Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Rockets vs. T-Birds

Shoot the Breeze Photography

Game Day Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Seattle Thunderbirds for the fourth and final time this season. The Rockets are 1-2-0-0 in the seasonal series with 4-1 and 9-6 losses and a 3-1 win in Seattle back on November 9th. Kyle Topping has 2+5=7 in the three games while Leif Mattson has 2+3=5. Roman Basran has seen action in all three games, posting a 1-2-0-0 record with a goals against average of 3.69 and a save percentage of .890. The Rockets power play is 4 for 12 (33.3%) vs. the T-Birds. Of the 24 goals scored between the two teams in the three games, 11 have been on the power play. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Spokane Friday for the first of four meetings between the only team they have failed to play this season. The Rockets return home to host the Kamloops Blazers Saturday night. The Rockets are coming off a 4-3 shootout win in Vancouver Sunday night. Kyle Topping had two goals while Leif Mattson has three assists. Mattson was named the first star after scoring the lone goal in the shootout. Overall, the Rockets are 4-7-1-1 in 13 games since the Christmas break. The Rockets are 16-14-3-1 in 34 games under head coach Adam Foote. 

Who’s Hot: Kyle Topping has 6+8=14 in his last 12 games…Nolan Foote has 6+6=12 in his last 10 games….Lassi Thomson has 4+3=7 in his last 10 games…The Rockets penalty killing unit is 43 for 53 in their last 12 road games…The Rockets have points in 11 of their last 15 home games (9-4-2-0).
  
Broadcasters Notebook: Trevor Wong is back with the Rockets this evening. The 15 year-old will suit up for his second game in the WHL after making his debut October 27th against Prince George. Wong was the Rockets first round pick (18th) in the 2018 WHL bantam draft….The Rockets have 20 games left in the regular season. Of those 20, 12 are against teams in the BC Division…The team will play three games in three nights March 1st, 2nd and 3rd…..The team has been out-shot in 11 of the last 12 games…The Rockets are 5-7-0-0 in 12 games against a US Division team this season. Three of the four wins have come against Tri City with a single victory over Everett and Seattle…The team plays 8 more games against US Division rivals with four games against Spokane, two with Portland and a single against Everett and Seattle.…The Rockets have played 14-one goal games at home this season. Last year they played 15-one goal games at Prospera Place…The team has played in nine-one goal games on the road…The Rockets are 8-12-2-1 against BC Division teams this season…Five members of the Kelowna Rockets have made NHL Central Scouting’s latest rankings. Lassi Thomson is rated 14th, Nolan Foote is ranked 26th and Kaedan Korczak is 31st. Kyle Topping is 195th while Alex Swetlikoff is 217th, Among goalies, Roman Basran is 11th among North American netminders…..Adam Foote was officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October 23, 2018 replacing Jason Smith.,,The Rockets are 7-11-1-0 when playing the second game of back-to-backs.

New Boys on Blue Line: The team acquired 20 year-old Shael Higson from the Brandon Wheat Kings for 20 year-old Braydyn Chizen and a 5th round bantam pick. The team then claimed 20 year-old defenceman Matt Barberis off waivers from the Vancouver Giants. To make room for Barberis, the team released overage forward Lane Zablocki, who is now with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.

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)
Last shutout on the road: January 18, 2019 @ Everett (2-0 W – James Porter 40 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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