Rockets/Royals one final time!

Leon Draisaitl vs. Royals (Kevin Light Photo)

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets close out a two game home stand tonight when they welcome the Victoria Royals. This is the eighth and final meeting of the season between the two teams. The Rockets are 5-1-0-1 in the first seven games, having out-scored the Royals 29-19. In the last meeting between these two teams, February 25^th, the Rockets earned a 4-2 victory. The Rockets tied a CHL record with a 5-2 win over visiting Spokane Saturday night. It was the hockey clubs 50^th of the season, the third straight year the team has hit the 50 bench mark. The CHL record of three consecutive seasons with 50 or more wins is held by the Rockets (2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015), the Kamloops Blazers (1988-1989, 1989-1990, and 1990-1991), Edmonton Oil Kings (2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014) and the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs (2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012). The Rockets are 22-6-1-1 since the Christmas break. Overall, the Rockets have points in 18 of their last 21 games (16-3-1-1). Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Kamloops Friday before hosting the Blazers Saturday night. Of the six games left in the regular season, four are on home ice. The only road games are in Kamloops and Vancouver.

Most points in a season: The Rockets have 105 points this season. How does that rate among the highest point totals in club history?

2013-2014: 118     2004-2005: 104

2002-2003: 109

2012-2013: 108

2014:2015: 105 and counting (maximum 117 points can be attained)  

Sharp Shooters vs. Royals: Tyson Baillie leads all players with 5+4=9 in six games against the Royals in the seven game seasonal series. Madison Bowey also has nine points with 2+7=9. Leon Draisaitl has played only three games against Victoria, yet has amassed 3+5=8 points. Nick Merkley also has eight points in the seven games with 2+6=8. Michael Herringer has seen action in five of the seven games and has posted a record of 4-1-0-0 with a goals against average of 2.80 and a save percentage of .907. Brandon Magee leads all Royals with 4+4=8.     

A Banner season: The Kelowna Rockets are BC Division regular season champions. It is the 7^th time the Rockets have won title since its inception in 2001-2002. The Rockets have claimed three consecutive BC Division banners (2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015) and have also won the title in 2010-2011, 2004-2005, 2003-2004 and 2002-2003. While the Rockets have won it 7 times, the Vancouver Giants have earned it five times.    

This and That: The Rockets are 12 goals shy of 300 this season. The team has scored 300 or more goals only five times in its 20 seasons in Kelowna. The team has scored 300 or more goals in two consecutive seasons…Cole Martin and Joe Gatenby share the same birthday this month. Martin turns 21 on March 15^th while Gatenby blows out 18 candles mid month….Affiliated player Alex Uryga remains with the team. The 16 year-old has played three games as an affiliated player….Mitch Wheaton is practicing with the team but is still not taking contact. The 19 year-old is expected to return to the line-up either next week or the first round of the WHL playoffs…Nick Merkley is the fastest Rockets player to reach 100 career assists. Merkley hit the milestone Saturday giving him 100 assists in 133 career games. The record was held by Shane McColgan, who had 100 career assists in 150 career games…Of the Rockets four regulation losses on the road this season, three of them have come in the second of back to back games….six of the eleven losses this season have been suffered in the second of back to back games…..Rourke Chartier is 4 goals shy of 50 this season. The last Rockets player to score 50 goals was Justin Keller during the 2005-2006 season. Keller scored 51 times that year….Jackson Whistle missed ten games after undergoing appendix surgery on February 6^th. The Rockets were 8-2-0-0 in those games…The Rockets have been held to just one goal six times this season. Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (twice – once on road and once at home), Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...The Kelowna Rockets have scored the second most goals on the road (142) in the WHL this season…The Rockets have lost only four times in regulation time on the road this season. Those four losses came in Victoria, Seattle, Tri City and Calgary...The Rockets have points in 13 of their last 15 road games (11-2-1-1)….The Rockets are 55-10-3-1 on opposition ice in the last two seasons…Rourke Chartier has missed five games with an UBI…Justin Kirkland has missed nine straight games with a LBI…Tate Coughlin’s goal Saturday night was his first in 46 games…Last season the team ended the final six games of the regular season with a record of 5-1-0-0…Sixteen year-old’s Marcus Mitchell and Danny Gatenby practiced with the team this week. Both played this season with the Okanagan Midget Rockets. Gatenby is the younger brother of current Rockets defenceman Joe Gatenby. Mitchell is a listed player. 

