Friday, February 20, 2015

Rockets/Royals game notes

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play back-to-back games on the Island this weekend against the Victoria Royals. These two teams met last Friday in Kelowna with the Rockets earning a 7-3 win. This is the fifth of eight meetings between the two teams this season. Yep, that’s right! These two BC Division rivals will face each other three more times after this evening. The Rockets visit the Royals again tomorrow night before the final two games are played at Prospera Place on February 25th and March 11th. The Rockets are 3-0-1-0 in the first four games after a 4-3 overtime loss and a 5-3 win (Both in Victoria in November) and a 5-1 win (November 5th) and a 7-3 victory as mentioned last Friday. The Rockets are 17-4-0-1 since the Christmas break. Nine of the team’s 12 games in February are against BC Division rivals. Overall, the Rockets have points in twelve of their last thirteen games (11-1-0-1). 

200 Point Club: Nineteen year-old Tyson Baillie recorded his 200th career point Saturday against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Baillie’s four points now gives him 202 in his four year career. Ready to join Baillie in the ‘200 Point Club’ is Josh Morrissey, who has 194 career points. Leon Draisaitl has 193 career points heading into tonight’s game against the Royals.   

Dare to Compare: The Rockets have a record of 45-9-3-1 this season, good for 94 points. After 58 games last season the team was 46-8-0-4, which was good for 96 points. The team has scored 262 goals this season. At the same time last year after 58 games, 250 goals were scored and 150 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 145 goals against.  

Hot to Trot: Rourke Chartier has goals in five of his last eight games. Gage Quinney has points in six of his last eight games. The 19 year-old had four goals and five assists (4+5=9) over that period. Tyson Baillie has a six game point streak with four goals and nine assists (4+9=13). Defenceman Josh Morrissey has a nine game point streak with (5+5=10)…Leon Draisaitl has thirteen points (2+11=13) in his last six games. In the 18 games Draisaitl has played, the 19 year-old has been held off the score-sheet four times.    

Another 40 win season: The Kelowna Rockets have won 40 games for the 11th time in franchise history.  Here is the breakdown of 40 win seasons:
2014-2015: 45 wins and counting
2013-2014: 57 wins      2004-2005: 45 wins     
2012-2013: 52 wins      2003-2004: 47 wins
2010-2011: 43 wins      2002-2003: 51 wins
2008-2009: 47 wins      1994-1995: 43 wins (Tacoma)
2005-2006: 46 wins      1992-1993: 45 wins (Tacoma)

This and That: Rourke Chartier is 4 goals shy of 50 this season. The last Rockets player to score 50 goals was Justin Keller during the 2005-2006 season. Keller scored 51 times that year….During this seven game home ice winning streak, the Rockets have out-scored the opposition 48-18…Jackson Whistle has missed six games after having appendix surgery on February 6th. The Rockets are 5-1-0-0 in those games with Jake Morrissey winning four of the five games. Whistle is skating and could return as early as this Wednesday…Rourke Chartier has points in 12 of his last 14 games…Riley Stadel has 2+13=15 in his last 14 games and has a goal and five assists in his last three games playing as a forward…Stadel has a career high 37 points this season…Madison Bowey has 1+6=7 in his last six  games….Justin Kirkland has points in nine of his last eleven games…The Rockets have been held to just one goal five times this season. Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (road) Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...The Kelowna Rockets have scored the second goals on the road (126) in the WHL this season…The Rockets have lost only three times in regulation time on the road this season. Those three losses came in Seattle, Tri City and Calgary...The Rockets have points in 9 of their last 10 road games (8-1-0-1)….The Rockets are 52-10-2-1 on opposition ice in the last two seasons….The Tri City Herald ‘Best of the West’ poll was released this week. Bruce Hamilton was named the top executive. Madison Bowey was voted as having hardest shot. Tyrell Goulbourne was named the toughest player. Nick Merkley was named the best pro prospect. Rourke Chartier was named the most improved player. The winners were voted upon by coaches, players and media from across the Western Conference…Leon Draisaitl is the WHL POW. The 19 year-old had 2+7=9 in four games last week…The CHL announced that Kelowna will host a Subway Super Series game on November 9/15. Kelowna last hosted a game in 2009.

Three Star Balloting:
*Other first star winners are: Leon Draisaitl (five), Tyrell Goulbourne (twice) and Cole Martin, Dillon Dube, Tomas Soustal and Justin Kirkland once each.
Player:                          1st Star    2nd Star   3rd Star   Total 
Rourke Chartier:              6              7              2            15
Jackson Whistle:             7              4              2            13
Nick Merkley:                   5              2              6            13
Tyson Baillie:                   4              6              3            13

Madison Bowey:              2              3              3             8

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