Things that make go hmm...

• I came away impressed after speaking Saturday night with Spokane Chiefs forward Tyler Johnson. OK, the fact that he knew me by name gave him bonus points, but what a quality individual. The interview I conducted with the personable Johnson can be heard on 'WHL This Week-Radio Edition' this weekend with Jon Keen.
  
• I am amazed that Johnson is playing his 20 year-old season in the WHL. This guy should be playing pro somewhere. Johnson is as solid in the defensive zone as he is at the other end of the ice. Is he not the best overage player in the Western Conference?
• Thanks to the Chiefs, specifically Public Relation and Marketing Director Jay Stewart for his efforts in helping me get out of a jam in the broadcast booth Saturday night. Phone line issues in the building prevented us from calling the opening period. The Chiefs organization could have taken a 'to bad, so sad' approach over my dilemma, but took the time to help me out under somewhat stressful circumstances.
• After what happened Saturday night, I have a better appreciation for what an athlete feels if his routine is interrupted. It was tough getting back on track when the interview's you conducted and pre-game prep is all for not. Trying to pick up the ball and run with it after not witnessing the first period was tough to do.
  
• I've always heard of the tremendous rivalry the Spokane Chiefs have with the Tri City Americans, but now I know why. I knew the two centers were close in proximity, but not that close. After our game in Spokane, we drove to Kennewick that night, which is just a short two hours away.
• After three straight games south of the border, you really get to appreciate the passion of the American hockey fan. You don't find to many dead heads in the crowd. It's like they love to party and will take every opportunity to enjoy themselves, and if a hockey game is the place to do it, so be it. You can't but appreciate that unbridled enthusiasm.
• Annie Fowler of the Tri City Herald handed me an envelope before Sunday's game meaning one thing. The Tri City Herald 'Best of the West' poll is now being conducted. Fowler goes to great lengths to make sure every team has a say on the poll, which is a nice cross section between the media, players and coaches. It's nice to see in a time of slashing features and coverage, the Tri City Herald is still taking the time to conduct the survey. For Fowler, the poll is likely a labour of love. The poll comes out in February.
  
• The opposition player that impressed me the most over the three days was Americans forward Carter Ashton. I was told after the game that he can play better. Look out! This guy is a stud. Unfortunately because he played in Lethbridge and Regina, I never got to appreciate him as much when he was playing out east.
• The most disappointing opposition player over the three games? Burke Gallimore of the Seattle Thunderbirds was flat Friday night. The T-Birds leading scorer looked so uninspired and lethargic, I could only assume he was sick or hurt. If it is neither, lets hope for the T-Birds sake it was just a poor showing.
• Prior to this weekend, when was the last time the Rockets won all three games on the road during a stretch of three games in three nights? It was February 21st, 22nd and 23rd of 2009 when the Rockets beat Vancouver, Everett and Chilliwack.
• Zach Franko now has the third longest active point streak in the WHL. His 11 game stretch with at least a point is only outdone by Tri City Americans Brendan Shinnimin (17 games) and Spokane's Tyler Johnson (14 games).
• In case you are wondering, the longest point streak by a Rockets player last season was 21 straight games. Tyson Barrie had the longest streak in the WHL last season.
  
• The longest point streak in Rockets franchise history is held by Brett McLean. McLean went 24 straight games with a point.
• Speaking of Brendan Shinnimin. Had he not been suspended for 12 games this season, would he not be leading the WHL points parade? I gave him a hard time earlier this season, but no question he is a dynamic player.
• MacKenzie Johnston scored his first WHL goal Sunday in Tri City and who was in attendance to witness it? His dad Stan. Following the game, MacKenzie handed the puck over to his dad who brought it back home to Swift Current. A proud moment for the Johnston's know doubt. Stan came up to the broadcast booth to say hello before the puck dropped Sunday afternoon.
• Mike Callahan, the father of Rockets forward Mitchell Callahan, and his lovely wife attended all three games on the weekend and you couldn't help but notice that permanent smile on his face. He has to be one proud papa!
• Rockets goaltender Adam Brown informed me after Friday's win in Seattle that the team indeed won a game earlier this season wearing their red jersey. So, after three straight victories this weekend you can now make it four wins in the jersey I like the most.
• Coach Ryan Huska coached in his 250th WHL regular season game Friday in Seattle.
  

I like this mascot

'Winger' is the Tri City Americans mascot.