Dare to Compare: The Rockets have a record of 50-11-4-1 this season, good for 105 points. After 66 games last season the team was 52-10-0-4, which was good for 108 points. The team has scored 288 goals this season. At the same time last year after 66 games, 283 goals were scored and 169 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 163 goals against.   

Dan Bylsma interview

NHL coach Dan Bylsma has been at practice with the Kelowna Rockets over the last few days. Fired in June as the head skipper of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bylsma is a former teammate of Dan Lambert's and was asked to come in and run two practices with the team this week. Here is my audio conservation with him.

Nick Merkley: The Prolific Passer

Nick Merkley is a dangerous distributor of the puck  

• Second year forward Nick Merkley did it again. The reining WHL rookie of the year set a new franchise record Saturday night, which in essence got lost in the hoopla of his team setting a new CHL and WHL record for recording 50 wins in three consecutive seasons. Merkley's assist on Tyrell Goulbourne's empty net goal in a 5-2 win over Spokane was his 100th career assist. The impressive part of Merkley's milestone is that it came in only his 133rd career game, setting a new club record for the quickest surge to the 100 assist mark. The previous record was held by Shane McColgan, who took 150 career games to hit the benchmark. To put Merkley's accomplishment into perspective, the soft spoken Calgary resident hit the mark quicker than Portland Winterhawks Nic Petan. Petan, regarded in the WHL as the best pure passer in the 22 team circuit, earned his 100th career assist in his 137th regular season game. What's mind boggling is current teammate Leon Draisaitl earned his 100th career assist in his 125th career game as a member of the Prince Albert Raiders. Driasaitl was picked in the first round because of his play making abilities by the Edmonton Oilers. The Winnipeg Jets plucked Petan in the first round for the exact same reason. Is the Kelowna Rockets prolific passer the next to find his name called to the podium in the opening round in June? We are three and a half months from finding out.  

Top 4 Quickest Rockets to 100 Assists:

Nick Merkley: 100 assists in 133 games 

Shane McColgan: 100 assists in 150 games

Tyson Barrie: 100 assists in 162 games  

Colin Long: 100 assists in 169 games

50 shades of white, teal, red, black and copper

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• You have heard of 50 Shades of Grey, but how about 50 Shades of White, Teal, Red, Black and Copper? The Kelowna Rockets earned their 50th win of the season Saturday night with a 5-2 home ice victory over the Spokane Chiefs. It was a sexy win in it's own right, sending the Rockets into the Canadian Hockey League and Western Hockey League record books with their third straight 50 win season. The Rockets are only the fourth team in CHL history to accomplish the feat and only the third WHL team to hit that impressive bench mark. The Rockets join the Kamloops Blazers, Edmonton Oil Kings and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Saint Johns Ice Dogs as the only organizations to win 50 or more games in three consecutive seasons. The Rockets had 57 wins last season and 52 the year prior. The Rockets are 159-38-7-6 in the last three seasons. 
• Chance Braid was named the games first star Saturday night with a goal and an assist. The 20 year-old had the privileged of playing alongside Leon Draisaitl and Rodney Southam. Braid scored a second period goal, similar to the one he netted February 25th when he scored at the tip of the crease by going five-hole on the goaltender. Braid now has multiple points in three of his last nine games.
• Leon Draisaitl had two assists extending his point streak to 11 games. The 19 year-old was named the games third star, but again was a massive factor in the game. It makes you wonder where the team would be right now without him? With injuries to Josh Morrissey, Justin Kirkland and Rourke Chartier and the recent struggles of Nick Merkley, would the Rockets still me in first place without him?  
• Speaking of Merkley, he looked like the Nick Merkley of old Saturday night. The 17 year-old had a goal and an assist and his hustle to retrieve loose pucks was the best of any Rockets forward. Merkley's assist was the 100th of his career. The third period goal he scored, which was actually an attempted pass, was his first in 11 games.
• A solid starting assignment by Spokane rookie goaltender Tyson Verhelst. The 17 year-old made several solid stops in this one, including two against Draisaitl and one against Riley Stadel in the third period. The Brandon, Manitoba resident gave his team a chance to win.
• A classy move by Kelowna Rockets fans when they applauding Chiefs forward Liam Stewart as he hobbled off the ice towards the dressing room after attempting to block a shot and taking a Madison Bowey blast off his inner knee. What does that say about the 20 year-old, who is attempting to block a shot when his team is down 5-2 late in the game? That's a gutsy move by a player who managed only 43 regular season games last season after suffering a significant injury January 29th, oddly enough in Kelowna, that kept him out of action for close to six weeks. 
• Head Coach Don Nachbaur deserves all the credit in the world for the Chiefs record this season. What Nachbaur has done with his team is impressive. This is not a high end squad when it comes to talent, yet the veteran coach squeezes out every ounce of try from his players which translates into overachieving success.
• How good is Chiefs rookie Kailer Yamamoto? The 16 year-old impresses me more than Vancouver Giants Tyler Benson. Yamamoto's compete level is excellent. Is he not the next coming of Tyler Johnson?
• No matter what happens with this years edition of the Spokane Chiefs, remember they have Saskatoon's first round pick in this years WHL bantam draft. What does that mean? Spokane will likely get the first pick overall with the Blades on a collision course of finishing dead last this season. You can thank GM Tim Speltz for trading Collin Valcourt to the Blades for a Saskatoon's 1st round pick in 2015 after a head shaking deal was made between the two team's at the trade deadline in January of 2013. Speltz receives a high five from me for pulling off that doozy.        
• The Rockets are back on home ice Wednesday against the Victoria Royals. 

