a great seat!

This is the score clock at a dead standstill at 5 am in the morning. Wait till this puppy lights up like a Christmas tree at game time!

Like I said, new is nice. New workout bikes, clean black floors you can eat off of. Even the green walls are eye catching. I'll take more pictures prior to game time when the building comes alive. I'll even take a pic or two outside of the building. First impressions? Nice junior rink.

Rockets A Perfect 10!

• The Rockets were do to break out offensively, and elected to explode Friday night at home against the Medicine Hat Tigers in a 10-1 romp. The Rockets scored five times in the second period in the lopsided victory. Cody Almond led the way with three goals while Jamie Benn and Mitchell Callahan added a pair each in the team’s 29th win of the season. It was also the Rockets third straight win.
• The Rockets depth was the key in the victory with all four lines contributing in some significant way. If a line wasn’t generating offense, they were providing a solid fore-check or issuing a big hit. It was a complete team effort that resulted in the lopsided score.
• While everyone witnessed the Rockets flex their offensive muscles, don’t discredit early saves from goaltender Mark Guggenberger when the game was scoreless. The Tigers were equally as good as the Rockets in the first 15 minutes before Mitchell Callahan collecting a rebound shot off the end boards on a blue line drive from Tysen Dowzak and scored to make it 1-0. The Tigers didn’t let that first goal by the home team shake them though, scoring the tying goal just over a minute later. It was Stepan Novotny’s goal 47 seconds after the Tigers tied it that proved to the visitors that the home team was going to be a force to be reckoned with.
• A total of thirteen players were involved in the scoring. Included on that list was goaltender Mark Guggenberger, who picked up an assist. Almond (3+0=3), Benn (2+1=3), Callahan (2+1=3), Backlund (0+3=3) and Novotny (1+2=3) all had three point efforts. Lucas Bloodoff, Colin Long and Tysen Dowzak each had two assist nights.
• Tyler Myers was a team high +5.
• The ten goal outburst was the first time the Rockets have hit double-digits since scoring 11 times in an 11-1 win over the Vancouver Giants January 5, 2002. Jesse Ferguson scored three times in that win, while Nick Marach had two goals and two assists. The Rockets also scored 10 goals in a 10-3 win over Moose Jaw November 27, 1999.
• It was the Tigers worst road loss since giving up 11 goals in an 11-5 setback in Prince George October 5, 2001.
• Ian Duval scored the Rockets 7th goal but was hurt after being hit while carrying the puck inside the Tigers zone. For precautionary measures, the overage forward won’t suit up Saturday night for a road game in Kent Washington against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
• Give rookie Curt Gogol props for electing to tangle with Tigers designated tough guy Matt McCue in a third period scrap. Gogol received the instigator penalty after McCue ran him heavily into the corner boards. McCue was the victor, yet Gogol stood in there against a player not only 5 inches taller but 40 pounds heavier.
• The most interesting scrap of the night had Lucas Bloodoff tangling with Tigers John Stampohar in the second period. The scrap didn’t feature this usually drama of both players taking off their helmets and drawing the attention of everyone in the building before finally throwing punches at one another. This fight erupted quickly in the neutral zone after Stompohar slashed Bloodoff.
• Congratulations to Rockets Athletic Therapist Jeff Thorborn, who’s wife gave birth to a baby girl. It’s the couples first. To mark the occasion, Thorburn was given the weekend off, which means the hardest working member of the Rockets organization behind the scenes gets a chance to spend some time with his bundle of joy.
• Mikael Backlund’s biggest fan was in attendance Friday night at Prospera Place. Backlund’s mother took in the game. She was wearing with pride, a Rockets jersey that said Backlund on the back.
• After the game the Rockets boarded the bus and headed to Kent. On the way we encountered a 4x4 truck in the ditch on the connector and a guy stranded outside of Merritt who ran out of gas.

Game Notes vs. Tigers

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Tigers are meeting for the second and final time this season. These two teams met way back on October 3/08 in Medicine Hat, with the Tigers earning a 4-1 win. Jamie Benn scored the lone goal for the Rockets, who were out-shot 30-28. Linden Vey had a three point night (1+2=3) for the Tigers, who were 1 for 5 on the power play. The Rockets were 0 for 5 with the extra man. The last time the Tigers were at Prospera Place was December 5/07 in a 4-3 overtime loss. Tyler Myers scored the game winner at the 3:58 mark of the extra session. The last win for the Tigers in Kelowna was January 14/06 in a 4-0 shutout victory. The Tigers scored three times in the first period in the win. Matt Keetley made 27 saves in the shutout. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Seattle to face the T-Birds tomorrow night before heading to Kamloops on Wednesday. The Rockets next home game is next Friday against the Everett Silvertips.

Last Game: The Rockets have won two straight after a 4-1 win over Prince George Wednesday night. Jamie Benn scored once and added an assist in the team’s 28th win of the season. Colin Long, Stepan Novotny and Cody Almond added singles. Mark Guggenberger made 14 saves in the win. The Rockets out-shot the Cougars 33-15. The Rockets were 2 for 5 on the power play. The Cougars were 1 for 5. The win was the Rockets second straight, with points now in four of their last five games.

Power To The People: The Rockets power play is 7 for 13 in their last three games (54%). The Rockets have scored two or more power play goals in three straight games. The last time the Rockets were held without a power play goal was in a 3-2 shootout loss in Prince George January 17th.

Shooting Out The Lights: The Rockets have averaged 38 shots on goal in their last five games. That includes a 43 shot effort January 17th in Prince George. The last time the Rockets were held from recording 30+ shots were in a 3-2 win over the Tri City Americans January 14th. The Rockets generated 24 shots in that game.

Trade Deadline Transition: The Rockets are 3-3-0-2 in eight games since trade deadline day. The Rockets have scored 27 goals in those eight games (3.4), yet have given up 28 goals (3.5) over that period.

Almond=Outstanding: Cody Almond doesn’t want the month of January to end. Almond has goals in 8 of 11 games during the month, with points in 10 of those 11 games. Almond has 10 goals in his last 10 games.

New Faces Contribute: Mikael Backlund has 2+4=6 in his first seven games. Ian Duval has 4+6=10 in his first seven games with the Rockets. Riley Grantham has 0+2=2 in his first 6 games, including two fighting majors. Goaltender Mark Guggenberger is 3-2-0-1 with the Rockets including a 4-1 win over Prince George, a 3-2 win over Tri City and a 5-2 win in Kamloops.

Rockets Ramblings: Jamie Benn has four goals in seven games since returning from the world junior hockey championships. While the Rockets sit five points up on Kamloops for 4th place in the Western Conference, the Rockets have played 4 fewer games.

Who’s Hot: Ian Duval has goals in seven of his last ten games. In the big picture Duval has 15 goals in his last 21 games. Brandon McMillan has 5+8=13 in his last 13 games. Tyson Barrie has 2+5=7 in his last nine games. Colin Long has points in 10 of his last 13 games (5+10=15). Tyler Myers has points in 5 of his last 7 seven games. Myers has 1 goal and 6 assists over that period.

By The Numbers: Since re-locating to Kelowna from Tacoma for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have played 985 regular season games. The Rockets have won 498 times while based in Kelowna.

Streaking @ Home: The Rockets have won seven of their last ten home games and have wins in 9 of their last 13 home dates. The only stumbles over that period were a 6-4 loss to Vancouver, a 4-3 setback to Prince George, a 5-2 loss to Moose Jaw and a 3-1 loss to Swift Current December 12th. The Rockets have scored four or more goals per game at Prospera Place – thirteen times.

St. Denis Still Sidelined: Rockets forward Kyle St. Denis is missing his 35th straight game tonight with a broken wrist. The wrist was broken October 24th against the Chilliwack Bruins. The Rockets are 19-13-0-2 with St. Denis out of the lineup.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals – eight times this season. The Rockets have managed to score 6 or more goals three times against the Cougars, with single game outbursts against Kamloops, Kootenay, Everett, Chilliwack and Seattle. Last season the Rockets scored 6 or more goals 12 times… The Rockets are 26-6-0-1 when they score 3 or more goals. The Rockets are 10-10-0-2 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals.

Bo Knows Defense!

A video with Kelowna Rockets defenseman Collin Bowman.

Ho-Hum 4-1

• It wasn't the Kelowna Rockets territorial play that impressed me Wednesday night, but it was the teams commitment to defense. I am not saying they were flawless, but the Rockets allowed just 15 shots on goal in a 4-1 home ice win over the Prince George Cougars. The Rockets allowed just three shots on goal in the first period, and 7 in the second frame. Not bad for a team that many people believe will struggle in their own end of the rink.
• That said, the majority of the night was spent in the offensive zone making for a relatively quiet night for starting goaltender Mark Guggenberger.
• The Rockets received goals from four different scorers, with Jamie Benn, Cody Almond, Stepan Novotny and Colin Long beating Cougars netminder Kevin Armstrong. Armstrong was again solid, facing 33 shots in the loss. Had Armstrong struggled, this game would have been ugly.
• Jamie Benn ended the game with a goal and an assist, but was also physical in this one. Benn's clean hit on Cougars forward Marek Viedensky in the first period was one of the best we've seen all season.
• Again I liked the play of Tyler Myers. Myers had two assists, but it was his defensive play really stood out. I can't say one defenseman struggled in his own zone, with Collin Bowman, Tyson Barrie and Tysen Dowzak doing a good job of limiting the Cougars to few chances. What I liked most about the defensive core was their ability to get their sticks in the way to direct shots wide or out of play in their own zone.
• The only goal the Cougars could score against Mark Guggenberger was a 5 on 3 situation with 7 minutes left in the first period.
• I liked the line of Spencer Main, Curt Gogol and Mitch Callahan. Those three were a pain to play against, with Callahan getting into a first period fight with Cougars defenseman Matt Cumming. Gogol was also seen trying to entice a Cougar into a fight on several occasions, but never found a dance partner.
• Gogol's dad took in Wednesday's game. No wonder the rookie forward played to impress.
• The Rockets were 2 for 5 on the power play Wednesday night, and are now 5 or 8 with the extra man in their last two games. That's an efficient rate of 63%.
• A video with Rockets defenseman Kyle Verdino on who he believes will win the Super Bowl Sunday between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Game Notes vs. Cougars

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Cougars are meeting for the 8th time this season. The Rockets are 4-2-0-1 in the first 7 games, having out-scored the opposition 30-19. The Rockets are 2-1-0-0 at home, having out-scored the Cougars 13-6. In Prince George the Rockets are 2-1-0-1, having out-scored the home team 17-13. While the Rockets have won the first four games of the seasonal series, the Cougars have won the last three meetings (2-0-0-1). Following tonight’s game the two teams close out the seasonal series February 14th. Tonight’s game is the final game of six straight against teams in the BC Division. Following tonight’s game the Rockets host Medicine Hat Friday before traveling to Seattle (Kent) Saturday.

Last Game: The Rockets are coming off a 5-2 win Saturday night in Kamloops. Ian Duval (2+1=3) and Brandon McMillan (1+2=3) led the Rockets attack while Mikael Backlund and Colin Long added singles. The Rockets had a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes and carried a 4-2 lead into the third period. The Rockets were 3 for 3 on the power play. Mark Guggenberger earned the win in goal making 26 saves. The victory snapped a four game losing streak (0-2-0-2).

Trade Deadline Transition: The Rockets are 2-3-0-2 in seven games since trade deadline day. The Rockets have scored 23 goals in those seven games (3.3), yet have given up 27 goals (3.9) over that period. The Rockets have registered 40+ shots in three of their last five games.

Almond=Outstanding: Cody Almond doesn’t want the month of January to end. Almond has goals in 7 of 10 games during the month, with points in 9 of those 10 games. Almond has 9 goals in his last 9 games. Almond’s January exploits comes on the heels of a disastrous December where the 19 year-old had just one goal in 10 games during the month. Should we be surprised at Almond’s successes in January? Almond had 7 goals and 18 points in 13 games last season during the month of January.

New Faces Contribute: Mikael Backlund has 2+4=6 in his first six games. Backlund scored his first goal in the WHL last Wednesday night in a 6-4 loss to Vancouver. Ian Duval has 4+4=8 in his first six games with the Rockets. Riley Grantham has 0+2=2 in his first 6 games, including two fighting majors. Goaltender Mark Guggenberger is 2-2-0-1 with the Rockets including a 3-2 win over Tri City and a 5-2 win in Kamloops.

Rockets Ramblings: After playing 34 games this season without going into a shootout, the Rockets have been forced into the ‘circus’ in 3 of their last 8 games. Overall the Rockets are 2 and 2 in the shootout. Jamie Benn has three goals in six games since returning from the world junior hockey championships. While the Rockets sit five points up on Kamloops for 4th place in the Western Conference, the Rockets have played 4 fewer games.

