Friday, January 4, 2019

Low scoring teams collide


Game Day Preview: Happy New Year! The Rockets ring in the new year with a date against the Prince George Cougars. These two teams are separated by 10 points in the BC Division standings with the Rockets sporting a record of 2-2-1 in the opening five games. Two of the five games have been decided in overtime with three of the five being one goal games. The Rockets play the Cougars three times in their next five games with the two hooking up in a two game set at CN Centre next weekend. Leif Mattson and Kyle Topping lead the team with 8 points apiece (3+5=8) against the Cougars, with Mattson, Topping, Nolan Foote and Lassi Thomson each scoring three goals in the five games.  The Rockets visit the Kamloops Blazers tomorrow night before welcoming the Western Conference leading Everett Silvertips this Wednesday.  The Rockets are 13-7-3-0 in 23 games under head coach Adam Foote.  

Who’s Hot: Lassi Thomson has 4 assists in his last 6 games…Nolan Foote has points in 7 of his last 10 games. Foote has 4+6=10 over that stretch...Leif Mattson has 8 goals in his last 13 games. The 19 year-old has registered at least one shot on goal in 36 of the teams 37 games this season. Kyle Topping has registered a point in 26 of the teams 37 games this season... The Rockets penalty killing unit is 33 for 36 in their last eight road games…The Rockets have points in 9 of their last 10 home games (8-1-1-0).  

Approaching Personal Bests: Liam Kindree is one point shy of the career high 27 points he put up last season. Kindree has 7+19=26 this season after accumulating 8+19=27 in 50 games a season ago…Nolan Foote has is one 19 goals this season, the same career high he had as a WHL rookie two seasons ago.

Broadcasters Notebook: The team has played 10-one goal games at home this season. Last year they played 15-one goal games at Prospera Place…the team has played in 7-one goal games on the road. After this weekend, the Rockets will play 10 games in 21 days starting next Wednesday against Everett to close out January…Dalton Gally had two assists against Kamloops last Saturday. Gally also had a two assist game vs. Victoria back on October 20th….The Rockets have six birthday’s in January which include Liam Kindree (Jan 2nd), Kris Mallette (Jan 19th – turns 4-0), Ethan Ernst and Dalton Gally (Jan 26th), Ted Brennan (Jan 28th) and Kaedan Korczak (January 29th)…Alex Swetlikoff made his WHL debut last Friday in KamloopsThe Rockets are sending a CHL high three players to the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game next month in Red Deer. Nolan Foote, Lassi Thomson and Kaedan Korczak will attend the game of the top 40 prospects. The game will take place January 23rd…Since going 1-8-0-0 to start the season, the team is 16-9-3-0 in their last 28 games….Kyle Topping’s goal Saturday was the 50th of his career…Leif Mattson has 5-two goal games this season. Four of those five-two goal games have come on the road…The Rockets added 17 year-old forward Alex Swetlikoff to the roster. The Kelowna resident was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a 4th round bantam pick. Swetlikoff was originally drafted in the third round by the Seattle Thunderbirds.….The Rockets are 7-8-2-0 against BC Division teams this season…Five members of the Kelowna Rockets have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s November “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 a second or third round candidate. Roman Basran/Lassi Thomson and Alex Swetlikoff are ‘C’ prospects, which means he could be taken in the third to the seventh round…Adam Foote was officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October 23, 2018 replacing Jason Smith.,,The Rockets are 5-8-1-0 when playing the second game of back-to-backs.

Season Highs/Lows:
Most goals scored: 8 @ Victoria October 19/18 (8-2 W)
Most goals allowed: 9 vs. Seattle October 10th, 2018 (9-6 L)
Most shots on net: 45 @ Seattle October 6th, 2018 (4-1 L).
Fewest shots on net: 13 @ Edmonton November 17, 2018 (3-1 L)
Most shots allowed: 50 @ Portland November 10, 2018 (3-0 L)
Fewest shots allowed: 16 vs. Victoria December 7, 2018 (2-0 win)
Last time shut out at home: October 3rd, 2018 vs. Vancouver (5-0 L)  
Last time shut out on road: November 10, 2018 @ Portland (3-0 L)
Last shutout at home: December 7, 2018 vs. Victoria (2-0 W - Roman Basran 16 saves)
Most power play goals allowed: 4 vs. Seattle October 10th, 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)
Overtime Games: @ Kamloops (3-2 Loss) December 28, 2018, vs. Saskatoon (5-4 Loss) December 1, 2018, @ Tri City Nov 30, 2018 (3-2 win), @ PG (4-3 Loss) November 14, 2018, vs. PG (4-3 win) October 27, 2018.  

Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150

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