Rockets game notes vs. Hurricanes

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Lethbridge Hurricanes are meeting for the second and final time this season. These two teams met back on December 12^th – in Lethbridge – with the Rockets earning a 3-1 win. Carter Rigby and J.T Barnett scored while Colton Heffley providing an empty netter in a tight hockey game. Damon Severson had two assists and was named the first star. Jordon Cooke made 20 saves in the win.  Kelowna out-shot Lethbridge 27-21. The Hurricanes are making their first stop in Kelowna since January 20/13 when they earned a 6-3 win. Jordon Cooke was pulled in that game after giving up three goals in under three minutes in the second period. Adam Brown allowed just one goal the rest of the way. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a three game winning streak after victories over Victoria (twice) and Seattle. Overall, the Rockets have out-scored the opponent 19-6 in those three wins. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Kamloops to face the Blazers tomorrow night before hosting Victoria on Wednesday. The Rockets are 22-5-2-0 in their last 29 games. The Rockets have ten regulation losses in their last 53 games (40-10-2-1). The Rockets have won 37 of their last 47 (35-9-3-0) games overall.

Eight Games to Go: The Rockets have eight games left in the regular season. Five of those eight games are on home ice to conclude the regular season. The Rockets sit five points up on the Kamloops Blazers for first place in the BC Division.  Of those eight games, three are against Kamloops with two against the Vancouver Giants. Single games are against Lethbridge, 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: 45 -  ?  
2004-2005: 45 – WHL Champions
1992-1993: 45 – Eliminated in 7 games in rd one

Home Cook’n: The Kelowna Rockets has lost a league low five times on home ice (26-5-0-0) this season. The team has scored 148 goals (4.8 per game) and has allowed 62 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 22 of their 31 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 21 of 31 games.

This and That: Cody Fowlie played in his 200^th career game Thursday night…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 277 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 eight regular season games to tie that record. The Rockets average 4.3 goals per game….Rockets Myles Bell has 85 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 are rated as the 5^th best team in the country according to this week’s CHL Top 10 rankings. Last week the Rockets were rated 6^th….Ryan Huska and the Kamloops Blazers are being inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. The Blazers teams – 1993-94 and 1994-95 - will be inducted during a ceremony in Penticton in July…The Rockets have 3 road games left in the regular season with all 3 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 42 of their last 55 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 672 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 607 goals (4,607)…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 +51. 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 eight 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 23 goals, none on the power play…The Rockets have been shorthanded 300 times this season, the second most of any team in the WHL…Rockets have scored most home goals in the WHL (148)…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 35 goals. 18 have been scored on home ice with 17 on the road.  

Who’s Hot: Ryan Olsen has 4 goals in his last seven games…J.T Barnett has 4 goals in his last eight games…Myles Bell has a seven game point streak (4+9=13)… Colton Sissons has five goals in his last nine games….Sissons has points in 30 of his last 34 games….Cody Fowlie has 3+2=5 in his last three games…Jackson Whistle has goals against average of 1.67 in four appearances. Whistle has won his last four starts.