Who’s Hot: Ian Duval has goals in seven of his last ten games. In the big picture Duval has 15 goals in his last 21 games. Brandon McMillan has 5+8=13 in his last 13 games. Tyson Barrie has 2+5=7 in his last nine games. Colin Long has points in 10 of his last 13 games (5+10=15).

By The Numbers: Since re-locating to Kelowna from Tacoma for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have played 984 regular season games. The Rockets have won 497 times while based in Kelowna.

Streaking @ Home: The Rockets have won six of their last nine home games and have wins in 8 of their last 12 home dates. The only stumbles over that period were a 6-4 loss to Vancouver, a 4-3 setback to Prince George, a 5-2 loss to Moose Jaw and a 3-1 loss to Swift Current December 12th. The Rockets have scored four or more goals per game at Prospera Place – twelve times.

St. Denis Still Sidelined: Rockets forward Kyle St. Denis is missing his 34th straight game tonight with a broken wrist. The wrist was broken October 24th against the Chilliwack Bruins. The Rockets are 18-13-0-2 with St. Denis out of the lineup.

Milestones Within Reach:
Jamie Benn – is 15 games shy of 100 for his career. (85 games currently played) – 115 career points
Cody Almond – Played in his 200th career game January 10th vs. Prince George. – 145 career points
Lucas Bloodoff – played in 175th career game January 2nd vs. Spokane – 85 career points
Brandon McMillan – Played in 165th game January 7th against Seattle – 87 career points
Colin Long – Played in 200th WHL game January 9th vs. Portland. – 191 career points
Tyson Barrie – 87 career points
Tysen Dowzak – Playing in 198th career game tonight.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 43 goals in their last thirteen games (3.3 per game). Of those 43 goals, sixteen (33%) have been scored on the power play…The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals – eight times this season. The Rockets have managed to score 6 or more goals three times against the Cougars, with single game outbursts against Kamloops, Kootenay, Everett, Chilliwack and Seattle. Last season the Rockets scored 6 or more goals 12 times… The Rockets are 25-6-0-1 when they score 3 or more goals. The Rockets are 10-10-0-2 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals…Cody Almond is one goal shy of setting a new career high for goals with 23…Tyson Barrie is 1 points shy of his career high 43 points set in his rookie season…Barrie has 9 goals this season, the same number as last year…Brandon McMillan is three goals shy of the 15 he scored last season…No player on the Rockets roster will play in all 72 games this season. The last time this happened was 1999-2000 when no players reached that mark.

Pic's From the Cutting Room Floor

It's time to clean out the digital camera. So before I erase the 300 odd photo's, I thought I would share some pic's that hit the cutting room floor. The penalty box got a touch full Saturday night in Kamloops.

Mikael Backlund taking the opening face-off against the Giants.

Ian Duval involved in a drill at his first practice session with his new team.

Gord McGarva takes some time to chat with Rockets rookie forward Spencer Main. Main often doesn't get the 'press' or media coverage that the Long's, Benn's and Almond's receive, but his day will come when he gets his fair share of the headlines.

Jamie Benn at K-I-A after winning gold for Canada. He looks pretty fresh for a guy that hasn't slept in 30 hours.

You knew I had too! In Calgary, the score clock that makes you drool. Ok, it makes me drool.

Dozer (Tysen Dowzak) coming out on the ice for a morning skate in Prince George. This pic was taken back in late November .

A video of Spencer Main getting in a skate in Calgary December 13th, one day after losing to the Swift Current Broncos on home ice. This is not alot of fun...just ask the players.

Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

• Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton has to be smiling these days. No, not necessarily over his teams play, but his son Curtis'. Curtis Hamilton is having a great year with the Saskatoon Blades, with 34 points in 37 games. The 17 year-old is almost a point a game player, and isn't even eligable to be drafted until next season. Hamilton has 14 goals, the same number of goals he scored as a 16 year-old in his rookie season.
• I find it interesting that Ian Duval has earned 64 percent of his points on the road this season. That should tell you something about this guys character. Often skilled players find the tough going much easier on home ice, yet Duval has been 'steady eddie' on the road. Of Duvals 18 goals this season, 9 have been on the road. Of his 39 points, 25 have been on opposition ice.
• Jamie Benn is almost the reverse of Duval. Benn has scored 60 percent of his points on home ice this season. Yet of Benn's 27 goals this season, fifteen have been on the road.
• Justin Bernhardt is closing in on playing his 300th game in the WHL. The former Rocket has 289 games under his belt, and is third in league scoring with 71 points with the Prince Albert Raiders. Nice to see 'Bernie' making some noise in his final season in the WHL.
• This number surprised me. Tyler Myers has 14 power play assists this season. Myers has 20 assists overall, meaning 70% of his helpers are on the power play. Myers has as many power play assists as Jamie Benn (14), and is slightly behind Colin Long (15), and team leader Tyson Barrie, who has 16 power play helpers.
• The top two penalty minute leaders meet Friday night at Prospera Place as the Rockets host the Medicine Hat Tigers. Rockets forward Riley Grantham will meet horns with Tigers tough guy Matt McCue. Grantham leads McCue by 16 penalty minutes for the league lead. McCue will be back in the Tigers lineup after a two game suspension from an altercation against Lethbridge.
• Name the only Western Conference team that the Rockets have failed to visit this season? Answer - the Spokane Chiefs. The Rockets will be in Spokane for the first time on February 8th, in regular season game #55. Let's hope no one in Spokane desperately wanted to see someone on the Rockets play this season, because they will have waited until the last 6 weeks of the regular season before they finally show up.
• If you are wondering, the Rockets have just 24 games left in the regular season. Of those 24 games, 13 are on the road, 11 are at home. Of those 11 home games, seven are against teams in the BC Division.
• When the Rockets meet the Medicine Hat Tigers Friday night, the visitors will have already played games in Seattle (Kent) and Vancouver. The Tigers open the road trip with a 13 hour bus ride to Kent tomorrow night.

5-2 Win Snaps Rockets Four Game Road Losing Streak

• Mark Guggenberger played his best game in a Rockets uniform. Two huge saves in the first period allowed his team to head into the dressing room with a 3-1 lead. Those two saves were goals that were simply taken away by the veteran goaltender. Guggenberger was a difference maker in the Rockets 5-2 win over the Kamloops Blazers Saturday night, snapping a 4 game winless streak.
• The win moved the Rockets five points up on the Blazers for 4th place in the Western Conference.
• Ian Duval had two goals and an assist in the game, yet found himself in the coaches dog house after being at fault on the Blazers first period goal. The overage forward saw limited ice time in the first period after that defensive gaff. Duval came back more determined than ever and was named the games 2nd star.
• Brandon McMillan was named the games first star, this time playing as a forward. McMillan's efforts gives you the feeling he is best served as a forward, yet he also can be of value as a defenseman if the Rockets need some help defensively.
• Colin Long was a key in the Rockets success on the power play Saturday night. The Rockets were 3/3 with the extra man with Long scoring a beauty in the 3rd period on a great feed from defenseman Tyler Myers. Long received a pass at the side of the net and while falling, somehow banged the puck past a startled Blazers goaltender Justin LeClerc.
• It was nice to see seven players involved in the scoring Saturday night. It wasn't just one line that was producing, which has been the case over the last two games.
• The Rockets were guilty of taking some bad penalties, infractions that simply can't be taken against the top teams in the league. Tyler Myers was hit with a 10 minute misconduct in the second period for mouthing off at the officials. Against a team like Vancouver, losing one of your best defenseman for half a period would be suicide.
• The game featured three fights, yet it wasn't an overly emotional game. All three tilts were the result of agreements by both players to drop the mitts. Wouldn't it be nice to see a fight where one player got pissed off at another and just started punching without both agreeing to square off?
• Prior to the game the Blazers recognized the three Rockets players that won gold for Canada at the world juniors. Even the Blazer fans gave those three a standing ovation. A classy display by the Blazers and their fans.
• Mitchell Callahan didn't play in this one after receiving a one game suspension for an accumulation of 10 minute misconducts.
• A video of Mark Guggenberger in warm-up. His 'A' game was on display Saturday night in Kamloops.

Laz Wins 1st Game

Congrats to former Kelowna Rockets goaltender Kris Lazaruk for winning his first game in the United States Hockey League. Lazaruk made 18 saves last night in his USHL debut leading Omaha over Fargo 4-3 in a shootout.

Trade Deadline Transition Troubles Rockets

• The trade deadline transition hasn't been an easy one for the Kelowna Rockets. Instead of overpowering the opposition with a vicious offensive attack, the Rockets find themselves on a 4 game losing streak (0-2-0-2) after a 5-4 shootout loss in Chilliwack Friday night. While the Rockets have scored 18 goals in six games since the deadline (3.0 per game), they've also allowed 25 goals against (4.2 per game).


• Another team that has struggled since the deadline are the Swift Current Broncos. The Broncos were busier than the Rockets and are 1-5-0-0 since making a series of trades including a block-buster with the Kootenay Ice. Do the Broncos struggles make the Rockets feel better about their situation? It just shows that significant changes can result in some early stumbles, and the Rockets aren't alone.


• Give the Rockets credit for battling back after getting off to a brutal start. They give up a shorthanded goal less than three minutes into the game before Bruins defenseman Adam Ward fires a puck from centre ice that beats Rockets goaltender Adam Brown high to the blocker side. Brown was yanked after giving up two goals on four shots and was replaced by Mark Guggenberger.


• Who do you look too when you've dug yourself a deep hole on the road? Your captain, and Colin Long delivered. Long's late first period goal on the power play had the Rockets heading into the first intermission down by one goal, instead of facing a 2-0 deficit heading into the second period.


• Jamie Benn got on track with two goals in the game, and was up to his usually self of finding loose rebounds and making no mistake. Benn now has 27 goals in just 33 games. It was his first multiple goal game since he recorded a hat trick against Lethbridge November 1st.


• While Long and Benn were on their games, unfortunately it was a rough night for the line of Almond, Backlund and Duval. That trio was solid in a 6-4 loss to Vancouver Wednesday, yet against a weaker sister were a combined -9.


• My greatest disappointment was the Rockets inability to throw a knockout punch. With a 3-2 lead, I was anticipating the Rockets to go for the jugular, yet they failed to have the killer instinct necessary to put the game away. Eventually the Bruins tied the game before taking a 4-3 lead with 6 and a half minutes left in the third period.


• Was it a great effort? No. But the Rockets still picked up a point against a team that has raised their level of play over the last couple of weeks. Just ask the Calgary Hitmen, who had their 18 game home ice winning streak snapped by the Bruins last week. The point was earned after the Rockets used late 3rd period heroics with the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker: www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1287.MP3&nid=863642


• The Rockets power play struck for two goals on five chances and didn't allow a goal on five Chilliwack opportunities.


• Ryley Grantham sat out Friday's game with a hand laceration. That injury was suffered in Wednesday's loss to the Giants. Look for Grantham to return to the lineup Wednesday, at home to the Prince George Cougars.


• It was nice to meet Spencer Main's parents following the game. The Rockets may have lost but Main's mom and dad were all smiles after watching their son play Friday night in Chilliwack.


• For a second straight game Calgary Flames Western scout Ron Sutter watched Mikael Backlund play. Sutter told me afterwards that Backlund needs more time to get used to his new surroundings before he becomes the player we witnessed at the world juniors.

Game Notes vs. Bruins

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Bruins are meeting for the 5th time this season. The Rockets are 4-0-0-0, having out-scored their BC Division rivals 19-2. The Rockets have shutout the Bruins in three of the four games. Following tonight’s contest the two teams meet February 18th, 22nd and March 6th to conclude the 8 game seasonal series. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a three game losing streak (0-2-0-1), with losses to Vancouver and back-to-back setbacks to Prince George. Overall the Rockets have 4 losses in their last 5 games. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Kamloops to face the Blazers tomorrow night before returning home to face Prince George Wednesday January 28th.

Last Game: Evander Kane scored three times leading the Vancouver Giants to a 6-4 win over the Rockets Wednesday night. The Rockets received goals from Cody Almond, Mikael Backlund, Ian Duval and Evan Bloodoff in the loss. The line of Almond, Duval and Backlund combined for 8 points. The Rockets carried a 3-2 lead into the third period before the Giants struck for four goals in the final frame. The Giants out-shot the Rockets 32-24. Kelowna was 1 for 4 on the power play while the Giants were 2 for 6.

Almond=Outstanding: Cody Almond doesn’t want the month of January to end. Almond has goals in 7 of 9 games during the month, with points in 8 of those 9 games. Almond has 9 goals in his last 8 games. Almond’s January exploits comes on the heels of a disasterous December where the 19 year-old had just one goal in 10 games during the month. Should we be surprised at Almond’s successes in January? Almond had 7 goals and 18 points in 13 games last season during the month of January.