Gutsy effort, great weekend

• Opportunity knocked Sunday night and the Kelowna Rockets answered the door. The Rockets, playing their 4th game in five nights, used two goals from Zach Franko in a 4-3 win over the Tri City Americans. One of Franko's two goals came on a rare two-on-none breakaway with line-mate Mitchell Callahan. MacKenzie Johnston, with his first career goal in 89 games, and Jesse Astles also scored, snapping the Americans 13 game home ice winning streak.
• The Americans are usually opportunistic, but it was the Rockets that did a better job of capitalising on their opponents miscues. As mentioned, to see Franko and Callahan skating up ice on a breakaway with no American defenders in sight doesn't happen often. If you combine that gaffe with an off night from Tri City goaltender Drew Owsley, the Rockets were in a good position to beat the Americans at the Toyota Center for the first time since 2006.
  
• Jordon Cooke received the start in goal against the Americans and again proved he is more than a capable backup. Cooke wasn't required to make any highlight reel saves, but the Americans spent a significant amount of time buzzing inside the Rockets zone. Cooke also received some help from a cross bar when the Americans were trying to get back into the game on an extended 5 on 3.
• That 5 on 3 penalty kill was likely the turning point. The Rockets are leading 3-2 late in the second period before Jesse Astles is called for charging and then moments later Mitchell Chapman receives a high sticking minor. The Rockets kill off the 1:51 two man advantage and go into the second intermission up by a goal.
• Another sign of a tough night for the Americans was when Adam Hughesman is standing all alone in front of the Rockets net and shoots the puck off the post with Cooke at his mercy. That missed chance came in a one goal game and was just another sign that this wouldn't be the Americans night.
• I was really impressed by Carter Ashton. The Americans forward scored twice and showed no hesitation in shooting the puck. Rockets d-man Tyson Barrie didn't register a point in last night's win, but his main role was playing against Ashton on the Americans top line.
  
• Zach Franko now has an 11 game point streak. Franko has 6 goals in six games and has 7 goals and 8 assists in the month of January.
• Line mate Brett Bulmer has a seven game point streak. Bulmer has 3+8=11 over that stretch. Bulmer has 12 points in January.
• The coaching staff elected to put Franko on a line with Mitchell Callahan and Brett Bulmer. Forward Shane McColgan was bumped off that line.
• The number 13 played a prominent role in last night's game. The Rockets snapped the Americans home ice winning streak at 13 games. The Rockets handed the Americans their 13th loss of the season and the Rockets won for the 13th time on the road this season. I can't take credit for that observation. Americans broadcaster Craig West gets credit for pointing that out.
• Pat Smith was the lone referee Sunday night and once again he had a solid outing. Smith wasn't a factor in the game and simply let the two teams play. Good communication skills with the players and a non-cocky approach made him look like the veteran official that he is. What I liked most about Smith was his ability to communicate with the player who thought a penalty should be called. Smith has a quick word with him on why a call wasn't made and quickly skates back up the ice.
  
• A blue collar crowd attends Americans home games and the atmosphere in the building is second to none. They are a loud bunch and I love how they all stand on their feet in the final minute of the game as their team attempts to score the equalizing goal. Can you imagine if Rockets PA Announcer Bill Barnes yelled out over the sound system, "Get on your feet and help out your team". It wouldn't happen. In Tri City it works and you have to applaud the fans for getting behind their team.
  

Beating the big dog

Adam Brown.
Thank you!
The Kelowna Rockets goaltender literally stole two points out of Spokane Saturday night in a 5-3 win over the Chiefs. Brown was the best player on the ice - again - in the teams 26th win of the season. Brown made several solid stops while Brett Bulmer scored twice. Shane McColgan, Colton Heffley and Geordie Wudrick - into an empty net - helped the Rockets to their second win of the season in Spokane. It was the Chiefs 4th regulation loss at home this season.

• The Rockets were down 2-1 after the opening period despite being out-shot 17-3. The two teams were tied at three after 40 minutes after the Rockets killed off three consecutive power play chances by the Chiefs, including a short lived 5 on 3.

• Jesse Astles again held his own in a fight with WHL penalty minutes leader Darren Kramer. The two squared off at center ice in the second period and traded a few punches before giving each other the thumbs up in the penalty box. It was Kramer's 30th fighting major of the season.

• Zach Franko collected two assists extending his point streak to ten games.

• The Rockets have scored 17 goals in their last three games while surrendering just eight.

