Rockets game notes vs. Bruins

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Chilliwack Bruins are meeting for the first of eight times this season (four at home and four on the road). These two teams met eight times last season with the Rockets sporting a record of 6-0-1-1. That’s right, the Rockets earned 14 out of a possible 16 points against the Bruins one season ago. The Rockets were 3-0-0-1 at home and 3-0-1-0 on the road. Following tonight’s game the Rockets host Portland tomorrow night as they open a five game home stand.

Rockets recent game: The Rockets third period rally didn’t work out, in a 5-4 home ice loss Wednesday to the Kamloops Blazers. Spencer Main, Brett Bulmer, Brendon Wall and Zach Franko scored for the Rockets, who were 3 for 9 on the power play. Jordon Cooke got the start in goal but was replaced by veteran Adam Brown in the second period. The loss snapped the Rockets two game winning streak.

Last road game: The Rockets erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring three times in the third period and then won the game in a shootout with a 4-3 victory in Everett Sunday. Mitchell Callahan scored twice in the win, with rookie Zach Franko scoring the tying goal with just over a minute left in regulation time. Rookie goaltender Jordon Cooke earned his first WHL victory in his first career start. Cooke was named the games #1star.

This and That: Rookie Zach Franko leads the team in scoring (3+3=6). Franko is among the top five in rookie scoring in the WHL….Brendon Wall scored his first goal in a Rockets uniform in Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Kamloops Blazers…Franko has scored goals in back-to-back games…Shane McColgan had three assists in Wednesday’s loss…Rookie goaltender Jordon Cooke has started in back-to-back games….Mitchell Chapman had two assists for his first multiple point game of his young WHL career….Mitchell Callahan scores goals in bunches. His two goal effort Sunday was the 6^th time in his career that he has scored two goals in a game….The Rockets shootout win in Everett was the franchises 6^th shootout victory on the road. The Rockets are 6 and 10 in shootouts on the road dating back to 2005-06, when shootouts were introduced as a way to settle games at the WHL level…..The Rockets were involved in 11 shootout games last season. The Rockets were 7 and 4 in those games…The Rockets have failed to open the scoring in their first seven games this season….Defenceman Colton Jobke is still looking for his first career goal. Jobke has gone 76 games without scoring. Teammate Mitchell Chapman has gone 67 games without a goal. Those are the two longest scoring droughts on the Rockets roster…Geordie Wudick has one point (an assist) in his first seven games. Last season Wudrick also had one assist in his first six games. In 2007-08, Wudrick had a spectacular start with five goals in his first six games…Last season after six games the Rockets were 3-2-1-0…The Rockets franchise is playing its 1376^th regular season game tonight. The team has 699 regular season wins….The Rockets return six of their top seven point getters from last season. They include Tyson Barrie, Shane McColgan, Mitchell Callahan, Brett Bulmer, Geordie Wudrick and Cody Chikie….The Rockets were 35-31-0-6 last season and beat the Everett Silvertips in seven games in the opening round…Rockets head coach Ryan Huska is a member of the coaching staff for this year’s entry at the World Junior Hockey Championships. Defenseman Tyson Barrie attended Team Canada’s summer camp…Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton in July…Ryan Huska is coaching in his 223^rd career game tonight. Huska has 122 victories as a head coach with the hockey club...Happy birthday to Rockets defenceman MacKenzie Johnston. Johnston turns 17 today.