New Faces Contribute: Mikael Backlund has 1+3=4 in his first four games. Backlund scored his first goal in the WHL Wednesday night in a 6-4 loss to Vancouver. Ian Duval has 2+2=4 in his first four games with the Rockets. Riley Grantham has 0+2=2 in his first 6 games, including two fighting majors. Goaltender Mark Guggenberger is 0-2-0-0 in losses to Prince George and Vancouver.

Rockets Ramblings: Jamie Benn has just one goal in five games since returning from the world junior hockey championships. Colin Long has 3 goals in his last 13 games. While the Rockets sit only two points up on Kamloops for 4th place in the Western Conference, the Rockets have played 4 fewer games. The Rockets power play has slipped to 6th in the WHL at 21.9%. Up until Wednesday night the Rockets last gave up 6 goals at home February 1st in a 9-4 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Who’s Hot: Ian Duval has goals in six of his last eight games. In the big picture Duval has 14 goals in his last 19 games. Brandon McMillan has 4+6=10 in his last 11 games. Tyson Barrie has 2+5=7 in his last seven games. Colin Long has points in 8 of his last 11 games (3+8=11).

By The Numbers: Since re-locating to Kelowna from Tacoma for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have played 982 regular season games. The Rockets have won 496 times while based in Kelowna.

Streaking @ Home: The Rockets have won six of their last nine home games and have wins in 8 of their last 12 home dates. The only stumbles over that period were a 6-4 loss to Vancouver, a 4-3 setback to Prince George, a 5-2 loss to Moose Jaw and a 3-1 loss to Swift Current December 12th. The Rockets have scored four or more goals per game at Prospera Place – twelve times.

St. Denis Still Sidelined: Rockets forward Kyle St. Denis is missing his 32nd straight game tonight with a broken wrist. The wrist was broken October 24th against the Chilliwack Bruins. The Rockets are 17-13-0-1 with St. Denis out of the lineup.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 34 goals in their last eleven games (3.09 per game). Of those 34 goals, just eleven have been scored on the power play…The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals – eight times this season. The Rockets have managed to score 6 or more goals three times against the Cougars, with single game outbursts against Kamloops, Kootenay, Everett, Chilliwack and Seattle. Last season the Rockets scored 6 or more goals 12 times… The Rockets are 24-6-0-0 when they score 3 or more goals. The Rockets are 10-10-0-1 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals…Tyson Barrie is 1 points shy of his career high 43 points set in his rookie season…Barrie has 9 goals this season, the same number as last year…Brandon McMillan is four goals shy of the 15 he scored last season…No player on the Rockets roster will play in all 72 games this season. The last time this happened was 1999-2000 when no players reached that mark…The Rockets have just two power play goal in their last five games. The Rockets are 2 for 18 (11.1%) over that period.

January Jam..Almond's Got It

• Nobody on the Kelowna Rockets roster has more 'Jam in January' than Cody Almond. The best player on the ice for both teams Wednesday night, Almond created great chances for his teammates, dropped the gloves to fight James Wright when the Giants forward jabbed his stick in the chest of line mate Mikael Backlund, and was dangerous with the puck or on the forecheck in an attempt to get it back. Almond's January success has the Minnesota Wild noticing. Can you say pro contract? Almond has points in 7 of the 9 games played during the month, and has 8 goals in those 9 games.


• Almond is no stranger to offensive success in the month of January. Last season, Almond had 7 goals and 11 assists in 13 games in January of 2008.


• You have to love Ian Duval. With just four games under his belt with the Rockets, the overage forward is tough not to notice. I especially like his work ethic and his hunger for loose pucks. The fact that he had a three point night against the Giants isn't much of a surprise considering he is always around the puck. I didn't know exactly what the Rockets were getting when they picked him up at the trade deadline, but he's been a great addition.


• It was nice to see Mikael Backlund involved offensively Wednesday night. He didn't dominate, yet showed that he is getting more comfortable with the junior game. It was nice to see his emotion once he scored his first WHL goal. www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1271.MP3&nid=862904


• Look for the line of Benn, Long and Novotny to bounce back this weekend. Three quality players may have had a rough night Wednesday, but they are simply too good not to bounce back quickly. It's that depth that makes the Rockets lethal if more than just one line is showing up on the score sheet.


• Let's also remember that the Benn, Long, Novotny line was often times matched up against Casey Pierro-Zabotel's unit. That's no easy feat for a trio that is offensively gifted.


• Has Spencer Main caught your eye yet? The rookie forward is playing extremely well, and has really turned the corner in his development. With his recent efforts, that first WHL goal is close at hand.


• Let me explain what I mean when I say, 'make a save'. At this level you have to make the routine saves, but against elite competition, in my opinion the goaltender is required to make a save that either takes away a goal or erases a good scoring chance. An example would have been Sexsmith's save off of Tyson Barrie in the first period of Wednesday's game. Barrie has a point blank chance on Sexsmith, and the goaltender shuts the door. Had Barrie scored, it would have been 2-0 for the home team. I am looking for a Rockets goaltender to steal a goal, not steal the game. Trust me, Guggenberger can take away a goal and has the ability to steal a game. He wants to be a difference maker, and will make an impact in a Rockets uniform.

B-A-D Line Not Good Enough

• The line of Mikael Backlund, Cody Almond and Ian Duval combined for 8 points, yet the Kelowna Rockets fell 6-4 Wednesday night to the Vancouver Giants. Backlund had a goal and two assists, Almond had a goal, an assist and a fight while Ian Duval had a goal and two helpers in the loss. The trio were the best line for the Rockets all night long.


• While the B-A-D line was good, the line of Colin Long, Jamie Benn and Stepan Novotny struggled. Benn was the only one of the three to register a point, with an assist on Backlund's power play goal in the 3rd period. Long, Benn and Novotny were a combined -7. That unit needed to be a scoring threat for the Rockets to beat the Giants Wednesday night, and by their own admission I am sure they would say they struggled. They created some good things early, but faded as the game wore on.


• Give me a save! I thought Rockets goaltender Mark Guggenberger failed to make a quality save in this one. I am not saying that all five pucks that got past him were his fault, but the 20 year-old needed to be much sharper in a game of this magnitude.


• Two of the Giants 6 goals were scored on two separate two man advantages. Both were created after Tyler Myers and Lucas Bloodoff received penalties for firing the puck over the glass in the defensive zone. The Giants scored the first power play goal just 12 seconds after Myers was sent to the box before responding a minute and two seconds after Bloodoff took his penalty to put the Rockets down two men.


• The Rockets had a 3-2 lead heading into the third period, only to see the Giants score four-third period goals in the win. It marked only the second time this season in 19 games that the Rockets have lost a game after leading after 40 minutes. The Rockets are now 17-2-0-0 when leading after two periods.


• Forward Riley Grantham left the game in the 3rd period after cutting his left hand on a skate after he was hit heavily into the boards by a Giants defenseman. Grantham appeared to lose his glove when contact was made, and was cut by a Giants skate on the way down to the ice. He was sent to hospital for stitches.


• Grantham was one of several Rockets who had glorious chances to score in this one. Grantham had two great opportunities, including what appeared to be a wide open net when he was fed a perfect pass by line mate Colin Long.


• Tyson Barrie also had a great chance early in the game on a great feed from Jamie Benn to make it 2-0. Instead Giants goaltender Tysen Sexsmith came up with a big save. Cody Almond almost had his second of the game on a shorthanded goal after stealing the puck at the Rockets blue line and going in all alone on Sexsmith. Almond's effort on the forehand unfortunately went wide.


• Evander Kane had three goals in the game, yet he wasn't the threat we saw in the first three games (he missed the December 29th matchup) of the seasonal series. Kane's power play goal was a result of being at the right place at the right time to bang in a rebound into a wide open net, and his second goal resulted in a nice move around a defenseman before tucking it short side on Guggenberger, who again should have made the save. Kane's third goal was an empty netter.


• What's the sign of a good team? A low panic threshold. The Giants didn't freak out despite trailing after 40 minutes. They went out and out-scored the Rockets 4-1 in the third and out-shot the home team 15-5.


• Are the Giants beatable? Absolutely. While the Rockets ran their losing streak to three games (0-2-0-1), they can take many positives out of this loss. A greater contribution from the second line, better goaltending and fewer trips to the penalty box for needless penalties have the Rockets able to beat the Giants on any given night.


• Flames Western scout Ron Sutter took in last night's game and must have liked what he witnessed.

Excitement!

• Excitement. That would best describe the Kelowna Rockets emotion heading into Wednesday nights game against the Vancouver Giants. The players won't say it publicly, but my general feeling is this game will give them a good sense of how good they are since acquiring four players - prior to and at - the trade deadline.
• Even forward Mikael Backlund knows the importance of playing well against the Giants, and my gut tells me the 19 year-old forward will be at his best Wednesday night. Backlund seems to play his best in the 'big game'.
• I've heard chatter from hockey fans over the last couple of days questioning coach Huska's handling of this talented team. Give me a break! This new group has been together for three friggin games. If you are about to push the panic button without this team being allowed to come together, something is wrong with the mentality of the fans, not the coaching staff. Think of it this way. If you added four new people to your work place, would everything work smoothly on day one? Would their be some miscommunication and mistakes made along the way?
• Backlund struggled on the weekend and admits he didn't bring his 'A' game to the table in losses in Prince George. But can you blame him. Backlund is likely experiencing the world junior hockey championship hangover, is playing away from home for the first time in his career, and is now playing on a smaller ice surface. Throw in the fact he is playing with a new team in a place called Kelowna, are we asking a bit much by thinking this teenager won't miss a beat as he makes the jump to major junior.
• Go out and play. That's the message Rockets head coach Ryan Huska has for Backlund. Don't worry about making mistakes, just go out and do the things that you do best. Shoot the puck, create scoring chances and be a threat offensively. That's what the Rockets need from Backlund.
• Look for Colin Long to be reunited with Jamie Benn Wednesday night. Likely joining those two will be Stepan Novotny, who outside of Cody Almond, has really stepped up his play.
• Almond with Backlund and Ian Duval make up a solid second unit.
• Early February. That's when Kyle St. Denis should be back in the lineup. The return date is likely February 3rd in Kamloops. In speaking to St. Denis today, the cast has been removed and his wrist is about 85 to 90 percent healed. St. Denis says he has been given clearance to join the team next Wednesday against Prince George, but they will sit him out an extra couple of days to make sure his wrist gets added healing time.

Shootout Success

Who should the Rockets send out in a shootout? Who has had the most shootout chances and who has had the most success? Find out below as I dig deep into the numbers to find out who doesn't buckle under the pressure.

• Cody Almond has had the most shootout chances of any Rocket. Almond has participated in the 'circus' 18 times over his career. Almond is followed closely by Colin Long, who had been involved 15 times.
• No surprise that Almond has scored the most shootout goals, with eight. Long is a close second with 6.
• Tyson Barrie has had the best success rate though. Barrie has scored five times on 8 chances. That's a 63% success rate.
• Cody Almond's success rate is 44% or 8 goals in 18 chances.
• Colin Long's success rate is 40 percent or 6 goals on 15 attempts.
• Jamie Benn's success rate in the shootout is 33% or 2 goals in 6 chances.
• Brandon McMillan success rate is 20 % or 1 goal in five chances.
• The only flawless player is Stepan Novotny. Novotny is 100% on shootouts with 1 goal in just one chance

Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

• What do the Rockets do Wednesday to contain Giants forward Casey Pierro-Zabotel? Pierro-Zabotel is on fire, leading the league in points (70) and has points in 12 of his last 13 games. Do the Rockets have a 'true' checking line that can keep the Giants #1 line at bay, or with last change, do you throw out the top line against him and see if they can force the Giants top trio into playing a more defensive minded game?
• How do the two teams compare? The Giants have 10 players with ten or more goals this season while the Rockets have 7 players with 10+ goals. The Giants have 15 players with 20+ points. The Rockets have just 9.
• The biggest difference between the two teams is on defense. The Giants have generated 196 points from the defensive core this season. The Rockets have created just 96 points from the back end this season.
• Cody Almond is one goal shy of his career high of 22 set last season. Tyson Barrie's 9 goals this season matched his total of all of last year. Jamie Benn is 8 goals off of the 33 he scored in his rookie season.
• Who do I think is the best rookie in the WHL this season? Prince George Cougars forward Brett Connolly gets the nod. Why? When you see someone play 7 times you get a better appreciation for his abilities. I've only seen Kellan Tochkin of the Everett Silvertips once. I can see by his point totals that he is having a great year, but couldn't tell you much about what type of player he is.
• A video taken in Prince George of Colin Long getting a favorable bounce at practice. He could have used more 'puck luck' like this in those two losses.
• Evan Bloodoff's one game suspension Saturday night means no Rockets player will manage the feat of playing in all 72 games this season. Last year Colin Long was the only player to dress in all 72 games. It marks the first time since the 1999-2000 season that the team won't have a player who dresses in every regular season game.
• Eight (8) players dressed in all 72 games for the Rockets during the 2004-2005 season. Justin Keller, Tyler Mosienko, Tyler Spurgeon, Troy Bodie, Mike Card, Kyle Cumiskey, Chris Ray and Brett Palin were part of that impressive group. No wonder they won a league championship that year...the teams best players were all healthy.
• Cody Almond's goal scoring streak of 6 games was snapped Saturday night. It tied for the longest goal scoring streak of the season 7 other players including teammates Jamie Benn and Ian Duval. Duval went on his streak in early December as a member of the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Seperated At Birth?

