Rockets get captain back

Captain Nolan Foote returns to the lineup Saturday

·        Tonight’s Preview: Two former NHL players meet tonight when Adam Foote’s Kelowna Rockets face Brent Sutter’s Red Deer Rebels. Both head coaches played over one thousand games at the NHL level, with Foote playing 1,154 games and Sutter suiting up for 1,111 contests. Both won two Stanley Cup titles. This is the lone meeting of the season between these two teams. Last season, the Rockets went into Red Deer on November 16/2018 and lost 7-0. Red Deer made two appearances at Prospera Place in the 2017-2018 season, with the Rockets winning 5-2 before suffering a 4-1 setback. The Rockets are playing game four of a five game home stand. Wednesday night, the team snapped a five game losing streak with an 8-3 win over the Tri City Americans. Pavel Novak had 1+4=5 while Matthew Wedman scored three times. The Calgary Hitmen pay a visits Monday for a 2 pm affair.

·        Who’s Hot: Pavel Novak has 2+8=10 in his last five games…Matthew Wedman has 6+9=15 in his last 12 games…Kyle Topping has 4+4=8 in his last 5 games.

·        Broadcasters Notebook: The Rockets have surrendered the opening goal in six straight games….The Rockets are 1-1-0-1 in three games against teams in the Central Division. That one win came against the Swift Current Broncos (3-2 OTW October 16, 2019). The one regulation loss came to the Medicine Hat Tigers (8-5 L November 8, 2019)….Matthew Wedman hits a milestone tonight. The 20 year-old plays in his 300^th career game….Tyson Feist plays in his 100^th career game tonight after breaking into the league with the Spokane Chiefs before eventually being dealt to the Regina Pats….With 16 games left in the regular season, 9 are on home ice with only 7 on the road. Those road stops include two in Victoria, two in Prince George and singles in Everett, Kamloops and Vancouver…After returning for one game after playing for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, Nolan Foote has missed 12 straight games with an injury. The Rockets are 9 and 16 in 25 games without him this season.…..The Rockets are 9-8-0-0 against teams in the US Division….The Rockets are now 19-5-0-0 when scoring the games first goal…The Rockets have played in 24-1 goal games this season, the most in the WHL…The Rockets are 10-14-1-1 against teams in the BC Division…The Rockets were 5-5-0-0 in December and 4-9-0-0 in January….Name the defenceman that played for the Rockets this season and the Rebels last season? The answer - Carsen Sass of the Moose Jaw Warriors.