Rockets/Royals Preview

Game Night Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Victoria Royals in a matchup of the top two teams in the BC Division. They are separated by a single point. Last night, the Rockets suffered a 7-2 loss in Seattle. Dillon Dube scored his 20^th goal of the season while Connor Bruggen-Cate fired home his career 13^th of the campaign. Brodan Salmond allowed 5 goals on 16 shots and was replaced in the second period by 15 year-old rookie Cole Tisdale, who allowed two goals the rest of the way.  Overall, the Rockets have won 10 of their last 13 games with wins over Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Kamloops (twice), Victoria, Tri City, Calgary, Spokane, Seattle and Lethbridge. The Rockets open an Alberta road trip this Wednesday in Lethbridge, before stops in Medicine Hat and Red Deer to close out the trip.

 

Statistically Speaking: Dillon Dube has scored 20 goals in three consecutive seasons. Dube had 20 goals last season in 40 games and had a career high 26 in 2015-2016…Dube has goals in four straight games and is riding an 8 game point streak (8+8=16)….Connor Bruggen-Cate has 7 goals in his last 8 games and has points in 7 of his last 8 games…Nolan Foote had his 9 game point streak snapped last night in Seattle. Foote had 2+11=13 over that period. 

 

Broadcasters Notebook: The Rockets made a deal with the Lethbridge Hurricanes January 8^th, acquiring the playing rights to 19 year-old forward Ryan Bowen for a 8^th round bantam pick. Ryan Bowen is the older brother of prospect Ethan Bowen….The Rockets made a deal January 7^th with the Prince Albert Raiders, sending 17 year-old defenceman Konrad Belcourt to PA for a 5^th and 8^th round pick…The Rockets have 16 wins in their last 22 games with those 6 losses coming to Moose Jaw, Brandon, Swift Current, Tri City, Vancouver and Seattle…The Rockets record after 45 games this season is 28-14-2-1. Last season the hockey club was 27-15-3-0 after 45 games….James Porter was named the WHL and CHL Goaltender of the Week ending December 31^st after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including one shutout with a goals against average of 0.48 and a save percentage of .987…The Rockets have four hat-tricks this season from Carsen Twarynski (vs. Portland/Prince George), and Kole Lind (Prince Albert/Kamloops)…The Rockets have sent 17 players to Canada’s roster at the World Junior… The Rockets had their 13 game home ice winning streak snapped January 5^th vs. Seattle.…The Rockets are 5 and 2 in overtime with game winners coming from Kole Lind, Dillon Dube Carsen Twarynski (twice) and Cal Foote. The only losses in OT came against the Tri City Americans and Portland Winterhawks…The Rockets are 12-4-0-0 against BC Division teams this season….The Rockets are 22-1-0-1 when leading after 2 periods…The Rockets are 20-3-1-1 when scoring the first goal of the game….Erik Gardiner has missed 31 games after being injured October 28^th vs. Prince George…The Rockets were 9-4 without Dube at the World Junior’s….Kole Lind is riding a 14 game point streak. Lind has 10+14=24 over that stretch….Carsen Twarynski has 5 goals in his last 8 games….Kyle Topping has points in 11 of his last 15 games…Upcoming birthdays: January 27th, Wil Kushniryk, January 28^th, Ted Brennan, January 29^th - Kaedan Korczak.   

 

Milestones: Connor Bruggen-Cate played in his 100^th game December 30^th vs. Victoria…Kyle Topping played in his 100^th career game January 10^th…Jack Cowell played in his 100^th career game January 12^th in Seattle…Head Coach Jason Smith coached his 100^th career regular season game against the Kootenay Ice on December 2nd…Carsen Twarynski played in his 200^th career game October 28^th against the Prince George Cougars…James Hilsendager plays in his 200^th career game November 14^th vs. Oil Kings. 

 

Roster Stats:

Player total: 25

Year by Year Breakdown:

20’s (1997) – 3   Ballhorn, Twarynski, Hilsendager           

19’s (1998) - 5   Salmond, Lind, Dube, Cal Foote, Chizen

18’s (1999) - 6   Topping, Mattson, Gardiner, Bruggen-Cate, Cowell, Skvrne

17’s (2000) - 9   Porter, Foote, Zabransky, Kindree, Brennan, McGauley, Kushniryk, Pow, Hair

16’s (2001) - 2   Korczak, Basran

 

NHL Drafted Players: Cal Foote (Tampa Bay 2017), Kole Lind (Vancouver 2017), Dillon Dube (Calgary 2016), Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia 2016), Brayden Chizen (Minnesota 2016).  

 

Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150