Twins? Current Rocket tough guy Riley Grantham and former Rockets defenseman Kevin Reinholt. When I first met Riley, I thought of Reinholt right away.

Cougars Youth=Rockets Demise

• For a second straight night a 16 year-old Prince George Cougar rookie was a difference maker against the Kelowna Rockets. Friday night rookie Greg Fraser scored twice leading the Cougars to a 5-2 win over the Rockets while Saturday night it was 16 year-old Brent Connolly's turn to lead his team to a 3-2 shootout win. Connolly opened the scoring for the Cougars in the first period and then scored the only goal in the shootout leading the 8th seeded Cougars to four important points on the weekend. Unfortunately for the Rockets the trip up north only manufactured a single digit in the standings.
• You had to feel for Tyler Myers for taking two delay of game penalties late in the third, allowing the Cougars back in the game. Firing the puck over the glass late in the game is one thing...doing it twice had you shaking your head. Even he must have been saying to himself 'This can't be happening'.
• You would think the Rockets would have had the advantage in the shootout considering they went with Mikael Backlund, Colin Long and Tyson Barrie. Yet all three failed to score.
• I thought the effort was better by the Rockets in the second game of the two game set at the CN Centre. But that effort and finish will have to improve substantially as they host Vancouver Wednesday night.
• The power play fired blanks on the weekend against the Cougars, which comes as a huge surprise considering the talent of that five man unit. Since Mikael Backlund and Ian Duval joined the team that power play has just one goal in 11 chances.
• Returning from the world juniors is never easy. After an emotional high, the letdown is often evident in players who return to their junior teams. Could that be the case involving Mikael Backlund, Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers? Neither of those three have exhibited the same tenacity or touch around the net like they did when playing at that high profile tournament. Trust me it will return, but let's just say its been a struggle for all three players.
• A gutsy move by the coaching staff to sit overage defenseman Tysen Dowzak Saturday night. After Friday night's 5-2 loss, the coaching staff thought it would be best to sit the big defenseman for his sluggish play. While Dowzak may be one of the oldest players on the team, that shouldn't let him off the hook for sub par play. If you don't preform, you sit in the stands and watch. Let that be an example to other veterans on this team that may believe they are untouchable, yet will feel as disappointed as Dowzak did Saturday night by watching the game from the bleachers.
• Give the Cougars some credit for their efforts this weekend. They did not play like an 8th place team, or did they? They played with desperation, like a team fighting for their playoff lives..which they are. Give the new coaching staff some credit for turning this team around. Visually they appear to be competing harder and are structurally sound. Would you want to meet this team in the opening round? Not the way there playing.
• What's the downside of Brett Connolly's play? If he plays like this, the Cougars will experience something the Rockets went through this season. Connolly will play just three short seasons in Prince George before a weak team selects him in the NHL draft and prematurely makes him a pro at 18. By the time hockey fans in Prince George realize what's staring them in the face, he'll be gone.
• Connolly has 20 goals, just 8 shy of Brayden Schenn's 28 last season. Kyle Beach had 29 goals when he was 16.
• If I was the Cougars organization, my promotional package would include the face of this guy (Connolly) on every poster, season ticket package, and schedule they print next season. You see the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Western Hockey League doing it with Brayden Schenn...why wouldn't the Cougars organization capitalize on his successes and notoriety?

Will Beats Skill

• Former Everett Silvertips head coach Kevin Constantine coined the phrase when he was a coach of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, but Friday night in Prince George, will indeed beat skill. The Rockets received high praise in the Prince George Citizen newspaper Friday morning as they brought their high flying offense to the northern city, but the Cougars gutted out a 5-2 home ice win.
• The Cougars were anything but flawless, but received two big goals from 16 year-old Greg Fraser. Not only did he open the scoring on a power play goal but he closed out the scoring with an empty netter.
• Two times in the game the Rockets were able to move within a single goal, yet couldn't find the equalizer. Give the Cougars credit for finding a way to restore their two goal lead before Fraser's empty netter made it a 3 goal advantage.
• While the Rockets fired 42 shots on the Cougars net, many were from the outside. Cougars goaltender Kevin Armstrong was good, but didn't need to be great. The biggest disappointment was the Rockets power play, which finished the night 0 for 5. The puck movement was great, but the Cougars allowed them to do that all night as long as they didn't attempt to get in-tight chances on Armstrong, which they rarely did.
• The only problem with any team that has an abundance of skill is the tendency to make one to many passes. I thought the Rockets were guilty of this on several occasions. It was a sign of things to come when Jamie Benn was given a scoring chance in the first period but elected to pass it off to the face-off circle to Mikael Backlund instead of unloading it towards the Cougars net.
• It was a tough night for the Benn, Backlund, Duval line. The three were a combined -5.
• The best example of 'nothing fancy' was when Brandon McMillan used good speed to the outside and took a sharp angle shot to beat Armstrong. The goal early in the third period made the score 3-2, and gave the Rockets what I thought was the jump they needed to get back into the game.
• A fight off the ensuing face-off after the McMillan goal between Mitchell Callahan and Cougars tough guy Tyler Halliday should have only given the Rockets further momentum. Callahan clearly won the scrap with a player involved in his 14th fighting major of the season. Callahan threw some solid rights before pulling Halliday's jersey over his head.
• The Rockets didn't play a lacklustre game, as emotion was evident throughout the contest. Jamie Benn was seen several times trash talking with Cougar players. One fan told me after the game that Benn should concentrate on producing offensively and firing pucks at the Cougars goal rather than firing verbal shots at the Cougars bench.
• The loss snapped the Rockets six game winning streak in Prince George. Up until last night, the Rockets last loss at CN Centre was March 3/07 in a 7-4 setback.
• The Rockets have lost 4 of their last 5 road games. The last win was a 3-0 shutout in Edmonton December 17th.

Welcome to Prince George!

Ryley Grantham finds himself the 'protector' of a skilled group around him.

Aaron Borejko and Mitchell Callahan

Tyson Barrie is back in the lineup tonight. He is seen here at this mornings workout.

Evan Bloodoff takes a few spins around the ice at CN Centre this morning.

• The Rockets had a 20 minute skate this morning at CN Centre to work out the kinks from a 8 hour bus ride. The drills are all about speed and puck handling. Observing the drills from the bench gives you a better appreciate of the speed in which these players preform.
• Colin Long will play tonight after missing two games with a 'upper body injury'. Long will likely see time on a line with Cody Almond. The coaching staff appear to be leaning towards keeping the Benn, Backlund, Duval line intact. Do you blame them?
• Tyson Barrie returns to the Rockets defensive core tonight after participating in Wednesday's Top Prospects Game.
• You get a better appreciation for the quickness of goaltender Mark Guggenberger when you watch him in practice. For a big goaltender, his quickness down low is impressive to say the least. While he relies on his big body to make saves, he appears to give shooters holes to shoot at before quickly recovering and taken them away.
• It was suggested this week that Mikael Backlund would be the answer to a trivia question. Who is the only player to participate in an NHL game before playing his first game in the Western Hockey League? The answer should be Mikael Backlund. Yet Chuck Kobasew also has the claim to fame of suiting up for an NHL team first before making his WHL debut. Kobasew played in a Calgary Flames exhibition game before making his mark with the Rockets in Portland in 2001.
• After practice it was nice to see the Rockets players signing a hockey stick for an eager group of pee-wee's that are participating in a hockey tournament next door.
• It's a surprisingly nice day in Prince George. The temperature must be hovering around the freezing mark. A stop in this neck of the woods at this time of the year would often mean friggid temperatures, but the Rockets are enjoying the mild spell up North.
• Look for Troy Bodie to make his NHL debut tonight against Pittsburgh. The former Rocket was called up Thursday by the big club.

Backlund In Warm-Up

Bad Start - Great Finish

• Are the Kelowna Rockets now good enough to win a game with just a 20 minute effort? It looked that way Wednesday night in a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Tri City Americans. The visitors scored two goals in the first ten minutes and then carried that two goal lead into the third before the Rockets rallied for the one goal win.
• Let's be honest, the Rockets won't be able to pull that off many times this season, yet you could see that everyone became more comfortable as the game moved on. New line mates and new teammates always requires a feeling out period.
• It marked the first time this season that the Rockets won a game after trailing after 40 minutes.
• The Americans out-shot the Rockets 17-3 in the first period, resulting in many fans rubbing their eyes in disbelief at what they just witnessed. With Mikael Backlund, Ian Duval, and Mark Guggenberger making their Rockets debuts, how could the home team be outplayed so badly? After being dominated in the first frame, the Rockets slowly took over, out-shooting the Americans 21-11 over the final two periods.
• Mark Guggenberger made his first start in a Rockets uniform, and frankly looked shaky on the first two goals he allowed. Yet in saying that, the pressure that all three newcomers had wearing Kelowna Rockets colours must have been immense.Guggenberger did settle down after the first period barrage, and shut the door the rest of the way.
• Cody Almond got the ball rolling for the Rockets with a power play goal just 41 seconds into the third. Almond's shot from the end boards appeared to hit Americans goaltender Chet Pickard in the leg or pants before sliding past the goal line. Almond's second goal was clearly directed in by Almond's skate on a centering feed from Stepan Novotny. Yet the rules state that the goal should only be called off if it is a kicking motion...which it wasn't. Even Am's head coach Don Nachbaur didn't complain, as the astute head coach had no grounds for a rebuttal.
• Almond led the Rockets with 6 shots on goal. McMillan and Lucas Bloodoff were next with three each.
• By our count, the Rockets won 37 of the 50 faceoffs in the game.
• Ian Duval and Mikael Backlund earned assists in their Rockets debuts. Duval picked up an assist on Cody Almond's power play goal to make the score 2-1, before Backlund registered an assist on Jamie Benn's game winner at the 11:57 mark of the third.
• Benn's game winner was a beauty. Stationed at the side of the Americans net, Benn appeared to have no where to go with the puck but take it behind the net. Instead of choosing the obvious, Benn went backhand to forehand and tucked the puck past a startled Chet Pickard short side.
• Benn should also be credited for getting his team going with a solid fight with Americans defenseman Brett Plouffe. The two dropped the gloves halfway through the second period, leaving Plouffe bloodied and off to the dressing room for repairs.
• Mark Guggenberger took a gamble with his team leading 3-2 and the Americans net empty for the extra attacker. Guggenberger found the puck in front of him, and elected to shoot it the length of the ice into the open goal. His shot misses, creating a key face-off in the Rockets zone.
• Who was the last Rockets goaltender to score a goal? Jeff Calvert did it with the Tacoma Rockets in the early 90's.
• The game had a playoff atmosphere to it. While these two teams haven't met in the playoffs since the 2004 post season, how fun would it be to witness these two teams in a 7 game series? Home ice would be huge, considering both teams split the seasonal series with the home team winning every game.
• The Rockets played this one without Colin Long, Kyle St Denis or Tyson Barrie. Add those three to the mix, and this team is even more dangerous. Tri City played without Kruise Reddick, a pretty good player in his own right.
• I handed in my 'Best Of The West' ballot last night. Can I change my pick for the fastest skater? Brett Plouffe has incredible wheels for a defenseman. Wow.
• Here is the interview I had with Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton (WHL Chairman of the Board)about the Ontario Hockey League's bold move of suspending a player for taking his helmet off to get into a fight.www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1230.MP3&nid=858384
• Congrats to James McEwan for making his AHL debut Wednesday night for Worcester. McEwan got into a fight with the Philadelphia Phantoms tough guy.

Game Notes vs. Americans

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Americans are meeting for the 4th and final time this season. The Rockets are 1-2-0-0 against the Americans this season, having been out-scored 10-6 in the first three games. These two teams last met November 19th with the Rockets earning a 3-1 home ice win. Tonight’s game is the final game of a seven game home-stand. The Rockets are 4-2-0-0 over that period, having out-scored the opposition 21-15. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Prince George for a pair of games this weekend. The Rockets have not allowed a power play goal against in 7 of their last 10 games. The Rockets have won five of eight games following the Christmas break.