Goals galore for Goulbourne

• Tyrell Goulbourne was due. The 21 year-old was overdue when it came to finding the back of the net. The Edmonton, Alberta product snapped a 17 game goalless drought last night with three goals and an assist in the Kelowna Rockets 5-2 win in Vancouver. Up until last night, Goulbourne hadn't scored since January 24th when he scored twice and added three assists for a five point night in a win over the visiting Everett Silvertips. It was a great week for Goulbourne, who signed an NHL contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
• Goulbourne now has four-hat tricks in his WHL career. The well liked overager had a career four goal game in 2011-2012 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Goulbourne now has 20 goals this season which is a new career high. His personal best was 17 scored last season. 
• It was a rare game where the Rockets found themselves in a scoreless tie after 40 minutes before erupting with five-third period goals. The game changing call came four minutes into the third period when Giants forward Zane Jones was accessed a five minute major and game misconduct for hitting Rockets d-man Devante Stephens along the boards in the neutral zone. While surrendering a shorthanded goal, which tied the game at one, power play goals by Draisaitl and Riley Stadel essentially put the game on ice as the visitors enjoyed a 3-1 lead.     
• Rourke Chartier was expected to return to the line up after missing three straight games with an upper body injury. The 18 year-old took the pre-game skate and felt like he wasn't ready to go, so was a late game scratch. 
• Leon Draisaitl scored for the seventh consecutive game. Rourke Chartier had a ten game goal scoring streak earlier this season. The longest Rockets point streak this season is held by Nick Merkley, who had a 12 gamer earlier this season. Josh Morrissey had an 11 game point streak.
• Michael Herringer was back in goal and made 25 saves in the win. The 19 year-old, who appears to have earned the back up role to starter Jackson Whistle, has started in five of the teams last seven games. 
• The win was the Rockets 49th of the season, one shy of a third consecutive 50 win season. Only two WHL teams have won 50 or more games in three consecutive seasons. The Kamloops Blazers (1988-1991) and the Edmonton Oil Kings (2011-2014) have turned the trick. The Rockets will attempt to reach the milestone tonight against visiting Spokane.

Rockets game notes vs. Giants

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets are back in Vancouver for the second time in a week. The Rockets were a 4-0 winner at Pacific Coliseum last Friday thanks to a 29 save performance by Michael Herringer. The Rockets are 5-0-0-0 in the seasonal series, having out-scored their BC Division rivals 25-10. In the five games, the Rockets have shut out the G-Men twice. In the last two seasons, the Rockets are 12-1-0-0 against Vancouver and have earned a point in 15 of their last 18 visits to the ‘Rink on Renfrew’. The Rockets are winless in their last two games (0-1-1-0) after a 2-1 loss to Calgary last Saturday and a 3-2 overtime loss Tuesday in Everett. Against the Tips, Tyson Baillie and Leon Draisaitl scored to give the Rockets a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes. The Tips would battle back with three unanswered goals. The Rockets are 20-6-1-1 since the Christmas break. Overall, the Rockets have points in 16 of their last 19 games (14-3-1-1). The team returns to Prospera Place tomorrow night to face the Spokane Chiefs.