• The Rockets will try to win three straight games on the road Sunday night against the Tri City Americans. The last time they accomplished that feat was November 19th, 20th and 27th in an overtime win in Spokane.

• Unfortunately we were unable to broadcast the first period after some technical issues at the Spokane Arena. After getting things finally sorted out, we caught the final 40 minutes of the game.

Rockets snap two game road losing streak

• Zach Franko and Tyson Barrie each scored twice leading the Rockets to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday night. The win, the Rockets 25th of the season, snapped a two game road losing streak. The Rockets remain one point back of Vancouver for first place in the BC Division heading into Saturday's game in Spokane.
• A relentless fore check was one of the keys in the victory. The Rockets spent a significant amount of time in the T-Birds zone and ultimately exposed Seattle's defensive core. Mitchell Callahan got it started with his strong physical play and then others followed. Evan Bloodoff's late second period goal was a perfect example of the Rockets desire to win pucks. Line-mate Colton Sissons out-muscles at T-Birds defender in the corner, passes it out to Bloodoff, who fires his 11th past Seattle goaltender Calvin Pickard.
• Zach Franko is in a zone. The 17 year-old scored two power play goals, extending his point streak to a team high nine games. Franko now has four goals in his last four games after two goals against Portland and two against the T-Birds.
• It may have been done before, but I've never seen it until now. Rockets defenceman Tyson Barrie scores two late shorthanded goals into an empty net. The T-Birds, trailing by one late in the game, have a power play and a face-off deep inside the Rockets zone. Despite having just four defenders on the ice, Barrie finds the puck on his stick at the bottom half of the face-off circle and fires it the entire length of the ice and into the net, making it a 5-3 score. Then, with the goaltender pulled off the face-off at centre ice, Barrie again gets the puck on his stick just inside the Rockets blue line and does the same thing. That's two shorthanded goals in 51 seconds. Amazing.
• In case you are wondering , those two shorthanded goals in 51 seconds is no where close to a WHL record. The record for back-to-back shorthanded goals is 6 seconds. And its happened twice, in 1981 and again in 1987.
• On November 18, 1997, Rockets forward Brett McLean scored three shorthanded goals in a 5-4 win over Regina.
  
• The ShoWare Center came alive Friday night. The atmosphere was excellent as the fans enjoyed every aspect of the game. It was a great atmosphere as the T-Birds delivered a good product beyond the game itself. Everyone in my section was having fun, which goes a long way to those patrons returning in the future.
• The Rockets wore their third jersey last night against the T-Birds. It was the first time this season they have won wearing those uniforms.
  
• The team headed out for Spokane following the game and arrived here at around 3:30 am. The roads were excellent, and outside of some heavy rain at times, the sky was clear. If you are traveling late at night, the conditions couldn't have been any better for late January.
• The Rockets play the Chiefs tonight in a building they have won in before. The Rockets were a 3-2 overtime winner back on November 29th. Geordie Wudrick scored the game winner.
  

Welcome to Kent

• A cloudy, rainy day in Kent as the Rockets' prepare to open a U.S Division road trip tonight against the Seattle Thunderbirds. The T-Birds have made a few changes since we saw them a couple of weeks ago. Mitch Spooner was acquired from Regina while picking up d-man Ryan Botton from the Prince Albert Raiders. It was a clear indication the T-Birds were not happy with their blue line.
  
• The T-Birds have four players on NHL Central Scouting's list of the top players eligible for this upcoming draft. What is amazing is three of them are ahead of Rockets forward Shane McColgan.
• The Rockets should get some quality scoring chances tonight against the T-Birds. Seattle goaltender Calvin Pickard see's a lot of pucks. Pickard has made the most saves of any goaltender in the WHL. While Pickard has played five more games than Rockets number one goaltender Adam Brown, Pickard has made 576 more saves.
• T-Birds forward Burke Gallimore is tied for the league lead in power play goals with 16. Gallimore has been great in January with six goals and 14 points.
  
• Does 17 year-old Rockets forward Jesse Astles fight T-Birds tough guy Jake Doty tonight? Doty has 19 fighting majors this season. It could be a busy weekend for Astles, who faces Spokane's Darren Kramer tomorrow night. Kramer is the WHL penalty minutes leader.
• We are on the air at 7:05 tonight from the ShoWare Center. Colour analyst Gord McGarva is on the trip and will speak with Rockets athletic therapist Jeff Thorburn in the first intermission.
  