Period-By-Period Scoring Breakdown:

1 2 3 Total
Rockets 0 2 4 6
Americans 4 3 3 10

Power Play In Seasonal Series:

Rockets: 1/11 (9.0%)
Americans: 1/17 (6.0%)

Last Game:. Justin Maylan’s shorthanded goal with 2:10 left to play in regulation time lifted the Prince George Cougars to a 4-3 win over the Rockets. Cody Almond, Brandon McMillan and Mitchell Callahan scored for the Rockets in the teams 6th home ice loss of the season. Riley Grantham chipped in with two assists. The Rockets played the game with just 15 skaters. Adam Brown was tagged with the loss in goal. The Rockets were 0/3 on the power play.

Let’s Make A Deal: The Rockets acquired three players near or on the Western Hockey League trading deadline. The Rockets acquired 20 year-old Ian Duval from the Moose Jaw Warriors for 17 year-old forward Jesse Paradis. The Rockets also picked up goaltender Mark Guggenberger from the Swift Current Broncos for a 5th round bantam pick. On another note, the Calgary Flames re-assigned 19 year-old Mikael Backlund to the Rockets on Sunday. Backlund was the Flames first round pick in the 2007 NHL draft, and was selected by the Rockets in the C-H-L European Draft that summer.

Rockets Add Muscle: The Rockets acquired 20 year-old Ryley Grantham and a 5th round bantam pick in the 2011 WHL draft Thursday in exchange for 18 year-old forward Dylan Hood. Grantham is a 6th round pick of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Grantham was listed by the Warriors as a 15 year-old.

Barrie – CHL Best: Kelowna Rockets defenseman Tyson Barrie won’t play tonight. Barrie is attending the Top Prospects Game in Oshawa Ontario tonight. Barrie is rated 37th by NHL Central Scouting. Collin Bowman is rated 117th while Stepan Novotny is ranked 156th while Evan Bloodoff is 182nd among North American skaters

Who’s Hot: Brandon McMillan has 3+6=9 in his last 8 games. Tyson Barrie has 2+3=5 in his last four games. Colin Long has points in 7 of his last 8 games (2+8=10). Lucas Bloodoff has goals in four of his last six games. Bloodoff has 6 goals over that period. Cody Almond is riding a five game point streak with 5 goals and 4 assists over that period. Tysen Dowzak has not scored a goal in 100 straight games. His last goal was March 2, 2007 against the Prince George Cougars.

By The Numbers: Since re-locating to Kelowna from Tacoma for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have played 978 regular season games. The Rockets have won 495 games in Kelowna.

Brownie Points: Rookie goaltender Adam Brown is a sparkling 13 and 4 this season, having won 6 of his last 8 starts. Over those eight games Brown has allowed just 19 goals (2.14 per game), with losses to Prince George (4-3) and to Red Deer (1-0). Brown has allowed 4 goals in a game just three times while allowing two goals or less in 9 of his 14 starts this season. Brown has the fourth best goals against average in the league (2.22). What’s also impressive is Brown’s save percentage of .901.

Streaking @ Home: The Rockets have won five of their last seven home games and have wins in 7 of their last 10 home dates. The only stumbles over that period were a 4-3 loss to Prince George, a 5-2 loss to Moose Jaw and a 3-1 loss to Swift Current December 12th. The Rockets have scored four or more goals per game at Prospera Place – eleven times.

St. Denis Still Sidelined: Rockets forward Kyle St. Denis is missing his 28th straight game tonight with a broken wrist. The wrist was broken October 24th against the Chilliwack Bruins. The Rockets are 16-11-0-0 with St. Denis out of the lineup.


Milestones Within Reach:
Jamie Benn – one game shy of 80 games played (79 games currently played) – 111 career points
Cody Almond – Played in his 200th career game Saturday vs. Prince George. - 138 career points
Lucas Bloodoff – played in 175th career game January 2nd vs. Spokane – 85 career points
Brandon McMillan – Played in 165th game Wednesday against Seattle – 83 career points
Colin Long – Played in 200th WHL game last Friday vs. Portland. – 186 career points
Tyson Barrie – 84 career points
Tysen Dowzak – Playing in 193rd game tonight.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 23 goals in their last seven games. Of those 23 goals, just nine have been scored on the power play…The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals – eight times this season. The Rockets have managed to score 6 or more goals three times against the Cougars, with single game outbursts against Kamloops, Kootenay, Everett, Chilliwack and Seattle. Last season the Rockets scored 6 or more goals 12 times… The Rockets are 23-5-0-0 when they score 3 or more goals. The Rockets are 10-8-0-0 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals.

A Convo With Mikael Backlund

• Here is my conversation with Mikael Backlund: www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1217.MP3&nid=857037
• Newly acquired Mikael Backlund was seen playing alongside Jamie Benn and Ian Duval at practice Monday. Duval couldn't be happier playing with those two players, and now wearing Kelowna Rocket colours. www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1211.MP3&nid=857023
• Backlund told me his home away from home in Kelowna are with the billets of former Rockets Luke Schenn and Shea Weber. Schenn and Weber are now in the NHL, a place Backlund wants to be next season.
• Backlund will wear sweater #22 Wednesday night when he makes his WHL debut. It's the same number he wore for Sweden at the world junior hockey championships. Backlund admits that the number 22 is his girlfriends favorite number. What's the price to pay for playing hockey in North America? For Backlund it's now a long distance relationship.
• Backlund was wearing something familiar when he took to the ice Monday afternoon at Prospera Place. When he walked out to do an interview with me, you couldn't help but notice his bright blue socks that are worn by his country men in Sweden.
• Newly acquired Ian Duval will wear sweater #19 Wednesday night.
• Goaltender Mark Guggenberger had two things on his list Monday. First he got a hair cut and then was busy ordering new pads and gloves. For the next few games Guggenberger will be seen wearing pads and gloves which give you a 'Swift Current Bronco feel', considering they are blue and white in colour.
• Colin Long did not practice with the team Monday. The Rockets leading point getter is sidelined after getting hurt in overtime Friday against Portland.
• Tyler Myers did not practice with the team Monday. He will arrive today after spending the last five days in Calgary following the world juniors.
• Tyson Barrie didn't practice with the Rockets Monday. Barrie is taking part in the CHL Top Prospects Game in Oshawa on Wednesday. Barrie is rated 37th among North American skaters for this summers NHL draft.

Guggenberger's Hair Cut

Recently acquired goaltender Mark Guggenberger had to do one thing before practice today...get a hair cut. Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton isn't a fan of having his players exhibit 'hockey hair', so Guggenberger decided to get his hair shaved to the bark. Here is my conversation with the Rockets newest goaltender. www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1212.MP3&nid=857022

It was nice to see Rockets forward Kyle St. Denis working out for 20 minutes at the conclusion of the teams practice Monday. St. Denis gets his wrist looked at this week, and the cast will most likely come off.

A video of Guggenberger in action at practice Monday.

McEwan Called Up

Congrats to former Rockets forward James McEwan for being called up today to the American Hockey League.
McEwan has played this season with the E-C-H-L's Phoenix Road Runners and will now attempt to earn a spot with the San Jose Sharks A-H-L affiliate, the Worchester Sharks.

Mikael Backlund @ Rockets Practice

Mikael Backlund looks on at practice as he hits the ice with the Kelowna Rockets Monday afternoon.

Twenty-year-old Ian Duval listens as coach Ryan Huska talks to the troops.

And then their were two! Adam Brown (left) and Mark Guggenberger (right) will be the last line of defense for the Rockets this season.

Video of Backlund involved in a drill with Jamie Benn and Ian Duval.

Don't Worry..Be Happy

It's a great day to be associated with the Kelowna Rockets. The Calgary Flames made it official today sending Mikael Backlund to the Rockets for the remainder of the season. Backlund will practice with the team Monday, and I will have video, pictures and audio on this blog as he takes to the ice with his new teammates.
Here is the official release from the Flames:

General Manager Darryl Sutter announced today that forward Mikael Backlund has been assigned to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League.
Backlund played one game with the Calgary Flames after joining the club at the conclusion of winning a silver medal with Team Sweden at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Rockets were do for some good news. Losing Luke Schenn this fall to the Leafs as an 18 year-old was a huge kick to the stomach for this franchise. The loss of Schenn came after the Rockets lost two quality defenseman two seasons ago when both Alex Edler and Kyle Cumiskey failed to return for their 20 year-old seasons. The end result had the Rockets missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. But it hasn't been all doom and gloom in Rocketville. Just look at signing Shane McColgan to a players contract, or how about persuading Duncan Keith or Chuck Kobasew to leave U.S College hockey for a quicker path to the NHL by playing for the Rockets? Even listing Jamie Benn a few years back was an astute move by the Rockets, and then persuading him to join the team last season as an 18 year-old rookie. If things come in 3's, then the Rockets were do for some positive results after losing three quality players in Schenn, Edler and Cumiskey prematurely to pro hockey. Now with McColgan and Backlund as a sign of the tide turning in the Rockets favour, could the signing of prospect Luke Moffatt complete the cycle?.

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

Lazaruk Released

Just got off the phone with Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton.
The acquisition of overage forward Ian Duval from the Moose Jaw Warriors this afternoon spelled the end of Kris Lazaruk's time in a Rockets uniform.
The Rockets three overage players are Duval, Dowzak and Grantham.
Some would suggest the Rockets acquisition of goaltender Mark Guggenberger spelled the end of Lazaruk, as the Rockets crease got extremely crowded.
Lazaruk will likely join a team in the AJHL.
Duval was picked up this afternoon from the Warriors for 17 year-old Jesse Paradis.
Duval started his WHL career with the Regina Pats, where he played 149 games, before being traded to Calgary where he played 125 games. Last season he scored 22 goals with the Hitmen before being traded to Moose Jaw this summer. This season Duval had 31 points in 31 games with the Warriors.
An interview with Hamilton can be heard on AM-1150 at 6:30 tonight.

Note: Mikael Backlund is not in Kelowna. He remains in Calgary. Look for the Rockets to make an announcement tomorrow or Monday. The picture should become clearer once Todd Bertuzzi returns to the Flames lineup. If he doesn't return shortly, Backlund may play Tuesday night when the Flames face St Louis.

Three's a Crowd

The Rockets have acquired 19 year-old goaltender Mark Guggenberger from the Swift Current Broncos for a 5th round pick in 2010 as per the Broncos website. That leaves the Rockets with three goaltenders, Guggenberger, Adam Brown and Kris Lazaruk.
Guggenberger is an American born player, giving the Rockets 7 players born South of the border.
Oddly enough, Guggenberger turns 20 today Happy B-day..

Game Notes vs. Cougars

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Cougars are meeting for the 5th time this season. The Rockets are 4-0-0-0, having out-scored Prince George 23-7. Adam Brown has started in goal in all four games against the Cougars this season. These two teams last met December 30th in Kelowna in a 2-1 Rockets win. Lucas Bloodoff scored both goals for the Rockets, who out-shot the Cougars 41-20. Tonight’s game is the sixth of a seven game home stand for the Rockets, who beat Portland 5-4 last night in a shootout. The Rockets host Tri City on Wednesday. The Rockets are 4-1-0-0 on the current home stand after a 5-4 shootout win over Portland, a 5-2 win over Seattle, a 2-1 victory over Prince George, a 3-0 win over Spokane, and a 5-2 loss to Moose Jaw. The Rockets have not allowed a power play goal against in 7 of their last 9 games. The Rockets have won five of seven games following the Christmas break.

Period-By-Period Scoring Breakdown:

1 2 3 Total
Rockets 9 12 2 23
Cougars 2 2 3 7

Power Play In Seasonal Series:

Rockets: 3/21 (14.3%)
Cougars: 1/12 (8.3%)

Last Game:. Brandon McMillan scored the game winning goal in the shootout in a 5-4 win over the Portland Winter Hawks. The Hawks built up a 2-0 second period lead only to see the Rockets score goals from Cody Almond and Tyson Barrie to tie the game at two. Stepan Novotny and Cody Almond, with his second of the game, would score in regulation. Three of the Rockets four goals were scored on the power play. Novotny and McMillan would score in the shootout, as the Rockets won for the 25th time this season and moved into sole possession of 3rd place in the Western Conference, a point up on Spokane and within 8 points of second place Tri City.

Rockets Add Muscle: The Rockets acquired 20 year-old Ryley Grantham and a 5th round bantam pick in the 2011 WHL draft Thursday in exchange for 18 year-old forward Dylan Hood. Grantham is a 6th round pick of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Grantham was listed by the Warriors as a 15 year-old.

Who’s Hot: Brandon McMillan has 2+6=8 in his last 7 games. Tyson Barrie has 2+3=5 in his last three games. Colin Long has points in 7 of his last 8 games (2+8=10). Lucas Bloodoff has goals in four of his last five games. Bloodoff has 6 goals over that period. Cody Almond is riding a four game point streak with 4 goals and 4 assists over that period. Tysen Dowzak has not scored a goal in 99 straight games. His last goal was March 2, 2007 against the Prince George Cougars.
By The Numbers: Since re-locating to Kelowna from Tacoma for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have played 977 regular season games. The Rockets have won 495 games in Kelowna.
Brownie Points: Rookie goaltender Adam Brown is a sparkling 13 and 3 this season, having won 6 of his last 7 starts. Over those seven games Brown has allowed just 15 goals (2.14 per game), with the only loss coming in a 1-0 setback in Red Deer December 16th. Brown has allowed 4 goals in a game just twice while allowing two goals or less in 9 of his 13 starts this season. Brown has the fourth best goals against average in the league (2.12). What’s also impressive is Brown’s save percentage of .904.

