Tonight’s Preview: The
Kelowna Rockets open a four game home stand tonight against the visiting Regina
Pats. The Rockets host Saskatoon Wednesday, Prince George Friday and Prince
Albert Saturday night. Yes, three of the Rockets’ next four games are against
teams in the Eastern Division. This is the one and only meeting of the season
between the two. Last season in Regina, Myles Bell scored the game winning goal
in overtime lifting the Rockets to a 5-4 win (December 14/2013). In the Pats
last appearance at Prospera Place, November 23, 2012, J.T Barnett scored twice
in a Rockets 5-1 win. In fact, the Rockets have won 6 straight games against
the Pats. The last time Regina earned a win against the defending Western
Hockey League regular season champions was December 9, 2007 when the Pats were
a 4-3 winner at the then named Agridome. The last Pats win in Kelowna was
November 24th, 2006 in a 3-1 victory. Logan Pyett scored the game
winning goal. Chris Ray scored the lone goal for the home team while Kristofer
Westblom suffered the loss in goal. The Rockets are one of only two teams in
the WHL with one regulation loss on home ice. At 9-1-1-0, only Brandon has an
equally impressive home record at 10-2-2-0.
The Rockets are coming off a 4-1 win in Tri City Wednesday night. The
ended a portion of the schedule where the team played 9 of 14 games on the
road.
Rourke Roll’n: How good
has Rourke Chartier been in the month of November? Are 17 goals good enough for
ya? The 18 year-old has 17+10=27 and is almost a shoe-in for the WHL November
Player of the Month. Chartier’s 28 goals have been scored 17 games. The 18
year-old has been held goal-less 9 times this season. The Rockets had two 30+
goal scorers last season. Myles Bell had 42 while Ryan Olsen found the back of
the net 30 times. By comparison, Bell scored his 30th goal in his 52nd
game. Jamie Benn, in 2008-2009, scored 30 goals in 36 games.
World Junior Bound:
Congratulations to 18 year-old Kelowna Rockets forward Kris Schmidli, who will
participate in the upcoming World Junior Hockey Champions for Switzerland. The
Rockets first pick in the CHL European draft two years ago has 5 goals and 12
assists which is good for 17 points in only his second season in the WHL.
Let’s go streaking: Nick Merkley
is riding a 12 game point streak (4+17=21) heading into tonight’s game. Here
are the longest point streaks by a Rockets player over the years.
Tyson Barrie: 21 games
with a point 2009-2010 (5+28=33)
Zach Franko: 13 games
with a point 2010-2011 (9+9=18)
Jesse Schultz: 13 games
with a point 2002-2003 (15+8=23)
Jamie Benn: 13 games
with a point 2008-2009 (15+10=25)
Nick Merkley: 12 games
with a point 2014-2015 (present)
Rourke Chartier: 10 games
with a point 2014-2015 (15+9=24)
Milestones: Tyson Baillie
is 5 assists shy of 100 for his career…Nick Merkley and Kris Schmidli are 6
games shy of 100 for their careers…Riley Stadel is 9 games shy of 150 for his
career…Madison Bowey is 7 assists shy of 100 for his career.
Who’s Hot: Jesse Lees
has points in 6 of his last 8 games. Lees has 4+7=11 over that period…Tyson
Baillie has six goals in his last 7 games and has points in 8 of his last
10…Over that period, the 19 year-old has (8+6=14)...Rourke Chartier has four
more goals (28) than he had all of last season. Chartier has goals in 13 of his
last 15 games….Nick Merkley has 4+16=20 in his last 12 games…Madison Bowey has
been held off the score-sheet 7 times this season.
This and That: Austin
Glover has missed 8 straight games with an injury….Nick Merkley is rated as an
‘A’ prospect by NHL Central Scouting for this summer’s draft. Teammate Joe
Gatenby and Tomas Soustal are ‘C’ prospect in the November rankings…The Rockets
have been held to three goals or less only 6 times this season…. The Rockets
have scored 5 or more goals on the road in 10 of their 16 road games this
season. Last year they score 5 or more goals 15 times on opposition ice….Nick
Merkley has 14 multiple point games….Rourke Chartier has been held off the
score-sheet four times this season…The Rockets are an incredible 132-28-7-5 in
their last 172 regular season games dating back to the start of the 2012-2013
season….In case you are wondering, the Rockets have not been shutout in 103 consecutive
games. The last time the Rockets were held without a goal was March 3, 2013 in
a 3-0 loss in Kamloops…
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