100 Points – Again! The Kelowna Rockets earned their 100^th point of the season last Friday in a 4-0 win in Vancouver. It is the third consecutive season the team has earned 100 or more points. A franchise record 118 points was set last season. The team has hit the 100 point plateau five times now. They also accomplished the feat in 2013-2014 (118 pts), 2012-2013 (108 pts), 2004-2005 (104 pts) and in 2002-2003 (109 pts).     

A Banner season: The Kelowna Rockets are BC Division regular season champions. It is the 7^th time the Rockets have won title since its inception in 2001-2002. The Rockets have claimed three consecutive BC Division banners (2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015) and have also won the title in 2010-2011, 2004-2005, 2003-2004 and 2002-2003. While the Rockets have won it 7 times, the Vancouver Giants have earned it five times.    

This and That: The Rockets have lost four times in overtime this season. Of those four losses, three have come against U.S Division opponents….Tyrell Goulbourne signed an NHL contract with the Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday. Goulbourne is a third round pick of the Flyers from last summer. Goulbourne is one of five Rockets that have signed NHL contracts. Madison Bowey (Washington), Rourke Chartier (San Jose), Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton) and Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg) have all inked deals….Madison Bowey and Tyson Baillie each played in their 250^th career WHL games last Saturday night….Leon Draisaitl was the team’s top scoring in February. Draisaitl had 7+13=20. Only Brandon’s Tim McGauley (24 pts) and Portland’s Oliver Bjorkstrand (21 pts) had more points in February than Draisaitl did. Tyson Baillie had 5+8=13 in February while Gage Quinney (2+9=11) and Nick Merkley (1+10=11) were next on that list. The biggest surprise in February was Riley Stadel (2+8=10), who had as many points as Madison Bowey did (2+8=10)…Of the Rockets four regulation losses on the road this season, three of them have come in the second of back to back games….six of the eleven losses this season have been suffered in the second of back to back games…..Rourke Chartier is 4 goals shy of 50 this season. The last Rockets player to score 50 goals was Justin Keller during the 2005-2006 season. Keller scored 51 times that year….Jackson Whistle missed ten games after undergoing appendix surgery on February 6^th. The Rockets were 8-2-0-0 in those games…The Rockets have been held to just one goal six times this season. Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (twice – once on road and once at home), Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...The Kelowna Rockets have scored the second most goals on the road (137) in the WHL this season…The Rockets have lost only four times in regulation time on the road this season. Those four losses came in Victoria, Seattle, Tri City and Calgary...The Rockets have points in 12 of their last 14 road games (10-2-1-1)….The Rockets are 54-10-3-1 on opposition ice in the last two seasons…The Rockets are again rated this week as the second best team in the CHL Top 10 rankings…If you missed it, Rockets prospect Cole Lind was second in Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League scoring this season. Lind, who played this season with the Saskatoon Contacts, had a league high 45 goals and 79 points, just 8 fewer than fellow teammate and league leader Garrett Pilon. Lind was a 4^th round pick of Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey in 2013…Rourke Chartier has missed three games with an UBI.

Dare to Compare: The Rockets have a record of 48-11-4-1 this season, good for 101 points. After 64 games last season the team was 51-9-0-4, which was good for 106 points. The team has scored 278 goals this season. At the same time last year after 64 games, 279 goals were scored and 163 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 159 goals against.  

Hot to Trot: Leon Draisaitl has a nine game point streak (8+11=19). Driasaitl had a career high 13 game point streak last season as a member of the PA Raiders…Tyson Baillie has points in 11 of his last 12 games. Baillie has six goals and thirteen assists (6+13=19).…Leon Draisaitl has twenty-two points (8+14=21) in his last twelve games…Draisaitl has goals in six straight games…Draisaitl’s goal last Saturday was his 200^th career point.       

Loyal listeners of all ages

I receive a lot of correspondence from listeners on my work e-mail over the course of the hockey season. I thought this latest one was worth sharing on my blog. It is from an 87 year-old woman named Ruth Graham/Creveling. She writes:

"Good morning Regan. It is almost impossible for a senior with two hearing aids to hear and understand someone who talks fast. As a retired teacher, I want to tell you that your enunciation is soooo good that I can hear and understand everything you say. When the game happens to be on TV I turn the sound off and turn you on so I have the best of both worlds. 
Thanks Ruth Graham/Creveling"

I thought it was a sweet e-mail from a loyal listener and was worth sharing.
If you have a question on what we do on our AM 1150 Rockets broadcasts, you can leave a comment on this blog or e-mail me directly at regan.bartel@bellmedia.ca