Streaking @ Home: The Rockets have won five of their last six home games and have wins in 7 of their last 9 home dates. The only stumbles over that period were a 5-2 loss to Moose Jaw and a 3-1 loss to Swift Current December 12th. The Rockets have scored four or more goals per game at Prospera Place – eleven times.

Milestones Within Reach:
Jamie Benn – one game shy of 80 games played (79 games currently played) – 111 career points
Cody Almond - 1 games shy of 200 (199 games currently played) – 137 career points
Lucas Bloodoff – played in 175th career game January 2nd vs. Spokane – 85 career points
Brandon McMillan – Played in 165th game Wednesday against Seattle – 82 career points
Colin Long – Played in 200th WHL game last night vs. Portland. – 186 career points
Tyson Barrie – 84 career points
Tysen Dowzak – Playing in 192nd game tonight.
Jesse Paradis – Playing in 80th career game tonight.

St. Denis Still Sidelined: Rockets forward Kyle St. Denis is missing his 27th straight game tonight with a broken wrist. The wrist was broken October 24th against the Chilliwack Bruins. The Rockets are 16-10-0-0 with St. Denis out of the lineup.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 20 goals in their last six games. Of those 16 goals, just nine have been scored on the power play…The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals – eight times this season. The Rockets have managed to score 6 or more goals three times against the Cougars, with single game outbursts against Kamloops, Kootenay, Everett, Chilliwack and Seattle. Last season the Rockets scored 6 or more goals 12 times… The Rockets are 23-4-0-0 when they score 3 or more goals. The Rockets are 10-7-0-0 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals.

Good Start For Grantham

• Ryley Grantham made his Kelowna Rockets debut Friday night, and the 21 year-old didn't disappoint. Grantham got into a scrap just 5 seconds into the game after dancing with Portland's Taylor Jordon. While it looked like Grantham got the better of the 18 year-old in the early stages of the bout, Jordon took several punches and wouldn't go down. Note to self; Jordon is going to be a top flight fighter in his 19 and 20 year-old season, because he ain't bad now!
• Grantham hit three goal-posts in the game. The 'big man' showed the Prospera Place crowd that he is more than just one dimensional.
• A terrific start by the Hawks, who had a 2-0 lead 24 minutes into the game. The Hawks out-shot the Rockets 11-2 in the first period, giving you the feeling it would be a long night for the home team.
• The turning point? With the Hawks holding a 2-0 lead, Cody Almond scores a goal to make it 2-1. Off the ensuing face-off, the Rockets gain control with defenseman Tyson Barrie rifling the puck off the glass inside the Hawks zone. Instead of the puck going behind the net to an awaiting Hawks goaltender Kurtis Mucha, the puck ricochets off the glass into the wide open net tying the game at two. Both Rockets goals came just 8 seconds apart. It provided a brand new game.
• Stepan Novotny had another strong game for the Rockets with a goal and an assist. Novotny also scored in the shootout. Brandon McMillan was credited with the game winner in the 5-4 shootout win.
• Cody Almond scored twice in the win and again showed good energy. Almond had 6 shots on goal by our count, but took about 11, missing the net several times. Colin Long led the Rockets with 7 shots on goal.
• It was odd to see Rockets goaltender Adam Brown give up 4 goals, but in the end he earns his 14th win of the season. Brown was especially good when the Hawks failed to score on a second period 5 on 3.
• It's the loudest I have heard the crowd at Prospera Place this season, and we can thank referee's Ryan Agar and Russ Berdusco for that. It all started when Brandon McMillan was given a double minor halfway through the second period with the game tied at two. McMillan was fingered to the penalty box for holding and then had something to say to the official on the way to the box. Instead of giving McMillan a 10 minute misconduct, Agar gave McMillan a double minor instead, raising the eyebrows of the 6 thousand and 81 in attendance. From there the crowd nattered back at the officials at every turn. The fight with the fans was on.
• The Hawks are a much improved team from when I saw them in late September. The small things like passing and overall work ethic were much improved. The Hawks looked like a team that didn't practice when I saw them in the first week of the season. Now they look to be well coached and have taken on the mindset that they can indeed win.
• I felt for Hawks forward Killian Hutt. It was a rough night. He had several great chances to score, but had terrible puck luck. Often times he would receive a backdoor pass, but would see it shimmy off his stick and into the corner. Hutt was even given a chance in the shootout, but he would fail to score.
• Hawks goaltender Kurtis Mucha became the franchises all-time leader in games played - 176 - surpassing Lanny Ramage. How odd would it be to see him traded a day after setting the new mark?
• I quick video for Moose Jaw Warrior fans that read this blog. Are their any? This is a quick video of Ryley Grantham in warm up.

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Schenn Rumor Should Be Put To Rest

Luke Schenn has been named to the roster for the YoungStars game during the NHL All-Star weekend in Montreal.
That should dispel any rumor of Schenn returning to the Rockets at the trade deadline. Can you imagine the conversation Leafs GM Brian Burke would have with the former Rocket?
'Ah Luke, you can't play in the NHL All-Star festivities because you are going back to junior. I know, I know, you are one of the best rookies in the NHL but we are sending you back to Kelowna'.

Grantham Deal Brings Back Memories

• The trade for Ryley Grantham is eerily similar to a deal Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton made at the trade deadline in 2004. Hamilton acquired 6'3, 225 pound D.J King from the Lethbridge Hurricanes that season. King provided some added punch - literally - getting into eight scraps in 30 regular season games with the Rockets. King would only score 5 goals in a Rockets uniform, yet he kept the opposition honest and kept them off the back of the likes of Keller, Mosienko, Comeau and Gelech.
• Grantham is the fourth oldest player in the WHL at 21. Swift Current Broncos forward Keegan Dansereau, who turned 21 on January 1st is the oldest. Grantham's b-day is January 7th.
• Is it ironic that Grantham will make his Kelowna Rockets debut wearing sweater #27 tonight? The last Rocket to wear that number was James McEwan, the Rockets designated tough guy from last season.
• What are the oddest rumours I've heard with the Western Hockey League trade deadline just around the corner? Luke Schenn is going to be sent back to the Rockets by the Toronto Maple Leafs is one while the other is Oscar Moller involved in a trade with the Rockets as the LA Kings ship him back to junior with the guarantee that the Chilliwack Bruins trade him to a contender. And no, I won't mention who is responsible for stirring the pot. Much of the speculation is all in fun.
• What would it take for the Rockets to acquire a top end defenseman? I asked Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton. www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1182.MP3&nid=855078
• Mikael Backlund's NHL debut saw him play just over 10 minutes. The 19 year-old received 15 shifts and he registered a shot on goal. The general consensus is he's a great prospect but needs to mature physically. He often lost battles for the puck against a much more physically mature opponent at the pro level. Look for the Flames to get Backlund to 'muscle up' when he attempts to make the club full time next season.
• If Backlund indeed joins the Rockets, will he wear sweater #22? That was his number for Sweden at the world juniors. It's available. The last Rockets player to wear that number full time was Myles MacRae.
• Speaking of MacRae, how is he doing with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL? MacRae has 19 goals and 32 points in 41 games. Had he remained in Kelowna, he would have been one of the teams 20 year-olds this season.

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Ryley Grantham

10) His father Terry owns a trucking company in Hanna, Alberta.
9) Grantham was born and raised in Hanna, the home of rock group Nickelback. Hanna is also the home to NHL great Lanny McDonald.
8) Grantham earned his class one drivers license this summer, meaning he can drive a semi. His dad puts him to work in the summer.
7) Grantham has one sibling, a sister who's 22. She's a dental assistant in Hanna.
6) Grantham's father Terry is a cousin to Jim Nill, the assistant general manager of the Detroit Red Wings.
5) Grantham was listed by the Warriors after attending training camp as a 15 year-old. Grantham received four WHL invites to rookie camp that season, including one from the Kelowna Rockets. He was also invited to camps in Lethbridge and Prince George. Why did he choose Moose Jaw? His friend was also attending training camp with the Warriors.
4) Grantham played his bantam hockey in Stettler, Alberta and played his midget hockey in Brooks and Medicine Hat.
3) Grantham, a draft pick of the Calgary Flames this summer, played two prospect games this fall against the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers rookies.
2) Grantham has 14 fighting majors this season, up from the 12 tilts he had a year ago. Of the 14 fighting majors this season, 8 have been on the road.
1) Grantham's first WHL goal was scored February 18, 2007 in Regina. Grantham's first fight was January 12, 2007 against Saskatoon's Brad Cole. Grantham fought James McEwan last year in the Warriors lone visit to Kelowna.

Backlund Makes NHL Debut

Backlund is making his NHL debut with the Flames tonight, wearing sweater #60.

Backlund Skates In Calgary - But Not With Flames

Mikael Backlund skated in Calgary this morning, yet didn't skate with the Flames.
He apparently skated wearing a Western Hockey League practice jersey.
The Flames do confirm that Backlund has been recalled by the NHL team, and is shown on the Flames roster on the teams website.

It isn't known if he will play for the Flames tonight against the Islanders. He must be released by his Swedish team before he can potentially play for the Rockets.

Here's the Flames media release:

Calgary Flames General Manager Darryl Sutter announced today the recall of forward Mikael Backlund. Backlund is coming off a silver medal at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships as a member of team Sweden, and was named as one of Sweden’s Top Three players in the Tournament.Backlund finished tied for 2nd on the team with seven points (5+2), and tied for 7th overall in tournament scoring with five goals in six games. This is Backlund’s second straight silver medal after finishing second at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in the Czech Republic.

Hood Traded for Toughness

The Kelowna Rockets have traded 18 year old Dylan Hood. Hood heads to Moose Jaw for overage forward Ryley Grantham and a fifth round draft pick in the 2011 Bantam Draft.

I like the deal. Grantham provides the Rockets with some much needed toughness, curtesy of his 15 fighting majors this season. Grantham is a 6th round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2008. Rocket fans may remember him fighting Tysen Dowzak Saturday night in the Warriors 5-2 win.

Grantham will play Friday against Portland. The Hanna Alberta resident just turned 21, with his birthday January 7th.

More thoughts on Grantham and Hood's time in a Rockets uniform later.

Don't Touch The Golf Clubs

• The best move Tyler Myers, Jamie Benn and Stepan Novotny made Wednesday night in their first game back after attending the world juniors was not touching the golf clubs. Benn, Myers, athletic therapist Jeff Thorburn and Novotny were all presented with custom made golf clubs in a pre-game ceremony for their efforts in Ottawa. Some suggest that it's a curse for a hockey player to even touch golf clubs at this time of the year. It's only players that fail to make the playoffs that get their golf clubs out for a long summer on the links.
• The gesture was another class act on behalf of the Rockets organization.
• The opening ceremonies may have given the home team the jump. The Rockets dominated the opening period, yet the two teams skated into the dressing room tied at two. Turnovers by Rockets veteran defenseman Tysen Dowzak and Tyler Myers resulted in the only two Seattle goals.
• Rockets goaltender Adam Brown couldn't be faulted by giving up either T-Bird goal. Brown earned his 12th win of the season and is clearly making a statement that he is capable of taking the #1 goaltending duties away from perceived starter Kris Lazaruk.
• Would the Rockets be crazy to head into the playoffs with a 17 year-old goaltender? The Vancouver Giants did it with Tysen Sexsmith and won a WHL title.
• Stepan Novotny was the best player who returned from the world juniors. Novotny showed no fatigue, scoring a beautiful goal to give the Rockets a 4-2 lead. Novotny ended the game with a goal and an assist. Novotny will play Friday against the Portland Winter Hawks. The coaching staff say Novotny won't see much practice time over the next couple of days but will be a regular in the Rockets lineup.
• Benn and Myers now have a five day break before returning to the team before next Wednesday's home game against the Tri City Americans.
• I don't know how many people approached me before the game wanting to know if Mikael Backlund is officially a Kelowna Rocket. An announcement is expected tomorrow giving me the general impression that Backlund could be in the lineup as early as Friday. If I hear anything, I'll post it here.
• The T-Birds played this game without Jim O'Brien and Thomas Hickey. The two were given time off after participating at the world juniors. The two are expected in the lineup on the weekend for back-to-back home games.
• Because the T-Birds were short staffed, they elected to play defenseman Sena Acolatse as a forward. Without Hickey, it also forced the T-Birds to use two forwards on defense on the power play.
• The T-Birds were either very disciplined or referee Derek Zalaski missed several infractions. I believe it was a combination of the two as the T-Birds granted the Rockets just one power play chance.
• Tyson Barrie's first period goal was his first even strength goal of the season.
• What's the good news about not scoring on the power play? Four players were a +3 in the game. Lucas Bloodoff, Collin Bowman, Stepan Novotny and Tyson Barrie all enjoyed the statistic.
• Cody Almond and Lucas Bloodoff each had a goal and two assists in the teams 24th win of the season and 16th on home ice.
• I almost failed to mention. The Rockets beat Seattle 5-2.

