Game notes vs. Blazers

 Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play their 68^th game of the regular season and second to last road game of the 2012-2013 campaign with a stop at ISC. The Rockets are 0-2-2-0 in the first four games in Kamloops, having been out-scored 19-12. The Rockets last win in Kamloops was March 2/2012 in a 6-3 victory. Oddly enough the Rockets were out-shot 46-18 yet won the game. These two teams meet tomorrow night to close out the ten game seasonal series. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having won five of their last six games with victories over Lethbridge, Victoria (three times) and Seattle. Overall, the Rockets have out-scored the opponent 30-13 in those six games. The Rockets are 24-6-2-0 in their last 32 games. The Rockets have eleven regulation losses in their last 56 games (42-11-2-1). The Rockets have won 39 of their last 50 (37-10-3-0) games overall.

Beating Blazers @ ISC: The Rockets are 0-2-2-0 in four games at the ISC this season. The Blazers have opened the scoring in all four games and have out-shot the Rockets in all four games (156-119). This is the seasonal series scoring in the first four games in Kamloops:

Period:    1     2     3    OT   Total 

Rockets:  3    6     3     0       12
Blazers:   6    6     5     2       19

Five Games to Go: The Rockets have five games left in the regular season. Three of those five games are on home ice to conclude the regular season. The Rockets sit three points up on the Kamloops Blazers for first place in the BC Division. Of those five games, two are against Kamloops/Vancouver with a single game against Prince George.

Most Wins in Franchise History:

2002-2003: 51 – WHL Champions
2008-2009: 47 – WHL Champions
2012-2013: 47 - ?
2003-2004: 47 – Memorial Cup Champions
2005-2006: 46 – Eliminated 2^nd round
2004-2005: 45 – WHL Champions
1992-1993: 45 – Eliminated in 7 games in rd one

Home Cook’n: The Kelowna Rockets have lost a league low five times on home ice (28-5-0-0) this season. The team has scored 159 goals (4.8 per game) and has allowed 66 goals against (2.00 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except three, with losses to Kamloops (3-1) and (3-2) and to Portland (5-1). The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 24 of their 33 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for six home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 22 of 33 games.

This and That: The Rockets have been shut out three times this season by Kamloops, Portland and Spokane. All three have happened on the road…. Ryan Olsen will play in his 200^th career game tonight in Kamloops…Cody Fowlie played in his 200^th career game February 28^th against Seattle.…The Rockets were 7-5-0-0 in February….Myles Bell was the leading point getter in February with 6+11=17….The Rockets have scored 288 goals this season. The team record for goals in a season is 338 set back in 1995-96.  The Rockets average 4.3 goals per game….Rockets Myles Bell has 87 points, becoming the first Rockets player since Colin Long (91) in 2008-2009 to register 80 or more points in a season. ….The Rockets have hit the 40 win plateau for the 9^th time in franchise history…The Rockets have made the playoffs for the 17^th time in the franchises 18 year history….The Rockets have 2 road games left in the regular season with both against BC Division teams…Jordon Cooke was named the WHL Goaltender of the Month for December. Cooke was 6-0-0-0 and posted a goals against average of 2.00….The Rockets 23 game home ice winning streak was the third longest winning streak on home ice in WHL history. It was snapped February 8th in a 5-3 loss to Portland….Dylen McKinlay is the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 43 of their last 58 games with three games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 152-65 on home ice this season….Dylen McKinlay has six shorthanded goals…Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 674 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 618 goals (4,618)…The Rockets have participated in two shootout game this season. That is a league low. Last season the Rockets were involved in a league high 15…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +50. It is the highest +/- total for a Kelowna Rockets player ever. Jesse Schultz was +40 in 2002-2003…Since November 1^st the Rockets have lost nine times in regulation…Five of the teams thirteen regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season…JT Barnett played in his 250^th career game February 8^th against Portland…Tyrell Goulbourne has 19 fighting majors this season…Zach Franko played in his 200th career game February 14^th against Everett.….Ryan Olsen is the first 18 year-old forward since Jamie Benn to score over 30 goals in a Rockets uniform. Benn scored 33 times in 2007-2008…Dylen McKinlay has 24 goals, none on the power play…The Rockets have scored the most home goals in the WHL (159)…The Rockets have 13 shorthanded goals this season, second best in WHL. The team record is 30 shorthanded goals in 1992-93.

Who’s Hot: Ryan Olsen has 5 goals in his last ten games. Olsen has four goals in seasonal series vs. Blazers…J.T Barnett has 4 goals in his last eight games…Myles Bell has points in eight of his last nine games (5+9=14)… Colton  Sissons has points in 31 of his last 37 games….Cody Fowlie has 3+5=8 in his last six games…Jackson Whistle has goals against average of 1.67 in five appearances. Whistle has won his last five starts.