Overtime woes continue

Tyson Baillie battling for loose puck - Photo by Chris Mast

• Don't take this wrong Kohl Bauml, but you shouldn't have been the first star in last night's overtime win against the Kelowna Rockets. Yes, you scored the game winning goal and set up the tying goal in the third period, but without goaltender Carter Hart, the comeback bid wouldn't have been possible. Hart, for those unaware, is a 16 year-old rookie who looked anything but in the one goal win. Hart made breakaway saves on Tate Coughlin, Tyrell Goulbourne and Dillon Dube in the come from behind win. It could have been four breakaways, but Rockets captain Madison Bowey lost the puck on the backhand and didn't get a shot on net. What I'm trying to say is without Hart, there is no overtime. That's right, with Hart there is no Kohl Bauml overtime heroics. This game is finished in regulation time and the Rockets end off the seasonal series running the table against the U.S Division leaders. Instead the Tips earn a much needed two points to move four up on Portland in the fight for first place in the division with eight games left in the regular season. 
• The tough pill for the Rockets to swallow is they let a 2-0 lead slip away by surrendering three unanswered goals. The Rockets were in total control in the second period by out shooting the home team 13-6, but finding the killer instinct to score that elusive third goal couldn't be found. The best chance, possibly, came on a Dillon Dube power play attempt in the third period when his tip in front of the net from a perfect pass from Leon Draisaitl was kicked aside by Hart. 
• While Bauml was named the first star and Nikita Sherbak was given third star status with a goal and an assist, Leon Draisaitl was the best player on the ice - outside of Hart. I thought the 19 year-old was terrific. He almost single handily won the game in overtime when he took the puck at the Rockets blue line, and with determination on his face, skated quickly inside the Tips zone and made his way to the slot where he let a backhand shot go that Hart deflected wide of the net. Draisaitl's determination was impressive to watch as he used his size and power to create several quality scoring chances. The 19 year-old, who is worth his weight in gold and is getting better every game, has scored in six consecutive games and now has points in nine straight.  If you took just this one game into account in comparing Draisaitl and Sherbak, the Edmonton Oilers first rounder won this hands down with his solid effort over 60 minutes. Sherbak essentially showed up in the third period.    
• I'm not sure how the Tips view their performance, but they looked almost disinterested in the first 40 minutes outside of a six minute push in the first period. When the Rockets scored a power play goal in the second period to make it 2-0, the Tips had little in the way of push back. They were playing a sleepy game before finally showing some life in the third period. What was more concerning was the Rockets inability to retain the lead despite the pressure applied by the Tips. Once Everett acquired momentum, the Rockets couldn't get it back. The game fell off the rails quickly with Jackson Whistle having to make quality stops in overtime before Bauml would eventually score with 29 seconds left in the extra session. Why or how the 20 year-old, who is the leading scorer on the Tips, was left unguarded from that scoring area is beyond me. Whistle had no chance on the game winner. 
• The Rockets are now 1 and 4 in overtime. The only win in OT was Cole Linaker playing the role of hero in a 5-4 victory in Everett October 3rd in the teams first road win of the season. The Tips have now gone into overtime a league high 17 times. 
• Without Rourke Chartier, Justin Kirkland and Josh Morrissey, just to name three, the Rockets did earn a point and sit two points up on idle Brandon for first place overall. The Wheat Kings do have a game in hand though.  
• The Rockets, with Rourke Chartier in the line up, are back in action Friday in Vancouver before hosting the Spokane Chiefs Saturday night at Prospera Place. 

Rockets game notes vs. Tips

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets open the final month of the regular season with a road game against the Everett Silvertips. This is the final trip south of the border for the team this season (playoffs excluded).This is the fourth and final meeting of the season between the top two teams in the Western Conference. The Rockets are 3-0-0-0 in the first three games, having out-scored the Tips 19-10. The Rockets have won by scores of 5-4 OTW, 5-3 and 9-3. The 5-4 overtime win came in Everett back on October 3^rd. This is the start of back-to-back games on the road. The Rockets are in Vancouver Friday night before hosting Spokane on Saturday. The Rockets are coming off a 2-1 loss Saturday night to the visiting Calgary Hitmen. Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring before he was ejected from the game on a controversial five minute major and game misconduct penalty for goaltender interference. The Hitmen won the game with just over four minutes left in the third period. Despite the loss, the Rockets earned the Western Conference regular season banner with Everett’s loss to the Prince George Cougars. The Rockets are 20-6-0-1 since the Christmas break. Brandon is conversely 22-3-2-1. Overall, the Rockets have points in 15 of their last 18 games (14-3-0-1). 

