Friday, November 30, 2012

Rockets game notes vs. Warriors


Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Moose Jaw Warriors for the only time this season. Last season the Rockets suffered a 4-1 loss in Moose Jaw. On December 10, 2011, Shane McColgan scored the lone goal in the three goal setback. The Warriors scored all four goals (4/7) on the power play.  The Warriors last visit to the Okanagan came back on January 6/2011 in a 4-2 win. Brett Bulmer and Geordie Wudrick scored goals for the Rockets in the loss. Jordon Cooke came into the game in a relief appearance making 16 saves. The Rockets last win over the Warriors was December 12/2009 in a 2-1 shootout. Geordie Wudrick scored the game winning goal. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a nine game home ice winning streak having out-scored the opposition 43-10. Overall, the Rockets have three regulation losses in their last sixteen games (12-3-0-1) with setbacks to Tri City (3-2) twice by the same score and a 5-3 loss in Edmonton October 27th. The Rockets have won nine of their last eleven games overall. The Rockets travel to Kent where they will face the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday.     

This and That: The Rockets were 11-14-1-0 after 26 games last season. These season the team has 5 more wins and six fewer losses…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 15 of their last 18 games with one game being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have fired 278 (40 shots per game) shots towards the opposition net in the last seven games….The Rockets have allowed six power play goals against in their last eleven games (33 for 45) and are top 5 in the league in penalty killing efficiency and share the league lead in shorthanded goals (5)…..The Rockets have five power play goal in their last twelve games (5 for 37 over that span)….The Rockets have sixteen wins in 26 games this season….Colton Sissons participated in the Subway Super Series in Vancouver. Team Canada will announce its training camp roster December 1st…In the Rockets 16 wins, Myles Bell has earned 31 points (13+18=31). Of the 80 goals scored by the team in those sixteen wins, Bell has been in on 31 (26%) of them….Bell has 17+22=39 after 26 games this season…The Rockets have scored 82 goals in their last eighteen games (4.5 per game)…..Jordon Cooke was named the CHL/Vaughn Goaltender of the Week for October 22-28th. Cooke had two wins last week which included a shutout and a save percentage of .967…Ryan Olsen played in his 150th career WHL game Nov 3rd against visiting Prince George…Ryan Huska recorded his 200th WHL regular season victory last Saturday against the visiting Saskatoon Blades…The Rockets are 10 and 2 after 12 home games this season…Madison Bowey (10), Mitch Wheaton (22) are rated among the top skaters in the WHL by NHL Central Scouting for June’s draft. Jackson Whistle is ranked 7th among WHL goalies…Austin Glover (Team Western), Rourke Chartier (Team Western) and Riley Stadel (Team Pacific) will all play at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in late December in Quebec. The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 56-19 on home ice this season…The Rockets are one of three teams in the WHL with over 100 goals scored this season (103). Last season the team scored 217 times…The Rockets have not allowed more than 3 goals against per game; in their last eleven games…Myles Bell is two points shy of the 41 he recorded last season. Bell had a career high 45 points (14+31=45) with Regina in 2010-2011. He was just 17. 

Who’s Hot: Myles Bell has 16 points in November (8+8=16). Bell has 15 points in his last seven games. Colton Sissons is riding a six game point streak (1+6=7). Ryan Olsen had a six game point streak snapped Wednesday against Tri City. Olsen had (6+1=7) over that stretch. Zach Franko has 2+5=7 in last five games. Tyson Baillie has 2+5=7 in last 8 games. 

Man Games Lost to Injury = 74 games lost
J.T Barnett: 21 games lost     Mitchell Chapman: 26 games lost
Carter Rigby: 12 games lost   Zach Franko: 2 games lost
MacKenzie Johnston: 11 games lost   Jordon Cooke: 2 games lost

Three Stars:
Myles Bell leads the Rockets in three star-balloting with 8. Bell has been named the second star a tea leading five times…Jordon Cooke has been named a star 7 times, with a team leading three – first star appearances. Zach Franko is third in three-star balloting with 6.        

Trade Winds Blow: The Rockets traded 18 year-old Filip Vasko to the Red Deer Rebels on Wednesday for a 6th round bantam pick. It marks the 8th player move the team has made this season. Four players have been acquired since September (McKinlay, Whistle, Barnett, Fowlie) and four have been sent elsewhere (Vasko, Ferguson, Moar, Coyle.)   

2 comments:

MG said...

Regan can you comment on the WHL laying the hammer on Portland ?
In many ways the WHL is punishing the players and future players than they are the organization. Imagine being a player who was drafted last by them last year ? They are now going to a team the WHL has basically forced to the bottom. Without any first round picks how is a team to compete ?
They should have fined the owner and left the team alone. Just my .02

Regan Bartel said...

I feel for the Hawks scouting staff who are probably one of the best in the WHL or junior hockey period in identifying talent. The good news is the Hawks scouts are so good, they will rebound quicker than many people may think. Will the loss of the bantam picks hurt them? No question. How can it not. While the penalties are steep, the book was thrown at them for what appears to be lying when asked about giving players and their families perks. The dishonesty makes you wonder what else happened that hasn't been uncovered.