Rockets game notes vs. Wheat Kings

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play their 5^th home game of the season tonight when they welcome the Brandon Wheat Kings. This is the one and only meeting of the season between the two teams. In their last visit, October 26/2010, Mark Stone scored once and added an assist in a 3-1 win. Shane McColgan scored the lone goal in a losing cause. Neither of those players are with those two teams. Last season, in Brandon, the Wheat Kings earning a 5-3 win. Colton Sissons scored twice while Carter Rigby added his 9^th of the season in a losing cause. Following tonight’s game, the Rockets head out on a Central Division road trip which starts Wednesday in Medicine Hat. The trip includes stops in Red Deer, Edmonton and Calgary. Overall, the Rockets have won four of their last seven games. The Rockets next home game is November 1^st against the visiting Kamloops Blazers.

This and That: In the Rockets 5 wins this season, Myles Bell has earned 15 points (6+9=15). Of the 25 goals scored by the team, Bell has been in on 15 of them or 60 percent…Bell has 8+11=19 after 11 games this season. Last season after 11 games, Bell had 4+7=11….Colton Sissons is a +8 in the month of October. The Rockets captain has 6+5=11 in October after going scoreless in four games in September. Sissons leads the Rockets in +/- with a +9…Ryan Olsen is serving game two of a three game suspension for a high hit against Victoria last Saturday. Olsen leads the team in power play goals with three. Last season Colton Sissons led the team in power play goals with 13…Dylen McKinlay has a five game point streak. McKinlay has 2+6=8 in his last five games…Myles Bell has 7+15=17 in his last eight games….Colton Sissons has the longest point streak of any Rockets player this season (6)…The Rockets are 5-5-0-1 after eleven games this season. They were 4-6-0-1 after eleven games last season…Five of the Rockets first eleven games have been decided by a single goal….The Rockets were involved in a whopping 37-one goal games last season…In November the team plays eight of 11 games on home ice…Dylen McKinlay has four multiple point games this season and has twelve points in his last eight games (3+9=12)…Zach Franko has missed the last two game with an undisclosed injury. Franko was hurt last Friday in Victoria, snapping his consecutive game streak at 153 straight regular season games…Did you know that Kelowna Rockets defenceman Damon Severson was born in Brandon? While he was raised in Melville Saskatchewan, the 18 year-old was born in the Manitoba city… Tyrell Goulbourne, J.T Barnett and rookie Austin Glover are the only three skaters that have failed to find the score sheet this season…The Rockets have scored 20 goals in their last five games. Bell (4), Sissons and Chartier (3 each), Franko, Severson and McKinlay (2 each) and Lees and Nyberg (1 each) lead the way.         

Rockets Prospects Recognized: Two prospects with the Kelowna Rockets will participate in the upcoming Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup. Nick Merkley will play for Team Alberta while Joe Gatenby will suit up for Team BC. Merkley was the Rockets 1^st round pick in the 2012 WHL bantam draft while Gatenby was taken in the second round. The U-16 Challenge Cup takes place Nov 1^st to 4^th in Calgary.   

Milestone Makers:

Zach Franko played in his 150^th career game October 5/12 in Prince George.

Dylen McKinlay played in his 250^th career WHL regular season game September 22/2012

Ryan Olsen is five games shy of 150 for his career. This is game #146 tonight.

Myles Bell played in his 200^th career WHL game Thursday against Prince George.

J.T Barnett has scored 46 career WHL goals.

Colton Sissons has 96 career points.

Three Stars       1^st      2^nd        3^rd   

Jordon Cooke:   3                     1    

Colton Sissons: 1         1

Madison Bowey:                       1

Zach Franko:               1            1           

Myles Bell:         1        2           1

Rourke Chartier:                        1      

Dylen McKinlay            1           1

Damon Severson                      1

Oilers head scout on Madison Bowey

Edmonton Oilers head scout Stu MacGregor was one of several scouts at the Kelowna Rockets game last night against Prince George. I spoke to MacGregor about Madison Bowey, the highest rated Rocket heading into the 2013 NHL Draft.

"I saw Madison this summer at the Canadian Under 18 camp. This is the first game seeing him in Kelowna. We had some interest in him following him last year and seeing like he had some tools that would make him a prospect. Obviously at the Under 18 camp he showed that and was able to make that team and go to the Ivan Hlicka. He is one of the guys we will be following certainly through the year."

What does Bowey need to work on?
 
"Again it's consistency. I like his size. I like how hard he works.  I think everyone can become a better skater. When he keeps his game within himself and doesn't do too much....the best way to impress the coach is to be real simple, real good and make smart sharp plays."        



    

Game notes vs. Cougars

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play their 4^th home game of the season tonight when they welcome the Prince George Cougars to Prospera Place. The Rockets lone win in three home games came against the Vancouver Giants in a 7-0 victory back on October 3^rd. The Rockets have lost 3-2 to Kamloops and 6-4 to Spokane on home ice. This is the third meeting of the season between the Rockets and Cougars. These two teams met October 5^th and 6^th in Prince George, with the Cougars winning 6-3 before the Rockets rebounded with a 7-5 win. Following tonight’s game, these two teams won’t play one another until November 3rd when the Cougars make a return visit. Last season the Rockets were 2-2-0-0 in four home games and out-scored their BC Division rivals 12-10 in those four home dates. Overall, the Rockets have won three of their last six games.

This and That: Myles Bell leads the WHL in scoring by defenceman. Bell has 6+11=17 in ten games this season…Bell leads the Rockets in both goals (6) and assists (11)….Amazingly, only one of Bell’s six goals have come on the power play…Ryan Olsen leads the team in power play goals with three. Last season Colton Sissons led the team in power play goals with 13…Dylen McKinlay has a four game point streak. McKinlay has 2+5=7 in his last four games…Myles Bell has 5+15=15 in his last seven games….Colton Sissons had his season high six game point streak snapped Saturday in a 3-2 loss in Victoria. Sissons had 5+7=12 over that period…The Rockets are 4-5-0-1 after ten games this season. They were 3-6-0-1 after ten games last season…Five of the Rockets first ten games have been decided by a single goal….The Rockets were involved in a whopping 37-one goal games last season…In November the team plays eight of 11 games on home ice…Dylen McKinlay has four multiple point games this season and has eleven points in his last seven games (3+8=11)…Zach Franko didn’t play Saturday in Victoria, snapping his consecutive game streak at 153 straight regular season games…Jackson Whistle earned his first win in a Rockets uniform Friday in a 4-1 victory over the Royals…Rookie Cole Linaker earned his first career WHL point Saturday with an assist.  Tyrell Goulbourne, J.T Barnett and rookie Austin Glover are the only three skaters that have failed to find the score sheet this season.       

Let’s Make a Deal: The Kelowna Rockets traded 17 year-old Austin Ferguson to the Red Deer Rebels last Wednesday for a condition WHL bantam pick. Ferguson was a 10^th round pick in the 2010 draft. Ferguson was second in pre-season scoring but dressed in only two of seven games this season.

Rockets Prospects Recognized: Two prospects with the Kelowna Rockets will participate in the upcoming Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup. Nick Merkley will play for Team Alberta while Joe Gatenby will suit up for Team BC. Merkley was the Rockets 1^st round pick in the 2012 WHL bantam draft while Gatenby was taken in the second round. The U-16 Challenge Cup takes place Nov 1^st to 4^th in Calgary.   

Milestone Makers:

Zach Franko played in his 150^th career game October 5/12 in Prince George.

Dylen McKinlay played in his 250^th career WHL regular season game September 22/2012

Ryan Olsen is five games shy of 150 for his career. This is game #146 tonight.

Myles Bell has played 199 career WHL games. This is game #200 tonight.

J.T Barnett has scored 46 career WHL goals.

Colton Sissons has 95 career points.

Three Stars       1^st      2^nd        3^rd    

Jordon Cooke:   2                     1    

Colton Sissons: 1         1

Madison Bowey:                       1

Zach Franko:               1            1           

Myles Bell:         1        1           1

Rourke Chartier:                        1       

Dylen McKinlay            1

Damon Severson                      1

 

The good, bad and ugly on the weekend

The Good:

Goaltender Jackson Whistle earned his first victory with the Kelowna Rockets Friday night in a 4-1 win in Victoria. Whistle made 20 saves in the win, his first and second career WHL victories. The Rockets need Whistle to push starter Jordon Cooke by proving to his teammates and the coaching staff that he deserves more than the occasional start.

The penalty killing unit was very good on the weekend. In two games the Rockets faced 12 shorthanded situation and killed off 11 of them. The only power play they surrender was the game winner Saturday night when Ben Walker scored with just over two minutes left in regulation time. The PK unit also killed of a critical five minute major penalty assessed to Ryan Olsen in the third period.

Rockets forward Tyrell Goulbourne challenged Royals d-man Keegan Kanzig in a bout Friday night. While Goulbourne didn't dominate the 'giant' to the extent he did last season, anytime Goulbourne challenges someone who is 6'6 and 242 pounds, you have to appreciate his courage.  

The Victoria Royals fans. I believe the Royals have the best fans in the BC Division. They are definitely the loudest. The fans in Victoria come to the arena to have fun. They participate in all areas of the game. They jeer the opposition team. They cheer loudly when the little tykes hockey is played in the intermission and they are participatory when the dance cam comes a calling. The fans in Victoria come as close too an American fan base as I've seen on this side of the 49th parallel.  


The Bad:

Ryan Olsen received a five minute major and game misconduct after hitting Royals defenceman Joe Hicketts in the third period in Saturday's 3-2 loss. The hit to the head is frowned upon by the WHL and will bring a suspension to the 18 year-old forward. Olsen should get a minimum of three games for the hit.   

Royals Tim Traber likes to stir the pot, but I wasn't impressed when he punched Goulbourne when the two were apparently tied up by the linesman after a scrap. That's just cheap. I'd expect that from a rookie, not a 19 year old veteran. As comedian Russell Peters likes to say, "Be a man".


Zach Franko's consecutive games played streak ended Saturday night. Franko didn't play after receiving a hit in Friday's 4-1 win. Up to that point, the 19 year-old had played 153 consecutive games, which means he hadn't missed a regular season game in two years.    


The Ugly:

The Rockets are still taking untimely penalties, which in the end are costing them points in the standings. For the third time this season a Rockets player takes a bad penalty late in the game, resulting in a goal against. Damon Severson was the guilty party Saturday when he took a penalty late in the third period in a 2-2 game. With Severson in the box, Ben Walker scores with game winner and the Rockets leave the building without a point.

The schedule. Over the last three weekends, the Rockets have been on the road. Stops in Portland, Prince George and now Victoria takes its toll. Since opening night, the Rockets have played seven of their first ten games on the road. That's a lot of bus time. After a short two game home stand this week with games against Prince George and Brandon, it is back on the road for games in Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Edmonton and Calgary next week to bring the month of October to an end.

Game notes vs. Royals

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play their 6^th road game of the season tonight with a stop in Victoria to face the Royals. This is the first of two stops in Victoria this season. The Rockets make a return visit for back-to-back games February 22^nd and 23^rd.  These two teams are meeting for the first of eight times this season. Oddly, the Royals don’t visit Prospera Place until January 2^nd. Last season the Rockets were 1-3-0-0 at home against the Royals and 2-1-1-0 on the Island. Five of the eight games were decided by a single goal. Overall, the Rockets were out-scored 28-27 in the seasonal series. The Rockets are coming off a 6-4 home ice loss Wednesday night to the Spokane Chiefs. Ryan Olsen scored twice and Myles Bell added three assists in the setback. Following tonight’s game, the Rockets meet the Royals again tomorrow night before welcoming the Prince George Cougars in a rare Thursday (October 18^th) night game at Prospera Place. Overall, the Rockets have won three of their last five games.

This and That: The Rockets have allowed 21 goals against in their first five road games…The Rockets have scored 19 goals on the road in their first five games…Defenceman Myles Bell leads the WHL in scoring heading into this weekend. Bell has 5+9=14 and is tied with Blazers forward J.C Lipon for the league lead. Bell also leads all defenceman in scoring. The 19 year-old has 12 points in his last five games….Colton Sissons is riding a team high six game point streak with 4+7=11 over that period…Goaltender Jordon Cooke has played the second most minutes of any goaltender in the WHL this season. The 19 year-old has started all seven games and has racked up 442 minutes in goal. Only Tri City’s Eric Comrie has spent more time in goal (484) than Cooke….The Rockets are 3-4-0-1 after eight games this season. They were 3-4-0-1 after eight games last season…Four of the Rockets first eight games have been decided by a single goal….The Rockets were involved in a whopping 37-one goal games last season…The Rockets have surrendered 30 goals in the first eight games this season. Last season the team surrendered 35 goals after eight games…The Rockets open a portion of their schedule playing six of their next eight games on the road. When it is all said and done, the Rockets will have played 11 of their first 16 games away from Prospera Place…In November the team plays eight of 11 games on home ice…The Rockets have opened the scoring in five of the first eight games…Dylen McKinlay has four multiple point games this season and has nine points in his last five games (2+7=9).   

Let’s Make a Deal: The Kelowna Rockets traded 17 year-old Austin Ferguson to the Red Deer Rebels Wednesday for a condition WHL bantam pick. Ferguson was a 10^th round pick in the 2010 draft. Ferguson was second in pre-season scoring but dressed in only two of seven games this season.

For Whom the Bell Tolls: Myles Bell has 23-multiple point games in his WHL career. The 19 year-old is one of three Rockets with over 100 points in his WHL career. Bell has 119 points. Dylen McKinlay has 122 points while Zach Franko hit the 100 point plateau last weekend and now has 101 career points.   

Game notes vs. Chiefs

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play their third home game of the regular season tonight by welcoming the Spokane Chiefs. Five of the team’s first seven games have been on the road this season. These two teams are meeting for the first of four times in 2012-2013. The seasonal series continues January 16^th at Prospera Place before concluding with two games at Spokane’s Memorial Arena January 18^th and February 6^th. These two teams met four times last season with the Rockets winning twice and losing twice. Overall, the Chiefs out-scored the Rockets 13-10. Following tonight’s game, the Rockets are back on the road for back-to-back games in Victoria before hosting Prince George in a rare Thursday (October 18^th) night game at Prospera Place. Overall, the Rockets have won three of their last four games and are coming off a 7-5 win in Prince George Saturday night.   

This and That: Myles Bell and Colton Sissons are top ten in WHL scoring. Bell (5^th) has 5+6=11 while Sissons (8^th) has 3+8=11 in seven games. Coincidentally, the two are line mates…Bell has 9 points in his last four games….Sissons is riding a four game point streak with 3+7=10 over that period…Bell is tied with Brandon’s Ryan Pulock for the WHL lead in scoring by defenceman. Both have 11 points on the season….Colton Sissons has eight assists this season, which is over half the 15 assists he recorded last season…Goaltender Jordon Cooke has played the second most minutes of any goaltender in the WHL this season. The 19 year-old has started all seven games and has racked up 382 minutes in goal. Only Tri City’s Eric Comrie has spent more time in goal (484) than Cooke….The Rockets are 3-3-0-1 after seven games this season. They were 3-4-0-0 after seven games last season…The Rockets have put up seven goals against Prince George and Vancouver this season. Last season they managed the feat only once, against Prince George….Four of the Rockets first seven games have been decided by a single goal….The Rockets were involved in a whopping 37-one goal games last season…The Rockets have surrendered 24 goals in the first seven games this season. Last season the team surrendered 31 goals after seven games…After tonight’s game the Rockets play six of their next eight games on the road. When it is all said and done, the Rockets will have played 11 of their first 16 games away from Prospera Place…In November the team plays eight of 11 games on home ice…The Rockets have opened the scoring in five of the first seven games.     

For Whom the Bell Tolls: Myles Bell has 22-multiple point games in his WHL career. The 19 year-old is 5^th in league scoring while playing on a forward line with Colton Sissons and Dylen McKinlay. Bell is one of three Rockets with over 100 points in his WHL career. Bell has 116 points. Dylen McKinlay has 119 points while Zach Franko hit the 100 point plateau last weekend and now has 101 career points.    

New Faces Emerge: The Kelowna Rockets were one of the most active teams obtaining players before the puck dropped on the 2012-2013 season. The Rockets acquired two 20 year-old players in separate deals last Thursday. J.T Barnett was acquired from the Everett Silvertips off waivers while Dylen McKinlay was picked up from the Kootenay Ice for a 5^th round bantam pick. Goaltender Jackson Whistle was acquired from Vancouver for a third round bantam pick. Ryan Olsen was picked up in the Shane McColgan/Jessey Astles deal.    

Milestone Makers:

Zach Franko played in his 150^th career game Friday night in Prince George.

Dylen McKinlay played in his 250^th career WHL regular season game September 22/2012

Ryan Olsen is eight games shy of 150 for his career. This is game #143 tonight.

Myles Bell has played 196 career WHL games. This is game #197 tonight.

J.T Barnett has scored 46 career WHL goals.

Three Stars       1^st      2^nd        3^rd   

Jordon Cooke:   2                     1    

Colton Sissons:           1

Madison Bowey:                       1

Zach Franko:               1            1           

Myles Bell:         1        1

Rourke Chartier:                        1      

Will Nic Kerdiles wear the colours of the Kelowna Rockets?

The waiting game begins for the Kelowna Rockets. Will 18 year-old Nic Kerdiles be arriving in the Okanagan in the next week to ten days?
Who knows?
The Anaheim Ducks 2nd round pick in this summers draft has been suspended by the NCAA and the Wisconsin Badgers, the team Kerdiles was expected to play with this season, is appealing the decision. If the NCAA stands firm, you would think the Ducks prospect would be headed to Kelowna rather than sit out an entire year of hockey. Why are the Kelowna Rockets in such a position to acquire a marquee player like Kerdiles? Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey shook the dice back in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft by selecting the California resident in the 8th round, just ahead of Damon Severson. Severson, a 2nd round pick of New Jersey, was taken in the 9th round that year.
What would it mean to land a player like Kerdiles? Without question he would be on the Rockets top line and would chew up huge minutes. He would add depth to a forward core which lost 20 year-old J.T Barnett in the season opener and was forced to move d-man Myles Bell to the forward position with great success.
The Rockets are no strangers to landing NCAA talent. Chuck Kobasew left Boston College to score 41 goals in 2001-2002 while Duncan Keith bolted from Michigan State after Christmas and was part of a WHL championship team in 2003.     
Is Nic Kerdiles the next player to join that list?
Tick-tock. The waiting game begins.

I'm eating my words. I won't bad mouth PG again.

I've said it. I will admit it. In the past, I have joined the chorus of critical comments about the city of Prince George. I've laughed with others about the odd smell, the cold weather and the gang activity that gives the northern city its black eye. I was eating crow Friday morning though, when my good friend and Prince George media mogul Al Bristowe took me for a round of golf at Aberdeen Glen. When the WHL schedule was released in early August, Bristowe quickly suggested we go golfing when the Kelowna Rockets made a visit to 'Cougar Country' in early October. At first hesitant, I was expecting a cold, miserable outing, but I thought this would be a good opportunity to say, "I golfed in the snow in Prince George". What I wasn't ready for was a spectacular golf course on the outskirts of Prince George that is as good a 'track' (golf expression) as you are going to find - anywhere. Ya, anywhere. The weather was a chilly +2 at tee-off but quickly warmed up after the sun came streaming through the fog as we completed the second hole. What Aberdeen Glen had to offer blew me away.
Let me go back for a second.
Friendly staff greeted us. Customer service and smiles in the pro shop was a great start. Shaking hands with three staff members as Al introduced me, made me feel welcome. As we approached the first hole, my jaw dropped as huge trees lined the fairway with beautiful, manicured grass leading out to a hole that seemed to never end. It was amazing. All the holes on this course can't be this spectacular? Yep, they were. Am I in Prince George? No! This golf course can't be located in a city that I've often made cheap shot comments about in the past?
Thanks to Bristowe and the staff at Aberdeen Glen, I am eating my words. I am eating crow and it actually tastes OK. It opened my eyes to one of the best golf courses in Canada. It isn't located on Vancouver Island or the Okanagan.
Nope.
Aberdeen Glen can be found in Prince George and you can bet I will be back for a return visit.

'C' is for Cookie - Jordon Cooke that is...

Having a little fun on this holiday Monday by creating this video with one of my favourite Sesame Street characters and Kelowna Rockets starter goaltender Jordon Cooke. Better known as 'Cookie' to his teammates.

Chartier scored 1st and 2nd goals of WHL career

Rookie 16 year-old forward Rourke Chartier came close to doing something special Saturday night in Prince George. Chartier scored twice in the Kelowna Rockets 7-5 win over the Cougars,  coming up one goal shy of a hat trick. Scoring three goals in a game as a first year 16 year-old player is rare when it comes to the Kelowna Rockets organization. The last Rockets player to accomplish the feat was Shane McColgan against Regina in 2009. Regardless of failing to join McColgan in the record books, Chartier was all smiles with an impressive three point game (2+1=3). You will hear more from Chartier as the season rolls along. The Rockets first round pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft is a special player.