Rockets game notes vs. T-Birds

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Seattle Thunderbirds for the second time in two weeks at the ShoWare Centre. The T-Birds beat the Rockets 3-1 back on January 7^th. These two team’s opened the seasonal series back on December 1^st with the Rockets earning a 3-2 victory. The Rockets host the T-Birds March 16th. This is the first of three games in three nights. The Rockets are in Spokane Saturday before tangling with the Tri City Americans on Sunday. The Rockets then return home to host the Prince George Cougars Friday January 28^th.

Rockets recent game: Cody Chikie scored twice while Spencer Main had a career high four assists leading the Rockets to a 6-2 win Wednesday night over the Prince George Cougars. The Rockets had a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes and a 4-1 advantage after two periods. The Rockets were 2 for 7 on the power play. Adam Brown earned the win in goal, making 30 saves. Mitchell Callahan, Tyson Barrie and Andreas Stene had two point games.

Who’s Hot: Zach Franko is riding a team high eight game point streak, Franko has 3+6=9 over that period…Shane McColgan has 7+7=14 in his last ten games. McColgan has goals in five of his last nine games…Mitchell Callahan has 7+8=15 in his last sixteen games…Brett Bulmer has 5+11=16 in his last twelve games. Tyson Barrie is riding a four game point streak. Barrie has 2+7=9 over that period… Geordie Wudrick has nine goals in his last eleven games.

Who’s Not: Max Adolph has no goals in his last 25 games. Kevin Smith has one goal in his last 27 games.

This and That: Seventeen of Geordie Wudrick’s 24 goals (70.8%) have been scored on home ice… Zach Franko’s eight game point streak is one better than Shane McColgan and Tyson Barrie, who had seven game point streaks earlier this season…..The Rockets have allowed the second fewest goals against in the Western Conference this season (126). The Tri City Americans have allowed 125 goals against. Overall the Rockets have allowed the fifth fewest goals against in the WHL. Only Red Deer (102), Spokane (116), Medicine Hat (122) and Tri City (125) have allowed fewer…Mitchell Callahan and Tyson Barrie are tied for the team lead in multiple point games with eleven. Brett Bulmer has nine multiple point games…Jason Siebert is missing his 20^th straight games after undergoing surgery on his wrist….Adam Brown is third all-time on the Kelowna Rockets list of games played by a goalie. Brown has played 126 games, 3 fewer than second place Kristofer Westblom. The franchise leader is Kevin Swanson with 167 games played… The Rockets are 8 for 55 on the power play in their last eight games (14.5 %)…The Rockets have allowed the fewest goals against on the road in the WHL this season (54)….The Rockets have scored 48 more goals at home than on the road. The Rockets have played 24 games at home and 20 times on opposition ice…The Rockets are the only team in the WHL this season that have not lost in overtime or the shoot-out…The Rockets have been involved in fifteen-one goal games this season. The Rockets are 10-5-0-0 in those fifteen-one goal games…Adam Brown has started thirty of the last 34 games…The Rockets franchise played in its 1400^th regular season game December 14^th in Medicine Hat. The team has 721 regular season wins….Zak Stebner (311) is one of three Rockets with over 300 penalty minutes in their career. Mitchell Callahan (417) and Geordie Wudrick (360) are the others….The Rockets were 8 and 10 in 18 games this season without Tyson Barrie in the lineup. Barrie missed seven games at the start of the season with a hip injury and eleven games as a member of Team Canada… Second year forward Shane McColgan played in the CHL Home Hardware NHL/Top Prospects game Wednesday night in Toronto. McColgan was held off the score-sheet but participated in the fastest skater competition. McColgan is rated 102^nd among WHL players for this summer’s draft. Zach Franko and Jessey Astles are also rated….Brett Bulmer has two more goal than all of last season….Mitchell Chapman leads the team in +/- with a +9…Only four players have played in all 44 regular season games this season. They are Zach Franko, Kevin Smith, Evan Bloodoff and Spencer Main…The Rockets are 5-5-0-0 in ten games since returning from the Christmas break…The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals on home ice seven times this season…The Rockets have played a league low 20 games on the road this season. Regina and Prince George have also played just twenty road games this season….The Rockets have been afforded the most power play chances in the WHL this season. The Rockets have enjoyed 251 power play opportunities. Kamloops is next on that list with 245 chances….Defenceman Zak Stebner plays in his 250^th career WHL game tonight against the T-Birds.