Hamilton Comments on Backlund and Beach

www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1166.MP3&nid=854200

Darryl Sutter's Slam Dunk Comment

This clip from The Fan 960 in Calgary speaks volumes. Thanks to Rob Kerr.

www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1163.MP3&nid=853777

Golden Boys

• Have you ever spent 31 straight hours awake? Kelowna Rockets Jamie Benn, Tyler Myers and athletic therapist Jeff Thorburn have after winning gold for Canada at the world junior hockey championships. Not only did they celebrate into the wee hours of the morning but they then spent a long day flying from Ottawa to Kelowna. The three, including Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton, were stuck in Calgary the majority of the day after a snow storm in Kelowna kept them from landing. The plane, originally scheduled to land at 10:30 am, didn't land in Kelowna until 10:12 pm Tuesday night.
• The three were greeted at the airport by teammates, coaches, management and a handful of fans. All three had big smiles on their faces despite the ordeal of a long day of travel. All three were wearing their gold medals proudly. For those unable to make it to the airport to welcome them home, they get the chance Wednesday night as the Rockets host the Seattle Thunderbirds. Myers and Benn will be in the lineup while Thorburn will be treating the various ailments as he resumes his duties behind the bench.

A pic of Jamie Benn's medal. Nothing looks better than gold.

Cody Almond checks out the bling around the neck of Jamie Benn as Dylan Hood and Curt Gogol look on.

Here is the video of three gold medalists entering Kelowna International Airport. The trio were accompanied by GM Bruce Hamilton.

Thursday It Should Be Made Official

Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton says he will speak with Flames GM Darryl Sutter Thursday about where Mikael Backlund will play this season.
Hamilton says Backlund did not go back to Sweden with his world junior teammates, but is now in Calgary.
I will post the interview Wednesday morning.
Obviously Sutter's comments tonight on the Calgary radio station make it sound like a slam dunk that he will join the Rockets for the remainder of the season. Yet once again, according to Hamilton, nothing is official until Thursday.

Backlund Update

Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton was expected to meet today with Mikael Backlund, his agent J.P Barry and the Calgary Flames to decide where the talented forward will play the remainder of this season.
What was the end result of that meeting? I'll ask Hamilton that question when he lands at K-I-A tonight just shortly after 9 pm and post it here if I get an answer.

Rockets Flight Delayed

Does Backlund Jump To Junior?

Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton will fly into Kelowna with three happy Team Canada members tomorrow morning at K-I-A. The questions is....will Mikael Backlund be on that flight too? I will share the details on this blog when I get them. The plane lands in Kelowna at around 11 am Tuesday morning. For the time being here is a blog posting from Calgary.
http://blog.canoe.ca/flames/2009/01/05/backlund_to_sing_o_canada

A Golden Moment

Congratulations to Tyler Myers, Jamie Benn and athletic therapist Jeff Thorburn for winning gold for Canada. You made us proud.
Those three join Luke Schenn (08), Blake Comeau (06) and Shea Weber (05) on the list of Rockets who have won gold at the WJHC.

Speaking To Bruce Hamilton

I spoke to Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton this morning in Ottawa.
Hamilton says Benn, Myers and Novotny are expected to fly in tomorrow morning to Kelowna International Airport. Hamilton says all three will be in the lineup Wednesday.
When asked about the discussions regarding Mikael Backlund, Hamilton said it would be best not to saying anything at this time.
I respect his position in a delicate matter. I do appreciate his efforts in attempting to land what could be an all-star forward at this years world juniors.

Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

• Here is something to think about. What happens if another contending team would call up Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton and ask him what he would want in a trade for Jamie Benn or Colin Long? Would you trade one of those players for a first round bantam pick? In a season where you face three top-flight teams in the Western Conference, if you can't upgrade your team by adding some significant elements without giving up a future prospect, do you then take a different approach in an effort to stockpile your shelves for a future run at a league title? I believe the Rockets are a contending team, but it's something to ponder.
• Don't look now but Justin Bernhardt is challenging for the Western Hockey League scoring title. The former Rocket has 23 goals and 60 points this season, three points off the league lead. While Bernhardt has played a league high 44 games, his totals are impressive.
• How did Colin Long do without line mate Jamie Benn? Benn missed 9 games while playing for Canada at the world juniors. Long picked up points in 7 of those 9 games (3+6=9). Did Long miss Benn? Absolutely..he's an impact guy and he is undoubtedly a better player with him than without. That said, Long is a quality player who makes others around him better. Just ask Mitchell Callahan.
• Long had two circumstances he had to deal with over the last three weeks. Not only did he lose his line mate, but the news that he failed to make the U.S.A world junior team was a kick in the chin. He could have chosen to sulk and his play could have noise dived. Instead the Rockets captain 'sucked it up' and performed admirably under the circumstance.
• The Rockets were 4-5-0-0 without Benn, Myers and Novotny. All three are expected to return to the lineup Wednesday against Seattle. The Rockets have the luxury of playing four more home games once they return Tuesday to Kelowna, so those players won't be forced into taking part in any road games. Whether they are allowed to go home for a bit of a break is in the hands of management.
• No question the Rockets missed Benn's career 1.41 points per game. The Rockets scored just 20 goals in those 9 games while he was in Ottawa. Averaging just 2.2 goals per game over that period is one reason behind the Rockets below .500 record during his absence.
• Check out the Western Hockey League's new website. It was launched today. I don't mind the new look. The attempt to add more video is always a step in the right direction. Now it's just a matter of adding new video weekly. The number of hits the website receives should be a clear indication of how much priority should be put into it's content.
• When I spoke to Moose Jaw GM Chad Lang this weekend about a new arena proposed for the 'band city', he said it will "definitely happen". The arena is expected to mirror Prospera Centre in Chilliwack. If that is the case, let's hope those that run the building are more apt to turn up the thermometer, unlike the frigid temperatures often experienced in the home of the Bruins.
• When the Kamloops Blazers made a visit to Kelowna after the Christmas break, I was surprised to learn that 20 year-old Brady Calla was not wearing a letter on his jersey. The personable Calla was a late returnee to the Blazers once the teams leadership group was decided, yet I was surprised that someone didn't give up a letter so Calla could be put into a situation of leadership, which is clearly his strength.
• Gord McGrava and I were passed along a nice e-mail from a Spokane fan who watched our webcast on the weekend. It was just another reminder of the broad audience that watches/listens to games on the Internet. It's been our goal to not necessarily balance our coverage of both teams, but when the opposition has made a good play or a player has had a solid season, it would be a dis-service to neglect from mentioning these individuals. Trust me, I am all about broadcasting the virtues of the Kelowna Rockets, but I am proud of the Western Hockey League and the quality players that play major junior. Often times broadcasters are so busy waving there teams pom-poms in the air, they fail to appreciate the skill level of the opposition.

A Chat With The WHL's Leading Goal Scorer

5-2 And Feeling Blue

How can the Moose Jaw Warriors be on the verge of being a non-playoff team? They looked anything but a team that had won 13 games heading into Saturday night's solid 5-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets. While the Rockets will be disappointed with their play, Warriors head coach Dave Hunchak has to be doing cart wheels in his hotel room tonight over his teams effort. The Warriors were a well oiled machine who won races to loose pucks, used their speed to their advantage, and showed great finish around the Rockets net.

Maybe all of this talk about the Warriors dealing away a good contingent of their older players has them playing as if they are auditioning for perspective buyers? Joel Broda, Jason Bast, Travis Hominic and Ryan Stanton were four Warriors that really stood out in this one. I'd take all four on my team after what I witnessed Saturday night.

Joel Broda is the real deal. I anticipated a soft goal scorer who seizes the opportunity that his line mates create for him. He was anything but. Broda worked hard, didn't avoid contact, and scored a 'beauty' to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead on a close in back hand that would have had Don Cherry talking. If only a few teams had any intention of trading for Broda, that list has likely grown with his efforts on this recent road trip. While the price may be steep, he will fetch a significant return should he be moved at the deadline.

How much ice time does Travis Hamonic and Ryan Stanton receive on the Warriors blue line? Those two were on the ice - I am guessing - no less than 30 minutes. I am still wondering who is better? While Hamonic gets the press clippings for his tryout for the Canadian world junior team, Stanton is no slouch either.

Ok enough about the Warriors....the Rockets fired 39 shots towards the Moose Jaw net but how many second chances did they get? Not many. Warriors goaltender Deven Dubyk often struggled with his rebound control, yet the Rockets had little desire to fight for second chance opportunities. The will and the want just wasn't there.

Who was the best Rocket in a dismal home ice performance? Sixteen year-old Shane McColgan was a bright light. The rookie forward had two assists and was the hardest working of the 18 skaters who faced-off against a team that now has 8 road wins this season. McColgan was disappointed in his efforts Friday night against Spokane but sure made up for it one night later against a team he likely has no clue where it is located. Moose what?

Veteran goaltender Kris Lazaruk was yanked from the game after giving up four goals on 10 shots. I noticed when Lazaruk was approaching the Rockets bench that he yelled something at his teammates. Whatever it was, it was good to see. He was pissed, and the anger and frustration shows he was embarrassed by what was happening in front of him. His outburst showed me that he cares. Was he at fault on all four goals? No.

I had a good chat with Moose Jaw Warriors GM Chad Lang before the game. He told me no one on his team is untouchable as the trade deadline approaches. What's the asking price for Joel Broda? Why don't I let Lang answer that question:www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1149.MP3&nid=852160

7th Heaven For Lazaruk

• Veteran goaltender Kris Lazaruk made 21 saves, earning his 7th career shutout and 4th of the season, in a 3-0 home ice win Friday night over the Spokane Chiefs. Lazaruk was named the games first star after making several key saves early in the game, including a nice pad save after defenseman Tysen Dowzak and forward Lukas Matejka misplayed the puck at the side of the Rockets goal.
• While Spokane goaltender James Reid will want the Rockets second goal back, he too made some big saves in this one. Reid's only mistake came when he attempted to catch a puck with his glove hand across his body from a shot off the stick of Brandon McMillan. In an ideal world, Reid would have simply used his blocker to direct the puck to the corner.
• For a second straight game forward Lucas Bloodoff scored twice. Bloodoff scored two goals in the Rockets 2-1 win over Prince George Tuesday night. When you're hot, you're hot.
• Hats off to Cody Almond for dominating at the face-off circle Friday night. I have no data to back up my claim, but Almond was sent out for every key draw, and won the majority of them. Cody Almond was the Rockets best forward, followed closely by McMillan and Lucas Bloodoff.
• The Rockets discipline was on display Friday night. The home team didn't take a minor penalty until rookie Shane McColgan took a roughing and high sticking penalty in the third and Brandon McMillan was sent to the box after firing the puck over the glass in the defensive zone.
• It sure looked odd, but it was nice to see. Defensive defenseman Tysen Dowzak was seen taking the puck behind his own goal, skating all the way up ice into Spokane's end before sending the puck towards the goal mouth where Lucas Bloodoff opened the scoring just 10 minutes into the game.
• Both teams were without several key players. Yet Spokane got some good efforts out of Seth Compton, Dustin Donaghy and defenseman Jared Cowan. Compton created several scoring chances while Donaghy led the physical parade. Cowan is just so good at moving the puck and recovering effortlessly if a miscue is made.
• The Rockets moved within a point of Spokane for third place in the Western Conference with the win.
• Moose Jaw Warriors GM Chad Lang again watched the Rockets in action rather than taking in the game between his Warriors and Kamloops down the road. Look for Lang to sell off some assets at the trade deadline.
• Rockets head coach Ryan Huska discusses the hockey fighting death of Whitby Dunlops defenseman Don Sanderson: www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1137.MP3&nid=851917
• I spoke to Rockets forward Colin Long on the U.S.A's loss at the world junior hockey championships. www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_1128.MP3&nid=851918
• A conversation I had with Spokane defenseman Jared Spurgeon before the game:

Game Notes vs. Chiefs

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Chiefs are meeting for the first of four times this season. These two teams met four times last year with the Rockets going 0-4-0-0. The Chiefs out-scored the Rockets 13-7 in the four games. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a six game winless streak against the Chiefs (0-5-0-1). The last regulation win against the Chiefs was November 8/06 in a 6-4 home ice win. Following tonight’s game these two teams meet again February 8th before closing out the seasonal series March 4th and March 15th with games at both Prospera Place and the Spokane Arena. The Rockets enter tonight’s game only three points back of the Chiefs for third place in the Western Conference. Both teams have played the same number of games (37) and have the same number of wins (22). The Rockets have scored 20 more goals than the Chiefs this season while Spokane has allowed 22 fewer against. Oddly enough the Rockets and Chiefs both have 14 home ice wins this season and 8 road victories. Following tonight’s game the Rockets host Moose Jaw tomorrow night before welcoming Seattle on Wednesday. This is game two of a seven game home stand for the Rockets, who don’t play on the road until January 16th in Prince George. The Rockets have not allowed a power play goal against in 4 of their last 5 games.