100 Points – Again! The Kelowna Rockets earned their 100^th point of the season last Friday in a 4-0 win in Vancouver. It is the third consecutive season the team has earned 100 or more points. A franchise record 118 points was set last season. The team has hit the 100 point plateau five times now. They also accomplished the feat in 2013-2014 (118 pts), 2012-2013 (108 pts), 2004-2005 (104 pts) and in 2002-2003 (109 pts).     

A Banner season: The Kelowna Rockets are BC Division regular season champions. It is the 7^th time the Rockets have won title since its inception in 2001-2002. The Rockets have claimed three consecutive BC Division banners (2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015) and have also won the title in 2010-2011, 2004-2005, 2003-2004 and 2002-2003. While the Rockets have won it 7 times, the Vancouver Giants have earned it five times.    

This and That: Madison Bowey and Tyson Baillie each played in their 250^th career WHL games Saturday night….Leon Draisailt was the team’s top scoring in February. Draisaitl had 7+13=20. Only Brandon’s Tim McGauley (24 pts) and Portland’s Oliver Bjorkstrand (21 pts) had more points in February than Draisaitl did. Tyson Baillie had 5+8=13 in February while Gage Quinney (2+9=11) and Nick Merkley (1+10=11) were next on that list. The biggest surprise in February was Riley Stadel (2+8=10), who had as many points as  Madison Bowey did (2+8=10)…During the Rockets eight game home ice winning streak, which was snapped Saturday night by Calgary, the team was 11 for 33 on power play…Of the Rockets four losses on the road this season, three of them have come in the second of back to back games….six of the eleven losses this season have been suffered in the second of back to back games…..Rourke Chartier is 4 goals shy of 50 this season. The last Rockets player to score 50 goals was Justin Keller during the 2005-2006 season. Keller scored 51 times that year….Jackson Whistle missed ten games after undergoing appendix surgery on February 6^th. The Rockets were 8-2-0-0 in those games…Michael Herringer had started four consecutive games up until Whistle’s return Saturday night…The Rockets have been held to just one goal six times this season. Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (twice – once on road and once at home), Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...The Kelowna Rockets have scored the second most goals on the road (135) in the WHL this season…The Rockets have lost only four times in regulation time on the road this season. Those four losses came in Victoria, Seattle, Tri City and Calgary...The Rockets have points in 11 of their last 13 road games (10-2-0-1)….The Rockets are 54-10-2-1 on opposition ice in the last two seasons.

Dare to Compare: The Rockets have a record of 48-11-3-1 this season, good for 100 points. After 63 games last season the team was 50-9-0-4, which was good for 104 points. The team has scored 276 goals this season. At the same time last year after 63 games, 273 goals were scored and 163 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 156 goals against.  

Hot to Trot: Leon Draisaitl has an eight game point streak (7+10=17). Driasaitl had a career high 12 game point streak last season as a member of the PA Raiders…Tyson Baillie had his 10 game point streak end Saturday night. Baillie had five goals and twelve assists (5+12=17). Defenceman Josh Morrissey had an eleven game point streak snapped last Wednesday. Morrissey had (6+6=12) over that period.…Leon Draisaitl has twenty points (7+13=19) in his last eleven games…Draisaitl has goals in five straight games…Draisaitl’s goal Saturday was his 200^th career point.       

Another 40 win season: The Kelowna Rockets have won 40 games for the 11^th time in franchise history.  Here is the breakdown of 40 win seasons:

2014-2015: 48 wins and counting

2013-2014: 57 wins       2008-2009: 47 wins   1994-1995: 43 wins (Tacoma)

2012-2013: 52 wins       2005-2006: 46 wins   1992-1993: 45 wins (Tacoma)

