Rockets game notes vs. Americans

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets host the Tri City Americans in the first of four meetings between the two teams this season. The Rockets will play the Americans three times in their next 24 games. The two teams collide Friday night at the Toyota Centre before meeting again November 30^th at Prospera Place. The seasonal series closes December 29^th in Kennewick. These two teams met four times last season with the Rockets winning twice and losing twice. The Rockets out-scored the Americans 10-9 in those four games. Three of the four games were decided by a single goal. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Tri City Friday before making a stop in Spokane on Saturday. The Rockets return home to host the Medicine Hat Tigers next Wednesday October 12^th. Overall, the Rockets have won their first two games after victories over Everett (5-4 SHW) and Vancouver (6-3 W).

Rigby Rock’n and Roll’n: Seventeen year-old Carter Rigby had his first career three point game (2+1=3) in Saturday’s 6-3 home ice win against the Vancouver Giants. It was Rigby’s third career goal after scoring as a member of the Prince George Cougars during the 2009-2010 season. The Rockets were 3 for 6 on the power play with defenceman Damon Severson earning a goal and two assists. Colton Sissons, Zach Franko and Cody Chikie added singles. Adam Brown, in his second consecutive start, made 29 saves in the win.

Watch These Two: Americans 20 year-old forwards Adam Hughesman and Brenden Shinnimin have had success against the Rockets over the years. Shinnimin has 3+11=14 in 12 career regular season games against the Rockets while Hughesman has 5+8=13 in 15 career regular season games.

This and That: Adam Brown appeared in his 150^th career WHL game Saturday night against Vancouver. Brown is closing in on Jeff Calvert for second place on the franchise’s all-time games played list. Calvert appeared in 152 games as a member of the Tacoma Rockets in 1991-94. The franchise leader is Kevin Swanson, who played in 167 games in 1998-2001…Adam Brown earned his 87^th career win Saturday against the Giants. Brown is the franchise leader in that category, surpassing Kelly Guard’s 83 career wins…The Rockets were 0-2-0-0 after two games last season…The Rockets have scored 11 goals in two games this season after scored just five goals in their first-two games one season ago…The Rockets have allowed seven goals against in two games this season after giving up ten goals in the first two games last season….The Rockets own the third best power play in the WHL with five goals on 14 chances (35.7%)…The Rockets acquired 18 year-old Myles Bell from the Regina Pats September 22/11 for 19 year-old Colton Jobke, a 2^nd round pick and 5^th rounder….Second year forward Jason Siebert will miss the first half of this season after his broken wrist didn’t heal properly. Siebert missed the final 48 regular season games and the playoffs last season. The Abbotsford product was the team’s first overall pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft….The Rockets are playing their 1443^rd regular season game tonight and will hit the 15 hundred mark when they host Vancouver on October 20^th…Seven of the Rockets first twelve games are on the road…Ten of the Rockets first 15 games are against BC Division rivals…The American flavor on this year’s team includes Adam Brown from Yorba Linda, California, Shane McColgan from Hermosa, California and Colten (Cole) Martin from Arlington, Texas…The Rockets acquired 17-year-old Penticton native Carter Rigby from the Prince George Cougars on September 3^rd. The Rockets picked up Rigby ('94) along with a conditional sixth round WHL bantam draft pick in exchange for a third round bantam draft pick in 2012…Tonight is the Rockets 578^th regular season home game in Kelowna….433 of those games have been played at Prospera Place…Ryan Huska has 160 wins behind the Rockets bench.