Luke Schenn dances and does well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PXJRcNIBIpk

Brodsky on low crowds in Prince George

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I spoke to Prince George Cougars owner Rick Brodsky before Wednesday night's game in Kelowna. I asked him about the perceived dislike for ownership by Prince George hockey fans. The reason for the discussion was the sold out Subway Super Series game back on November 18th at the CN Centre followed by a Cougars home game a night later against the Rockets which drew just over 18 hundred fans.

"I've heard things in Prince George like, he's too cheap to do this or he doesn't do that. It's all hog wash. In all honesty, I don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. We win our share of games, we are out in the community and our players are going to hospitals and doing the same things other teams are doing in the league. So we are just holding our head up and are proud of what we do and the naysayers will either eventually come or they won't come."

"We are not threatening to leave or anything, but on some night's we are getting 16, 17 hundred in Prince George. We cannot sustain that..it's as simple as that. I have no plan to do anything rash except to have a better hockey team and make it succeed in Prince George."

An ugly win, but a win all the same

• Over the course of 72 regular season games, a team is going to play well and lose and play sub par and win. It would be safe to say the Kelowna Rockets have had better outings following a 6-2 victory Wednesday night over the visiting Prince George Cougars. The Rockets were counting their blessings being up 3-1 after twenty minutes before the penalty killing unit came alive in the second period by killing off essentially six minutes of power play time as the Cougars attempted to crawl back in the game.
• Cody Chikie had a two goal game with the 19 year-old having the best jump of any of the Rockets skaters in the opening twenty minutes. It was Chikie's third-two goal game of the season. He scored two goals in games against Portland and Kamloops.
• It would be safe to say Spencer Main had a quiet four assists. Tyson Barrie had four assists December 9/09 in a win over the Regina Pats.
• A high five to 16 year-old Rockets rookie Colton Heffley, who was involved in his first WHL fight with a 20 year-old. Cougars forward Taylor Stefishen dropped the gloves with Heffley in the third period in one of two scraps in the game.
• The biggest hit came courtesy of Cougars defenceman Jesse Forsberg on Rockets rookie Colton Sissons. Forsberg initiated a clean hit at center ice as Sissons was retrieving a pass. As soon as Forsberg threw the hit he was ready to engage with Rockets defenceman Kevin Smith who tangled with him in a scrap.
• While I criticized the officials following Saturday's game against Medicine Hat, I have to throw out a bouquet to veteran official Pat Smith for his performance Wednesday night. You didn't notice him, and that was a good thing. He called a solid game. I am under the belief that Smith calls a better game when he is the only official on the ice. Smith was the lone man wearing the orange arm band and he avoided over calling a game that he had no business doing.
• I had a really nice chat with Cougars owner Rick Brodsky before the game. Despite my years in the WHL, I have never spoken to the man. It was a pleasure talking to him and getting his take on what appears to be a hatred hockey fans of Prince George have towards the ownership group there. I will attempt to share the interview over the next couple of days.
• The lopsided score allowed the Rockets coaching staff to rest some of the players that will see a lot of ice time over the next three night's. Tyson Barrie saw little ice time in the third period as Colton Jobke, MacKenzie Johnston, Kevin Smith and Zach Stebner received the bulk of the workload. D-man Mitchell Chapman was hurt in the first period and didn't return after being hit into the boards by Cougars forward Jaroslav Vlach.
  
• Zach Franko now has the longest point streak of any Rockets player this season. The 17 year-old extended his point streak to eight games with an assist on Mitchell Callahan's third period goal.
• The win moved the Rockets into sole possession of second place in the BC Division, one point up on Prince George and one point back of Vancouver for first place in the division. The Rockets hold two games in hand on the Giants.
• Both team's played without a key offensive threat. The Rockets didn't have leading point producer Shane McColgan in the lineup while the Cougars were without leading goal scorer Brett Connolly. McColgan was at the Top Prospects Game in Toronto while Connolly watched from the press box after suffering an injury.
• The Rockets open a U.S Division road trip Friday night in Seattle. The team stops in Spokane Saturday before visiting the Tri City Americans on Sunday.
  