Last Game: Lucas Bloodoff scored power play goals in the second period in a 2-1 win over Prince George. The two teams were scoreless after 20 minutes, with the Rockets holding onto a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. The Rockets out-shot the Cougars 41-20 while going 2 for 8 on the power play. Adam Brown earned the win in goal for the Rockets.

Brownie Points: Rookie goaltender Adam Brown is a sparkling 11 and 3 this season, having won 4 of his last five starts. Over those five games Brown has allowed just 9 goals (1.8 per game), with the only loss coming in a 1-0 setback in Red Deer December 16th. Brown has allowed 4 goals in a game just once while allowing two goals or less in 8 of his 11 starts this season. Brown has the second best goals against average in the league (2.04) behind Spokane’s Dustin Tokarski (1.97). What’s also impressive is Brown’s save percentage of .907.

Home For the Holidays: The Rockets have won back-to-back home games and have wins in 4 of their last five home dates. The only stumble over that period was a 3-1 loss to Swift Current December 12th. The Rockets have not given up more than 4 goals a game at home this season and have scored four or more goals per game at Prospera Place – nine times. Only Vancouver (19) and Tri City (17) have more home wins than the Rockets in the Western Conference. The Rockets are giving up just 2.1 goals per game on home ice this season. Only Spokane is better at 1.79 goals allowed per home game. Tri City is at 2.15 while Vancouver is at 2.33 goals per home game.

Four Rockets @ World Juniors: Four members of the Rockets organization are at the world junior hockey championships in Ottawa. Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers are wearing Team Canada colours while athletic therapist Jeff Thorburn is a member of the Team Canada medical staff. Forward Stepan Novotny is playing for the Czech Republic.

Milestones Within Reach:
Evan Bloodoff – is playing in game 165 tonight – 45 career points
Jamie Benn - two shy of 80 games played (78 games currently played) – 110 career points
Cody Almond - 5 games shy of 200 (195 games currently played) – 130 career points
Dylan Hood – 6 games shy of 150 (144 games currently played) – 39 career points
Lucas Bloodoff – playing in 175th career game tonight - 78 career points
Brandon McMillan – 3 games shy of 165 (162 games currently played) - 78 career points
Colin Long – 4 shy of 200 games (196 games currently played) – 183 career points
Tyson Barrie – 79 career points
Tysen Dowzak – Played in 188th game tonight vs. Spokane.
Jesse Paradis – Played in 75th career game Tuesday vs. Prince George.

If You’re Wondering? Rockets forward Kyle St. Denis is missing his 23rd straight game tonight with a broken wrist. The wrist was broken October 24th against the Chilliwack Bruins. The Rockets are 13-9-0-0 with St. Denis out of the lineup.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 8 goals in their last three games. Of those eight goals, 6 have been scored on the power play…The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals – eight times this season. The Rockets have managed to score 6 or more goals three times against the Cougars, with single game outbursts against Kamloops, Kootenay, Everett, Chilliwack and Seattle. Last season the Rockets scored 6 or more goals 12 times… The Rockets are 20-4-0-0 when they score 3 or more goals. The Rockets are 9-6-0-0 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals.

First Half Grading For Rockets - Part One

Grading System:
A - Very Good
B- Good
C- Average
D- Let's define this grade as 'D' for disappointing

Colin Long: A

What I Like: Long hasn't let the title of 'Captain' affect his on-ice play. The added responsibility, especially of a skilled player, often times takes away from what they do best - in this case score. Yet no one has put up more points over the last two seasons in the WHL than Colin Long, and he should be applauded for one aspect of his game that is often overlooked, his play in his own zone.

What I Don't Like: Long is used on both the power play and penalty kill, and I wonder how much that takes away from his efforts even strength. If the Rockets could rely on others, allowing Long to play the power play and take a regular shift, I believe both Long and the team would be better off. Why have the Rockets not allowed a power play goal in four of their last five games? Maybe I now know why.

What I Want: A sandpaper type of line mate to keep the flies off him come playoff time.

Jamie Benn: A

What I Like: A pure shooter, Benn takes every opportunity he has to get a shot on goal. When the puck is in Benn's hands, even a low percentage shot on goal has a chance to go in. His quick release is one of the best in the game, and may indeed be better than those of Justin Keller and Chuck Kobasew. The bigger the game the better Benn is. He is clearly a game breaker and a difference maker.

What I Don't Like: Fluctuations in intensity. Often times Benn appears to be disinterested and doesn't skate all out. When he gets pissed off he often times man handles opponents and shows why he has a legitimate shot of playing full time for the Dallas Stars next season.

What I Want: A more intense Jamie Benn. When you see he has the ability to change games and be a difference maker, you want to see it more often. I don't see him being overly vocal in the dressing room but it would be great to see him get into the faces of some players who are not pulling their weight.

Tyson Barrie: A

What I Like: Barrie has come a long way in his play in the defensive zone. He has almost entirely abandoned 'high risk hockey' for a more conservative style which still allows him to show his flare in the offensive zone. A skilled puck handler, you won't find a better 17 year-old offensive defenseman out West than Barrie. I can see him playing in the NHL, but his size will allow Rockets fans to appreciate him for a few more seasons at the junior level.

What I Don't Like: Trying to be critical of Tyson Barrie is extremely tough. You can't expect him to be overly physical but he could use his body more to rub on-coming puck carriers. It would be interesting to see his shot totals at the end of the night. While they may be low, it appears that more times than not when he shoots, he scores.

What I Want: The Rockets quarterback on the power play, I'd like to see him manufacture a little more offense even strength. I don't anticipate teams taking a rash of penalties in the playoffs, so the need to generate more 5 on 5 is a must.

Cody Almond: B

What I Like: Consistent hustle. In Almond's four seasons with the Rockets, the 19 year-old has never shown us this type of urgency in his game consistently. Why this is happening now may be the fact he is facing the prospect of having an NHL contract slip through his fingers. Whatever the motivational tool, Almond - points aside - has been one of the best Rockets this season because he's brought his lunch bucket approach to the game more times than not.

What I Don't Like: The inability to find his name on the score sheet more often. The 19 year-old goes for long stretches without recording a point. For Almond, five games without finding his name on the score sheet is a long stretch. Almond is a difference maker, yet his point totals would have you thinking otherwise.

What I Want: A line mate to complement Almond. In the four seasons Almond has worn Kelowna colours, has he really found a teammate that he totally clicks with?
Having played in the shadows of teammates since he came to the Rockets in 2005, it's time for Almond to step out and be a force to take the weight off of Benn and Long.

Brandon McMillan: C

What I Like: McMillan has shown his versatility this season by playing defense when the Rockets were short staffed prior to the Christmas break. A gifted skater, McMillan will likely finally blossom into the player the Rockets envisioned when he turns 19 next season. That said, McMillan has no excuse for not making a contribution to the teams successes in the final 34 games and the playoffs.

What I Don't Like: Much like Cody Almond, McMillan goes for long stretches without scoring. When McMillan plays a 'soft' game he is ineffective. When he plays with some grit - as he's shown us since the Christmas break - he's extremely hard to play against.

What I Want: For the physical play to continue. That doesn't mean running over people, but it does mean making contact with the opposition player and separating him from the puck. A tendency to shoot more would also aid his cause. My grade would be higher for Brandon if he performed like he has over the last month.

Kyle St Denis: A

What I Like: Up until he was injured, he was on equal footing with Benn and Long has the Rockets best forward. St. Denis can finish, and is a threat to score every time he is out on the ice. Up until his injury, St. Denis was trying to build some chemistry with Cody Almond. The second line center could be the beneficiary in the playoffs as the oppositions top defensive pairing will be focusing on Long and Benn, opening up offensive chances for St. Denis and company.

What I Don't Like: I don't like the injury he sustained. The broken wrist will see him miss in upwards of 30 games this season. The loss has been huge, and you can only wonder what a strong season would have meant in the eyes of NHL scouts. Significant points this season may have swayed some scouts to take him in the late rounds despite being just 5'8.

What I Want: I would like to see St. Denis return to his form that saw him put up 18 points in his first 15 games. If he can regain his form, the smallest man on the ice will make a big impact in this years playoffs.

Lucas Bloodoff: C

What I Like: The elder Bloodoff has a characteristic that is lacking in the Rockets dressing room. Bloodoff is extremely vocal. It's an attribute that he shares with few teammates. Don't confuse yourself with thinking Lucas will ever put up big numbers in the WHL. On pace to score 20+ goals, Lucas is right on target.

What I Don't Like: At 6'2 and 207 pounds, Lucas is the Rockets biggest forward yet often plays a much smaller game. It's not in his nature to fight, yet he can still be far more physical for my liking. His 55 penalty minutes are far to few for a man his size.

What I Want To See: Separating opponents from pucks and wearing down opposing defenseman with solid hits on a relentless fore check. Nothing less nothing more!

Tyler Myers: A

What I Like: His ability to skate with the puck and recover with his long reach are just some of the things that impresses you when watching Myers. His 18 year-old season has also brought out an angrier side to his game, which when controlled, can make him nasty to play against. He was never a feared hitter, until this season.

What I Don't Like: While he has been told by the coaches to pick his spots when rushing the puck, I find he has strayed away from that all together. That threat to rush the puck must be kept in the back of the opponents mind as it provides the Rockets with another cog in the teams offensive arsenal.

What I Want: When he returns from the world juniors, I anticipate Myers coming back to the Rockets with his confidence at an all time high. With his experience of playing for his country behind him, look for Myers to make a huge impact in providing a steady force in shutting down the oppositions top line.

Teachers Note: I am generous when grading. I have never failed a student. Agree or disagree if you wish in the comments below.

Rockets GM Interview In A Nut Shell

• Rockets' GM Bruce Hamilton says he can't complain with the teams 22 wins this season yet he remains frustrated with a lack of secondary scoring. Hamilton says the team won't win in the playoffs if Jamie Benn and Colin Long are the only ones scoring. Hamilton points to the players that are now in their third year that are not contributing regularly on the scoreboard.
• Hamilton is pleased with the development of rookie Mitchell Callahan and says Stepan Novotny is showing he is developing into a solid player. On the back end Hamilton speaks highly of Collin Bowman and Tyson Barrie.
• Hamilton says the coaching staff have done a "good" job, but he says they are learning too. Hamilton say "they have to take a step here too" and they are no different than the players. Hamilton would like to see more emotion from the bench and the coaches need to do a better job of getting after the officials if questionable calls go against them.
• Hamilton spoke about the goaltending. He says Adam Brown has been "real good" while Kris Lazaruk has been "average". Hamilton says someone has to step up and solidify the number one goaltending duties and doesn't rule out Brown taking that spot if Lazaruk doesn't prove himself as a consistent performer over the final 35 games of the season.
• Hamilton says unfortunately the Western Conference has three of the top goaltenders in the WHL in Vancouver's Tysen Sexsmith, Spokane's Dustin Tokarski and Tri City's Chet Pickard. Hamilton says his team only gives up 25 shots a night, so the need to bring in a top flight goaltender shouldn't be necessary. He just wants his goaltenders to ramp up their game.
• As for trades? Hamilton told me he believes his team is close to competing with the Giants if his team is totally healthy. He explained that fans shouldn't forget that the Rockets have been without arguable the teams best player until he went down 2 months ago to an injury - Kyle St. Denis. Hamilton believes the team is short a defensman, with ten other teams around the league singing a similar tune.
• Would he make a home run trade? Hamilton says he won't give away the future. Hamilton says a 'home run' trade for a marquee defenseman would go far beyond giving up just a first round bantam pick. Hamilton says the asking price for a top end defenseman right now is a first round pick, a top four defenseman and one of the teams top young prospect like a Collin Bowman. Hamilton says it makes no sense to grab a guy like that for three months.
• Hamilton is in Ottawa today in get some insight into the status of Mikael Backlund. Hamilton says talks are "moving along" and its up the Calgary Flames and Backlund's agent J.P Barry on where he plays after the world juniors.
• The interview with Hamilton can be heard on our broadcast tomorrow night at 6:30 on AM 1150. Remember what you just read is a rough outline of what was discussed during my 8 minutes conversation with the Rockets GM.