2010-2011: 43 wins       2003-2004: 47 wins

2004-2005: 45 wins       2002-2003: 51 wins

Controversial call ends Rockets winning streak

• It isn't often you see a five minute major penalty called for goaltender interference. It happened last night, though, to Kelowna Rockets forward Leon Draisaitl and it played a significant role in a 2-1 home ice loss to the Calgary Hitmen. Without the services of Josh Morrissey, Rourke Chartier, Tomas Soustal and Justin Kirkland, the home team's most dynamic offensive player was kicked out of the game after cutting to the net with the puck and crashing into Hitmen netminder Brendan Burke. Without question it was a penalty. Was contact made by Driasaitl in a malicious manner? Not a chance. Referee Curtis Howe didn't see it that way. Maybe Howe doesn't know who Driasaitl is? I say that with tongue firmly in cheek, but the 19 year-old is all skill. In his 150 games in the WHL, the German has never been ejected from a game. His fight card is empty. If anything, people come to watch him score in a variety of ways. Cutting to the net and chipping the puck by the goaltender is one of them. With Driasaitl booted from the game and with a short bench with so many injuries, the game changed in a big way when the overzealous call was made. While the Hitmen wouldn't score on the ensuing extended power play, the loss of the Rockets best player in a one goal game would come back to bite them.
• The Rockets had a terrific start in this game by coming out physical. No less than ten hits were recorded in the opening 20 minutes as the home team set the tone. Leon Driasaitl would open the scoring when he parked his big body in front of the Hitmen net. A shot from Madison Bowey from the blue line appeared to be going wide, but Driasaitl tipped it with his stick and somehow the puck changed direction and squeezed past Burke to the near post. It was the Edmonton Oilers first rounders 200th career point. Nick Merkley also had a golden opportunity in the first period in the high slot to make the score 2-0, but the sophomore forward couldn't finish on the tremendous Draisaitl pass.
• Josh Morrissey, who missed Friday's game in Vancouver with a lower body injury, returned to the line up against the Hitmen but was hurt in the second period when he got tangled up along the end boards and fell awkwardly to the ice with Hitmen forward Carsen Twarynski. The 19 year-old left the game and never returned. To compound matters, Driasaitl was ejected and then rookie defenceman Devante Stephens was hurt late in third period when the score was still tied at one goal apiece. You were wondering if the Rockets, with a short bench, could push the game into overtime and in a worst case scenario squeeze out a point. Unfortunately, the Hitmen would score the winner with the Rockets running around in their own zone and looking gassed with just over four minutes left in the game.
• This was a great game. The Hitmen are high end and are talented throughout the lineup. Without question they are in the elite category. They are highly skilled and play a smart game. On this night they didn't play overly physical, but that may have been more to do with playing their fourth game in five nights. I like their team, top to bottom, and they will be scary to face in the playoffs. If anyone is going to snap the Rockets eight game home ice winning streak, it is best to fall victim to a WHL heavy hitter. 
• This game was played before a sellout crowd of six thousand 254. I thought they were treated to another great game regardless of the outcome.
• Despite the loss, the Prince George Cougars did the Rockets a favour by beating the Everett Silvertips. What that did was allow the Rockets to officially claim the Western Conference regular season title. With 100 points, the Rockets are 19 points ahead of the Tips with the U.S Division leaders having only nine games left, or 18 available points. It is the second straight season the team has earned top spot in the Western Conference.                 
• The Rockets end the month of February with a record of 9-3-0-0. They were 6-1-0-0 on home ice in a month that saw them play 12 games in 22 nights.    
• Up next is a date with the Everett Silvertips, in Everett, Tuesday night. Both teams will most likely limp into the game without a full line up. 

Herringer proving he can play

• It will go down as the best 1,000 dollars the Kelowna Rockets spent this season. The Rockets claimed the playing rights of then 18 year-old goaltender Michael Herringer off waivers from the Saskatoon Blades in late September. The Blades, who sit dead last in the WHL standings, didn't think Herringer was good enough to play in the league. There goes that theory. The Comox, BC resident has proved without a shadow of a doubt he can at this elite level with each start. Last night in Vancouver, Herringer was especially sharp early in the game when his team wasn't in a 4-0 win. It was Herringer's second shutout of his young junior career. The now 19 year-old; he turned 19 last month, has received four consecutive starts with Jackson Whistle sidelined after undergoing appendix surgery. 
• For a second straight game, a slow start for the Rockets. The Giants, who are playing for their playoff lives, had sustained pressure and Herringer was at his best with several solid stops. It wasn't until Vancouver forward Jackson Houck took a double minor for butt ending that the Rockets opening the scoring on a nice-one time blast from Leon Driasaitl. Escaping with a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes, the Rockets appeared to get better while the Giants simply couldn't match or exceed the urgency they showed early in the game.
• Gage Quinney had a career game with a three point effort. His pass to Driasaitl at the right face-off circle while stationed at the left face-off dot was impressive. The 19 year-old has been the biggest surprise in all of the trading the team completed with the PA Raiders. I honestly knew nothing about him. If you said he played on Mars, I would have believed you. Quinney is showing great chemistry playing on a line with Dillon Dube and Tyson Baillie.
• The Rockets earned their 100th point of the season, marking the third straight season they have hit that mark. With ten games left to go, 20 points are still up for grabs. The franchise record is 118 points set last season.    
• There sure is a lot of hype around Vancouver Giants rookie Tyler Benson. Without question Benson is a solid 16 year-old player, but isn't Rockets forward Dillon Dube equally as good? You could argue that Dube has a better supporting cast, but the team's first round pick is clearly elite. 
• The Rockets played this game without Rourke Chartier, Josh Morrissey, Tomas Soustal and Justin Kirkland. That meant affiliated player Alex Uryga was called up eat up some minutes. 
• The good news on the injury front is Jackson Whistle backed up Herringer last night. What that means is the 19 year-old is pretty much ready to return to the line up as early as tonight against the visiting Calgary Hitmen.