Rockets game notes vs. Cougars

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Prince George Cougars for the 6^th of 9 times this season. The Rockets are 4-1-0-0, having out-scored the Cougars 18-12. The Cougars only win came in a 6-2 victory at Prospera Place September 25^th. Following tonight’s game these two teams meet again January 28^th before closing out the seasonal series February 4^th and 5^th in Prince George. The Rockets will play the Cougars four times in their next nine games. This is the fourth and final game of a four game home stand. The Rockets are 2-1-0-0 with wins over Kamloops (8-1) and Portland (5-3) and a loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers (5-2). The Rockets are in Seattle Friday night before visiting Spokane on Saturday and Tri City on Sunday.

Rockets recent game: Tyson Barrie and Mitchell Callahan scored second period goals in a 5-2 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers Saturday night. The Tigers scored three of their five goals on the power play and chipped in with a shorthanded goal. The Rockets were 1 for 6 with the man advantage. Adam Brown made 25 saves in the loss.

Who’s Hot: Zach Franko is riding a seven game point streak, Franko has 3+5=8 over that period…Shane McColgan has 7+7=14 in his last ten games. McColgan has goals in five of his last nine games…Mitchell Callahan has 6+7=13 in his last fifteen games…Brett Bulmer has 4+11=15 in his last eleven games. Tyson Barrie has points in eight of his last eleven games (2+14=16)…Geordie Wudrick has nine goals in his last ten games.

Who’s Not: Max Adolph has no goals in his last 25 games. Kevin Smith has one goal in his last 26 games.

This and That: Zach Franko’s seven game point streak ties Shane McColgan and Tyson Barrie for the longest point streak for a Rockets player this season. McColgan has had seven game point streaks twice this season….The Rockets have allowed the second fewest goals against in the Western Conference this season (125). The Tri City Americans have also allowed 125 goals against. Overall the Rockets have allowed the fourth fewest goals against in the WHL. Only Red Deer (102), Spokane (116) and Medicine Hat (122) have allowed fewer…The Rockets have scored a power play goal in four of the five games against the Cougars. The Rockets are 6 for 23 (26.1%) in the seasonal series while the Cougars are 3 for 19 (15.8%) and have failed to score a power play goal in three of the five games….Mitchell Callahan, Shane McColgan and Tyson Barrie are tied for the team lead in multiple point games with ten. Brett Bulmer has nine multiple point games…Jason Siebert is missing his 19^th straight games after undergoing surgery on his wrist….Adam Brown is third all-time on the Kelowna Rockets list of games played by a goalie. Brown has played 125 games, 4 fewer than second place Kristofer Westblom. The franchise leader is Kevin Swanson with 167 games played… The Rockets are 6 for 48 on the power play in their last eight games (12.5 %)…The Rockets have allowed the fewest goals against on the road in the WHL this season (54)….The Rockets have scored 42 more goals at home than on the road. The Rockets have played 23 games at home and 20 times on opposition ice…The Rockets are the only team in the WHL this season that have not lost in overtime or the shoot-out…Geordie Wudrick has 24 goals this season in 42 games. Last season, Wudrick scored 19 goals in 38 regular season games after being acquired from Swift Current…The Rockets have been involved in fifteen-one goal games this season. The Rockets are 10-5-0-0 in those fifteen-one goal games…Adam Brown has started twenty-nine of the last 33 games…The Rockets franchise played in its 1400^th regular season game December 14^th in Medicine Hat. The team has 721 regular season wins….Zak Stebner (311) is one of three Rockets with over 300 penalty minutes in their career. Mitchell Callahan (417) and Geordie Wudrick (356) are the others….The Rockets were 8 and 10 in 18 games this season without Tyson Barrie in the lineup. Barrie missed seven games at the start of the season with a hip injury and eleven games as a member of Team Canada… Second year forward Shane McColgan is playing in the CHL Home Hardware NHL/Top Prospects game tonight in Toronto. Forty of the top players eligible for this summer’s draft are participating in the two day event (Jan 18-19) at the Air Canada Centre. McColgan is rated 102^nd among WHL players for this summer’s draft. Zach Franko and Jessey Astles are also rated….Brett Bulmer has one more goal than all of last season….Mitchell Chapman leads the team in +/- with a +9…Only four players have played in all 43 regular season games this season. They are Zach Franko, Kevin Smith, Evan Bloodoff and Spencer Main…The Rockets are 4-5-0-0 in nine games since returning from the Christmas break. Interestingly, the Cougars are also 4-5-0-0 since the Christmas hiatus.

