Friday, February 2, 2018

Litmus Test

Carter Hart - Shoot the Breeze Photography
Game Night Preview: The Kelowna Rockets open a home and home series with the Everett Silvertips this weekend. The two teams are separated by one point in the fight for first place in the Western Conference with the Rockets holding two games in hand. In the lone meeting, September 29th, the Tips earned a 4-3 win in a shootout. The two teams collide tomorrow in Everett before closing out the four game seasonal series March 2nd. These two teams have the exact same number of wins (32) and had the identical same record in January going 9-3-1-0 in 13 games. The Rockets are coming off a 5-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers Tuesday night. Cal Foote and Dillon Dube each scored once and added two assists in the win. Overall, the Rockets have won 14 of their last 18 games (13-4-1-0). After two games this weekend, the Rockets play 15 of their final 20 against teams in the BC Division. The Rockets host Vancouver Wednesday.

Kole Lind chasing McLean: Kole Lind is riding a 19 game point streak. It is the third longest point streak in team history. Tyson Barrie had a 21 game point streak (5+28=33) in the 2009-2010 season. Brett McLean holds the record with a 24 game point streak (18+31=49) in the 1996-1997 campaign.  Lind has (15+21=36) over those 19 games and has the bragging rights of owning the third longest point streak in the WHL this season. The longest is held by Swift Current Broncos forward Aleksi Heponiemi, who went 28 games with a point.  

Broadcasters Notebook: The Rockets have 20 wins in their last 26 games….James Porter was named the WHL and CHL Goaltender of the Week ending December 31st 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 5th vs. Seattle…The Rockets are 7 and 3 in overtime with game winners coming from Kole Lind (twice), Dillon Dube Carsen Twarynski (twice) and Cal Foote (twice). The only losses in OT came against the Tri City Americans, Portland Winterhawks and Red Deeer Rebels….Erik Gardiner has missed 36 games after being injured October 28th vs. Prince George…: NHL Central Scouting has released its mid-term rankings. Forward Kyle Topping is rated 65th among North American skaters. Defenceman Libor Zabransky is rated 110th…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 is riding a 12 game point streak (10+13=23)…The Rockets won their 30th game of the season January 24th vs. Lethbridge, marking the 11th straight season the team has achieved that mark. The last time they fell short was in 2006-2007 when the team earned 22 victories…Liam Kindree is missing his 14th straight game with a lower body injury.   

Milestones: Nolan Foote is playing in his 99th career game tonight – one shy of 100….Kole Lind has 199 career points – one shy of 200….Dillon Dube has 197 career points, three shy of 200…;Connor Bruggen-Cate played in his 100th game December 30th vs. Victoria…Kyle Topping played in his 100th career game January 10th…Jack Cowell played in his 100th career game January 12th in Seattle…Head Coach Jason Smith coached his 100th career regular season game against the Kootenay Ice on December 2nd…Carsen Twarynski played in his 200th career game October 28th against the Prince George Cougars…James Hilsendager plays in his 200th career game November 14th vs. Oil Kings. 

Roster Stats:
Player total: 26
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
15’s (2002) - 1 Cole Tisdale
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

No comments: