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| Rockets game winner Saturday - Shoot the Breeze Photo |
Game Day Preview: The Kelowna Rockets
face the Spokane Chiefs for the second of four times this season. The Rockets
and Chiefs met last Friday in Spokane, with the Chiefs earning a 4-0 victory.
It marked the 5th time this season the Rockets have been shut out
this season. These two teams close out the seasonal series in Spokane February
22nd before meeting again at Prospera Place on March 13th.
The Rockets are coming off a 2-1 overtime win against the Kamloops Blazers
Saturday night. Lassi Thomson scored the game winning goal on the power play
while 15 year-old Trevor Wong scored his first career WHL goal, also on the
power play, in the one goal win. Following tonight’s game, the Rockets host
Prince George Friday before traveling to Kamloops to face the Blazers on
Saturday. Overall, the Rockets are 5-8-2-1 in 16 games since the Christmas
break. The Rockets are 17-15-4-1 in 37 games under head coach Adam Foote.
Who’s Hot: Kyle Topping has
6+9=15 in his last 15 games…Nolan Foote has 6+7=13 in his last 12 games….Lassi
Thomson has 5+3=8 in his last 13 games…The Rockets penalty killing unit is 45
for 55 in their
last 13 road games…The Rockets have points in 13 of their last
17 home games (10-4-3-0).
Broadcasters Notebook: Nineteen year-old
forward Connor Bruggen-Cate has been suspended for two games by the WHL for
‘actions in game’ against the Kamloops Blazers Saturday night. Bruggen-Cate
will miss tonight’s game and Friday’s against Prince George. Blazers d-man
Montana Onyebuchi was also suspended two games for his third period attack on
Bruggen-Cate….Tonight’s game is very unique as it marks the first time that
three Kelowna players are on the ice surface at Prospera Place in a WHL game.
Rockets forward Alex Swetlikoff was born in Kelowna while Chiefs forwards Jack
Finley and Eli Zummack also call Kelowna home. Findley was born in St. Louis
while his father was playing in the NHL….Dan Lambert returns to his old
stomping grounds tonight. The second year head coach of the Spokane Chiefs
spent six seasons with the Rockets coaching staff, five as an assistant to Ryan
Huska and one as a head coach in 2015….The Rockets have 17 games left in the
regular season. Of those 17, 11 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 13 of the last 15 games…The
Rockets are 5-8-1-0 in 14 games against a US Division team this season. Four of the five wins have come against Tri City with a single victory over Everett
and Seattle…The team plays 6 more games against US Division rivals with three
games against Spokane, two with Portland and a single against Everett.…The
Rockets have played 16-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 9-12-2-1 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 8-11-1-0 when playing the second game of back-to-backs….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: February
1, 2019 @ Spokane (4-0 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 (7): vs. Kamloops (2-1 W) February 2, 2019, vs. Seattle (3-2 Loss) January
30, 2019, @ 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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