Game Notes vs. Royals

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Victoria Royals meet for the 8^th and final time this season. The Rockets are 6-1-0-0 in the first seven games, having out-scored their BC Division rivals 37-13. The Rockets have been especially good on home ice having out-scored the Royals 16-4. These two teams last met February 22^nd and 23^rd in Victoria with the Rockets earning 8-3 and 7-2 wins. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having won four of their last five games with victories over Lethbridge, Victoria (twice) and Seattle. Overall, the Rockets have out-scored the opponent 26-10 in those five games. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Kamloops Friday before hosting the Blazers Saturday night. The Rockets are 23-6-2-0 in their last 31 games. The Rockets have eleven regulation losses in their last 55 games (41-11-2-1). The Rockets have won 38 of their last 49 (36-10-3-0) games overall.

Six Games to Go: The Rockets have six games left in the regular season. Four of those six games are on home ice to conclude the regular season. The Rockets sit one point up on the Kamloops Blazers for first place in the BC Division. Of those six games, two are against Kamloops with two against the Vancouver Giants. Single games are against Victoria and Prince George.

Most Wins in Franchise History:
2002-2003: 51 – WHL Champions
2008-2009: 47 – WHL Champions
2003-2004: 47 – Memorial Cup Champions
2005-2006: 46 – Eliminated 2^nd round
2012-2013: 46 -  ?  
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 (27-5-0-0) this season. The team has scored 155 goals (4.8 per game) and has allowed 63 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 23 of their 32 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 32 games.

This and That: The Rockets are 7-0-0-0 in Thursday games. They have out-scored the opponent 35-6….The Rockets have been shut out three times this season by Kamloops, Portland and Spokane. All three have happened on the road….This Friday in Kamloops, Ryan Olsen will play in his 200^th career game…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 284 goals this season. The team record for goals in a season is 311 set back in the 2002-2003 season. The team needs to average 4.2 goals per game in their final seven regular season games to tie that record. 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 57 games with two games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 148-62 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 673 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 614 goals (4,614)…The Rockets have participated in one 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 +52. 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 (155)…The Rockets have 13 shorthanded goals this season, second best in WHL. The team record is 30 shorthanded goals in 1992-93…Myles Bell has 36 goals. 19 have been scored on home ice with 17 on the road..This Saturday (March 9) Zach Franko will turns 20….Damon Severson hasn’t scored in 15 games…Colton Heffley hasn’t scored in 18 games. His last goal was January 24^th against Seattle….Zach Franko hasn’t scored in 13 games…Cody Fowlie is four points shy of 100 for his career.    

Who’s Hot: Ryan Olsen has 5 goals in his last nine games…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 36 games….Cody Fowlie has 3+5=8 in his last five games…Jackson Whistle has goals against average of 1.67 in five appearances. Whistle has won his last five starts.