McColgan will show speed at Top Prospects

The Canadian Hockey League today announced the four events and participants for the 2011 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Skills Competition set for Tuesday January 18 at 7:00 pm at Air Canada Centre.
Kelowna Rockets forward Shane McColgan will participate in the fastest skater competition.
Forty of the CHL’s top prospects eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft have been divided into four different events including the Fastest Skater, Hardest Shot, Shooting Accuracy, and a Showdown Breakaway Contest.
Following the four events, all participants will have the ability to showcase their skills in a 3-on3 game before fans and scouts in attendance.

Things that make go hmm...

• Now that the Winter Classic in Spokane is over, mixed reviews are coming in for the first ever outdoor hockey game between the Spokane Chiefs and Kootenay Ice. From all accounts the fans enjoyed the game despite watching from afar. The placement of the ice in relation to the grandstand seating in the ball park made it difficult and it was suggested that more grandstand seating should have been available around the end boards. Despite the lopsided score, this was a first for the WHL and I can only see things improving now that the first one is behind them.
• Would we ever see an outdoor game in Kelowna? Would the Apple Bowl be an ideal location? It was suggested that had the ice surface been larger at Stewart Park across from city hall a game could have been hosted there. Could you imagine the visual of a WHL game taking place on the shore of Okanagan Lake? Obviously the ice surface is smaller than regulation size at Stewart Park because of the land the city had to work with in that area.
  
• Officiating. Let's go there for a moment. A real tough night for those that witnessed the Rockets loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers. Suspect calls and just poor management on the ice made for a tough evening for Zalaski and Thurston. No question these officials are going to make mistakes, but they were simply too involved in a game that could have been better settled by the two combatants. It's not the ratio of calls made that gets my goat as much as the missed infractions or phantom calls.
  
• I would love to know the winning percentage when a team scores 5 on 3 and what the losing percentage is when you fail to score with the same luxury. Even in a scoreless tie, I would put my money on the team that doesn't score to lose the game. It just seems to work out that way.
  
• Now that Gregg Drinnan's situation is over, life is back to normal in Kamloops. Or is it? Drinnan was reinstated and will have access to the team, but the relationship will never be the same. If it was bad to begin with, it is only worse now. Drinnan will be given the cold shoulder no matter how negative or positive his reporting is. As Drinnan said himself, he is not changing the way he covers the team, and why should he? If he turned it 'Positive Paul', the damage has been done and he will never be in the good books of the Blazers. Maybe he never was?
  
• Scary crowd in Swift Current Sunday night. Under 18 hundred fans watched the Rebels beat the Broncos. My greatest fear is that number may become a common theme for the remainder of the season following the trade of Cody Eakin. The more urgent matter is getting the Broncos into the playoffs. A post season birth is critical for a small market team to pad their bottom line. No playoff revenue for three straight seasons would hurt even a large market team. Am I quietly cheering for that team? You bet. I want it to remain strong in that community for years to come. Somebody tell me it will all be OK?
  
• I am interested to see what the attendance will be like in Cranbrook once Eakin is healthy enough to play. His Kootenay Ice debut isn't that one that interests me, but a game or two after that....once the honeymoon is over. Do the hockey fans in Cranbrook grasp the magnitude of that trade and the elite team GM Jeff Chynoweth has build there? As one media type said to me on the weekend, "outside of Eakin, I would be hard pressed to name three players on the Ice roster." He isn't joking. The Ice get little media attention and just go about their business with little fanfair. I will be interested to see how the community rallies around the team when we visit on February 22nd.
• Who selects the warm up music at Kelowna Rockets home games? Is it the players? If so, an interesting, yet odd selection is played when the two teams enter the ice surface. Take a listen and let me know what you think.
• I understand their have been some problems with the sound quality of our webcasts. The sound is often distorted or over modulated. I think we've detected the problem. It appears the mics on the camera's being used near the broadcast booth are picking up unwanted crowd noise and are picking up our voices from ten feet away. The result is a 'muddy' sound. Hopefully turning off those camera mic's will improve the sound. If you notice and difference or none whatsoever, let me know.
• Are you getting this sneaking suspicion that the team that wins the BC Division this season won't even have 40 victories? It's happened before where a team wins under 40 games yet captures a divisional title. The Everett Silvertips won just 35 games to capture the US Division title in 2003-2004. The lowest point total I can find of a team winning a divisional crown was the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1976-77. The Tigers had just 32 wins and 76 points that season and won the Central Division. They were quickly ousted in four games in the opening round of the playoffs.