Tonight’s
Preview: The
Kelowna Rockets face the Spokane Chiefs in the first of four meetings this
season. Following tonight’s game these two teams won’t see each other until
January 29th when the Chiefs are in Kelowna. The seasonal series
ends with games February 12th (in Spokane) and March 5th (in
Kelowna). Last season the Rockets were 2-2-0-0 in four meetings, winning 5-3
(home) and losing 6-4 (home) before winning 4-2 (away) and suffering a 5-0 loss
(away). The Rockets are coming off a double-header sweep over the Portland
Winterhawks on the weekend, out-scoring the defending WHL champions 12-5.
Overall, the Rockets have won three straight and are the only team in the WHL
without a regulation loss. The Rockets are back on home ice Friday night
against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds in the first meeting between the
teams since an epic seven game opening round playoff series last season.
Merkley;
WHL POW:
Sixteen year-old rookie forward Nick Merkley is the WHL Player of the Week.
Merkley had six points in three games last week including back-to-back two goal
games before earning two assists in a 6-3 win over the Portland Winterhawks
Saturday night. Merkley was the Kelowna Rockets first round pick from the 2012
WHL Bantam Draft.
Rockets
Represented Under 16’s: The Kelowna Rockets have no less than three
prospects participating at the Under 16 Challenge later this month in Calgary.
Madison Bowey’s younger brother Connor is playing for Team Manitoba while
prospects Jordan Borstmayer (3rd round) and Kole Lind (4th
round) are playing for Team Saskatchewan. The Under 16’s is set for October 31st
to November 3rd in Calgary.
Who’s
Hot:
Zach Franko (pictured right) has points in all six games this season. Franko has 2+7=9 and is
tied for the team lead in points with Tyson Baillie….Franko has nine points
after six games this season. Last season Franko had 2+5=7 after six games…Rourke
Chartier has three goals in six games. Last season it took the 17 year-old ten
games to score his third goal of the season…Tyrell Goulbourne has four points
in his last three games…Nick Merkley has four goals in his last three games…Madison
Bowey has 2+3=5 in his last three games…The Rockets penalty killing unit was 16
for 16 on the weekend against Portland.
This and That: Riley
Stadel had two goals all of last season. This season the 17 year-old already
has four goals…After six games last season the team was 2-3-1-0…The Rockets
were 12-8-0-0 in 20 games against U.S Division teams last season…The opposition
has opened the scoring in four of the first six games…Rockets were 3 and 1 in
four pre-season games. For a third straight pre-season, Tyson Baillie led the
team in scoring with 4+4=8….Ryan Huska is entering his 7th season as
head coach of the Kelowna Rockets. He becomes the longest serving coach in
franchise history, surpassing the five seasons that Marcel Comeau was behind
the bench of the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets from 1991-1992 until 1995…Huska signed
a three year extension with the club this summer…Huska was named the Western
Conference Coach of the Year in 2012-2013 while Rourke Chartier was named the
Western Conference Scholastic Player of the Year. Zach Franko was the Western
Conference Most Sportsmanlike Player while GM Bruce Hamilton was the Executive
of the Year in the Western Conference…Four members of the Rockets were drafted
this summer in the NHL Entry Draft. Madison Bowey in the second round by
Washington, Tyrell Goulbourne in the third round by Philadelphia, Mitch Wheaton
in the 5th round by Detroit and Myles Bell in the 6th
round by New Jersey…Assistant Coach Dan Lambert has been named the head coach
for Team West for the World Under 17 Challenge in Cape Breton Nova Scotia
December 28-January 5th…The Rockets are playing their fourth game in
seven nights…The Rockets have score 18 goals in their last three games.
Milestone
Makers:
Tyrell Goulbourne played
in his 150th career game Friday vs. Portland.
Myles Bell has 203 career
points.
Jordon Cooke played
in his 100th career game September 22nd against the
Kamloops Blazers.
Damon Severson played
in his 200th career game Saturday night.
Tyson Baillie is 7 points
shy of 100 for his career.
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