Medicine
Hat where they face the Tigers. These two teams last met back on November 5th,
at Prospera Place, with the Tigers earning a 6-2 win. Chad Butcher had 2+1=3 in
the win while out-shooting the Rockets 40-25. The Rockets have had success in
Medicine Hat over the years. The Rockets have not lost in regulation time here
since 2010. It was December 14, 2010 when Tyler Bunz made 26 saves in the
Tigers 2-0 win. Since then, the Rockets have earned a point in seven
consecutive appearances and are 5-0-0-2 over that period. Last season, in their
lone visit, the Rockets were a 6-5 winner (October 6/15). This is game four of
a seven game road trip for the Rockets, who began the trip last Friday in Tri
City with a 3-2 overtime win. The Rockets bounced the Kootenay Ice Saturday
night, 7-3, before losing a heartbreaker to the Lethbridge Hurricanes Sunday
night with a 6-5 setback.
Rockets Review: Calvin Thurkauf
scored twice in a 6-5 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes Sunday night. Connor
Bruggen-Cate (1st WHL goal), James Hilsandager (1st as a
Rockets player) and Nolan Foote also scored in the teams’ 12th loss
of the season. The Rockets led the game 4-3 before the Hurricanes would strike
for three straight goals. The Rockets were 1 for 3 on the power play while
surrendering two goals against on four penalty kills. The visitors fired 43
shots on the opposition net.
Road Rash: The road trip the
team is currently on features 7 games in 10 nights with stops in Tri City (3-2
OTW), Kootenay (7-3 W), Lethbridge (6-5 L), Medicine Hat (Tonight), Red Deer
(Fri Dec 16), Calgary (Sat Dec 17) and Edmonton (Sun Dec 18th).
Overall, the Rockets are 8-2-1-0 in their last 11 games and have points in 6 of
their last 7 (6-1-1-0). The team has won 4 of its last 5 games straight
overall.
Broadcasters Bits: Two players will make
their WHL and Kelowna Rockets debuts tonight against the Tigers. Erik Gardiner,
who is a 17 year-old forward playing with the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos and 16
year-old Liam Kindree, who leads the BC Major Midget League in scoring, will be
in the line-up. Gardiner was acquired from the Regina Pats along with James
Hilsandager in the Jonathan Smart trade while Kindree is a 4th round
bantam pick of the team from 2015…The Rockets have also recalled 16 year-old
forward Ted Brennan. Brennan, from Victoria, has played four games with the
team this season (0+1=1) and is a third round bantam pick from 2015…Calvin
Thurkauf has 8 goals in his last four games and Monday was named the WHL Player
of the Week for his antics…The Rockets have allowed, on average, just 27 shots
on goal in their last 7 games…The Rockets are 4-1-1-0 in December...The Rockets
were 6-4-0-0 in 10 games in November after going 8-4-0-0 in 12 games in October…The
Rockets are the only team in the WHL that has failed to surrender a shorthanded
goal against this season…The Rockets are 5-7-0-0 against BC based teams this
season…The Rockets are 19-12-1-0 after
32 games. Last season the team was 24-7-1-0 after 32 games….Michael Herringer
has started in 13 of the last 16 games and 19 of the last 23…The Rockets are 8-0-1-0
against U.S Division teams this season…The Rockets have carried the lead into
the third period in 14 of the last 22 games …Veteran 20 year-old Michael
Herringer was named the WHL Goaltender of the Week from October 17th
to October 23rd. Herringer went 3-0-0-0, posting a goals against
average of 1.99…The Rockets are the most penalized team in the WHL…Tomas
Soustal (Czech Republic) and Calvin Thurkauf (Switzerland) are playing for
their respective countries at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships in
Montreal/Toronto.…Nick Merkley and Dillon Dube are attend Hockey Canada’s main
camp vying for one of 22 spots on this year’s roster. Team Canada’s main camp runs
until December 14th in Blainville, Quebec. Merkley was a late cut last
year…The only December birthday is Cal Foote. Foote turns 18 today!!
NHL Central Scouting: NHL Central Scouting
has released its November ‘Players to Watch’ list. Defenceman Cal Foote is an
‘A’ prospect for next June’s draft. Kole Lind is a ‘B’ prospect while
defenceman Jonathan Smart is a ‘C’ prospect. The NHL draft this year is in
Chicago.
Who’s Hot? Calvin Thurkauf has 8
goals in his last four games…James Hilsandager has a goal and two assists in his
last four games…Tomas Soustal has points in 12 of his last 15 games. The 19
year-old has goals in 10 of his last 18 games and has 10+15=25 over that
period… Kole Lind has points in 19 of his last 21 games (13+17=29)…Lind has
goals in 8 of his last 10 games and is riding a 10 game point streak. Lind has
8+7=15 over that stretch…Nick Merkley has points in 14 of his last 19 games
(8+13=21).
Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150
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