Six straight
- Five hundred hockey never felt so good. Odd statement right? Not if you started the season with four wins in your first 14 games. The Kelowna Rockets moved to the .500 mark for the first time this season with a 4-1 win Friday night over the Prince George Cougars. The win extended the Rockets' winning streak to six games. The team is now 10-10-0-0 on the season.
- For a second straight game, Adam Brown was named the games first star. Brown appeared to be on his way to his 9th career shutout until Cougars forward Brock Hirsche scored with less than two minutes left to make to a 4-1 game. Brown is now 6-0-0-0 in November with a goals against average of 2.00 and a save percentage of .930.
- While Brown was good at one end of the ice, Cougars goaltender James Priestner was equal to the task at the other. Priestner made several solid saves to keep the game scoreless after one period. On this night the Cougars woes were in the offensive zone.
- It was nice to see forward Jesse Astles get on the score sheet with his second goal of the season. Astles goal, which proved to be the game winner, appeared to glance off of the stick of Cougars defenceman Daniel Gibb before rising high over the glove hand side of Priestner.
- Astles sent teammate Gal Koren to the showers early in the game after colliding with the 18 year-old forward on what appeared to be a missed body check on a Cougars defenceman. Astles ended up colliding with Koren, hitting him in the head. Koren was helped off the ice by teammates and is out of the lineup with a concussion.
- Brett Bulmer's celebration after a goal to make it 3-0 got under the skin of Cougars d-man Jesse Forsberg, Forsberg cross checked Bulmer in the chest which resulted in rookie forward Colton Sissons coming in to fight the 17 year-old Forsberg. Bulmer spent much of the night doing a good job of getting under the skin of the Cougars.
- Tyson Barrie had two assists, giving him 148 career points. Barrie is now tied with Burt Henderson for the most points ever by a Rockets defenceman. Henderson had 148 points with the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets from 1993-1996.
- It was another quiet night for Cougars forward Brett Connolly. Outside of one real good scoring chance in the second period where Brown snagged the puck out of mid-air on a nice solo effort, the first round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning had a frustrating night.
- Another large contingent of NHL scouts were on hand Friday. They included Calgary Flames director of player personnel Duane Sutter. Sutter told me the Flames had six scouts in the Okanagan this week watching several Rockets games while attending the Junior A Challenge in Penticton.
4 comments:
Hey regan, do you know why Bulmer got a 10 minute misconduct when he got cross checked after his goal? I didn't really see him do anything wrong, maybe he was mouthing off or something??
The show boating, which set off Forsberg, was the reason from what I was told.
I believe Smith just wanted to get him out of the game, to keep him from getting attacked again, that crosscheck by Forsberg should have been 5mins. & a game misconduct for intent to injure, I was right close to the play & Bulmer is fortunate that he didn't get seriously hurt!! Wudrick still not impressing, too slow & doesn't want to get involved physically.
I was impressed with Smith last night. As soon as I saw he was the only ref I went Oh great. For the most part he was good except for the 1st period.
Man did Brown ever keep the Rockets in the game last night or what. He made some tremendous saves. If it were not for him I don't know if the Rockets would have won.
One thing that has always bugged me with the Rockets is when they are on the PP. I notice they keep passing and passing and passing. When you are on the PP do a few passes and shoot. The time they get a shoot they waste over 3/4 of the PP because of passing.
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