Rockets/Cougars clash

Shoot the Breeze Photography

Game Day Preview: A quiet weekend for the Kelowna Rockets with only one game against the visiting Prince George Cougars. This is the fourth meeting of the season between the two teams. The Rockets are 1-2-0-0, having lost 4-2 and 3-2 before earning a 5-2 victory back on September 29^th. After tonight’s game, these two teams meet again November 14^th in Prince George for just one game before the team then heads off on an Alberta road trip with stops in Red Deer and Edmonton. The Rockets, winners of four of their last five, are coming off a 3-2 win over the Swift Current Broncos Tuesday night. Jack Cowell scored the game winning goal midway through the second period. This is game two of a three game home stand, which has the team hosting Brandon next Saturday. A six game road trip awaits them November 9^th with dates in Seattle, Portland (doubleheader), Prince George, Red Deer and Edmonton. 

Foote in the door: Adam Foote was officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October 23, 2018 replacing Jason Smith. Foote earned his first WHL coaching victory that night in the Rockets 3-2 win. Foote played 1,154 games in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Quebec Nordiques. Foote is also a two time Stanley Cup champion. 

Broadcasters Notebook: Kyle Topping is riding a 9 game point streak. Topping has 4+10=14 over that period….Forward Nolan Foote has been named to Team WHL, who will host two games when the Russian Selects face the WHL in the 2018 CIBC Canada/Russia series. Games will be played in Kamloops November 5^th and in Vancouver November 6^th ….Nolan Foote has 6 goals in 6 games….Rookie Dillon Wilton has goals in three of his last six games……The Rockets have 929 wins as a franchise since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the 1995-96 season ….Five members of the Kelowna Rockets have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s “Players to watch’ list. Forward Nolan Foote is an ‘A’ prospect, meaning a first round candidate. Kaedan Korczak is a ‘B’ prospect which means he is projected to be selected in the second or third round. Roman Basran, Kyle Topping and Lassi Thomson are ‘C’ prospect, which means they could be taken in the third to the seventh round…. The Rockets have failed to open the scoring in 10 of the 15 games this season….The Rockets have trailed going onto the third period in 10 of the  games 15 games….Connor Bruggen-Cate has points in 5 of his last 7 games (2+5=7)…Kaedan Korczak has points in 5 of his last 6 games (2+5=7).

Trade Winds: The Rockets traded 18 year-old Wil Kushniryk to the Tri City Americans on October 22, 2018 for a 5^th round bantam pick. Kushniryk was pointless in four games this season. The Rockets acquired 20 year-old defenceman Dalton Galley October 10, 2018 from the Medicine Hat Tigers for a 10^th round bantam pick. The hockey club acquired 18 year-old forward Michael Farrin October 11^th from the Saskatoon Blades for a third round WHL bantam pick. The Rockets also made a trade with the Victoria Royals Saturday September 29^th. The team acquired 20 year-old Lane Zablocki for a conditional 7^th round and conditional 4^th round bantam draft pick.

Season Highs/Lows:

Most goals scored: 8 @ Victoria October 19/18 (8-2 W)

Most goals allowed: 9 vs. Seattle October 10^th, 2018 (9-6 L)

Most shots on net: 45 @ Seattle October 6th, 2018 (4-1 L).

Fewest shots on net: 21 vs. Vancouver October 3rd, 2018 (5-0 L)

Most shots allowed: 39 @ Prince George September 29th, 2018 (5-2 W)

Fewest shots allowed: 20 @ Victoria October 19, 2018 (8-2 W)

Last time shut out: October 3rd, 2018 vs. Vancouver (5-0 L)  

Most power play goals allowed: 4 vs. Seattle October 10^th, 2018 (9-6 L). T-Birds were 4/5 on power play.

Most power play goals scored: 4 @ Victoria October 19, 2018 (8-2 W)

Roster Stats:

Player total: 24

Year by Year Breakdown:

20’s (1998) – 4   Gally, Zablocki, Chizen

19’s (1999) - 5   Topping, Mattson, Gardiner, Bruggen-Cate, Cowell

18’s (2000) - 10 Farrin, Thomson, Porter, Foote, Zabransky, Kindree, Brennan, Pow, Steffler,

17’s (2001) - 6   Korczak, Crosbie, Basran, Liwiski, Wilton, Augustine

16’s (2002) - 1   Ernst

Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150