Game notes vs. Ice

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Kootenay Ice for the one and only time this season. These two teams met once last year – in Cranbrook – on February 22^nd with the Ice earning a 4-2 win. Jordon Cooke made 47 saves and was named the games second star. Geordie Wudrick and Kevin Smith scored in a losing cause. The Ice will make their first appearance in Kelowna since November 28/2009. The Ice scored twice in the third period in a 4-2 win. Shane McColgan and Tyler Halliday scored in a losing cause. These two teams have had several playoff battles over the years. In 2006, the Rockets beat the Ice is six games. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having won three straight and have points in five straight games (3-0-1-1). This is the second game of 7 straight on home ice. The Victoria Royals pay a visit tomorrow night before welcoming the Tri City Americans on Wednesday.

Brown’s Record Breaker: Twenty year-old Adam Brown will tie a Kelowna/Tacoma franchise record tonight for games played by a goalie. Brown will play in his 167^th career game, tying the franchise record set by Kevin Swanson (1998-2001). Brown set a new franchise record last weekend in Prince George for minutes played by a Rockets goalie. Brown now has played 9,390 minutes, 81 minutes more than Swanson (9309). Brown already is the franchise leader in wins with 93.

Who’s Hot: Brett Bulmer has twelve points in eight games (3+9=12) yet has one goal in his last seven games. Bulmer is also riding a four game point streak (1+4=5)…Shane McColgan has points in 16 of his last 20 games and has been held off the score sheet just five times this season. McColgan has (6+14=20) over that period….Cody Chikie has three goals in his last six games….Adam Brown has started in goal in eighteen of the first twenty-three games…Colton Sissons has goals in four of his last six games. Sissons has five goals over that stretch.

Who’s Not: Damon Severson snapped a six game point drought with an assist Wednesday in a 7-3 win. Severson has gone eight games without a goal after scoring three times in October.

This and That: The Rockets and Ice rarely make a trade. These two teams hooked up in a deal September 22/2008 when the Ice sent 20 year-old goaltender Kris Lazaruk to the Rockets for a fourth round bantam pick in 2010. That pick was 16 year-old defenceman Spencer Wand….The Rockets last win against the Ice came back on October 5/08 in a 6-3 victory in Cranbrook. Cody Almond had two goals in the win....The Rockets last win at home against Kootenay came back on November 23/2007 when Kristofer Westblom made 30 saves in a 7-6 overtime win. Colin Long scored the winner :44 seconds into the extra session with Tyson Barrie and Kyle St. Denis adding assists….NHL Central Scouting has rated captain Colton Sissons as the 6^th top skater available from the WHL for the 2012 draft….Jesse Lees and Tyson Baillie have been named to Team Pacific for the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge next month in Windsor, Ontario…Madison Bowey has been named to the roster for Team West for the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge…The Rockets have been involved in eleven-one goal games this season. The Rockets are 5-3-1-2 in those eleven games… The Rockets have been out-shot in nine of their last twelve games….The Rockets snapped an 8 game road losing streak last Friday in Prince George with a 3-2 win. The Rockets went 12 games between victories on the road during the 2006-2007 season before beating the Cougars 4-2….The Rockets are playing their 1464^th regular season game tonight and will hit the 15 hundred mark when they host Red Deer on February 18^th…Ryan Huska has 167 wins behind the Rockets bench…The Rockets have scored a power play goal in twelve of their last fifteen games….The seven goal outburst Wednesday night was the first time the Rockets have scored seven or more goals at home since a 7-3 win over the Vancouver Giants back on January 29/2011.