Rockets/G-Men preview

Tonight’s Preview: With only 11 games left in the regular season, the Kelowna Rockets will face the Vancouver Giants three times. The Rockets make their first visit to Pacific Coliseum since November 2^nd when Rourke Chartier scored twice and added an assist in a 5-3 win. Following tonight’s game the Rockets make return visits on March 6^th and March 20^th. The G-Men are in Kelowna on March 21st. In the eight game seasonal series the Rockets are 4-0-0-0, having out-scored the Giants 21-10. The Rockets are coming off a 4-2 win Wednesday night over the visiting Victoria Royals. The Rockets erased a two goal deficit by scoring four unanswered goals in the team’s 47^th win of the season. Chance Braid led the way with a goal and an assist and a fight. This game against the Giants is the fifth straight against a BC Division rival. The Rockets host Calgary tomorrow night. The Rockets are 19-5-0-1 since the Christmas break. Brandon is conversely 21-3-2-0. Overall, the Rockets have points in 14 of their last 16 games (13-2-0-1). 

 

Closing in on 100: The Kelowna Rockets enter the weekend with 98 points. The Rockets are trying to earn 100 or more points for a third consecutive season. A franchise record 118 points was set last season. The team has hit the 100 point plateau four times. They accomplished the feat in 2013-2014 (118 pts), 2012-2013 (108 pts), 2004-2005 (104 pts) and in 2002-2003 (109 pts).     

A Banner season: The Kelowna Rockets are BC Division regular season champions. It is the 7^th time the Rockets have won title since its inception in 2001-2002. The Rockets have claimed three consecutive BC Division banners (2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015) and have also won the title in 2010-2011, 2004-2005, 2003-2004 and 2002-2003. While the Rockets have won it 7 times, the Vancouver Giants have earned it five times.    

This and That: Chance Braid earned the Gordie Howe Hattrick Wednesday night against Victoria. It is the second time Braid has turned the trick. As a member of the Prince George Cougars, Braid earned the badge of honour after scoring once and adding an assist and getting into a fight with Keegan Kanzig when the P.G Cougars beat the Royals November 28^th…..Leon Draisaitl is playing in his 150^th career game tonight….During the Rockets eight game home ice winning streak the team is 11 for 33 on power play…Of the Rockets four losses on the road this season, three of them have come in the second of back to back games….Five of the ten losses this season have been suffered in the second of back to back games…..Rourke Chartier is 4 goals shy of 50 this season. The last Rockets player to score 50 goals was Justin Keller during the 2005-2006 season. Keller scored 51 times that year….During this eight game home ice winning streak, the Rockets have out-scored the opposition 52-20…Jackson Whistle has missed nine games after having appendix surgery on February 6^th. The Rockets are 7-2-0-0 in those games with Jake Morrissey winning four of the seven games…Riley Stadel has 2+15=17 in his last 17 games and has a goal and seven assists in his last six games playing as a forward…Justin Kirkland has points in nine of his last eleven games…The Rockets have been held to just one goal five times this season. Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (road) Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...The Kelowna Rockets have scored the second most goals on the road (131) in the WHL this season…The Rockets have lost only four times in regulation time on the road this season. Those four losses came in Victoria, Seattle, Tri City and Calgary...The Rockets have points in 10 of their last 12 road games (9-2-0-1)….The Rockets are 53-10-2-1 on opposition ice in the last two seasons….A win tonight and a loss by Everett will give the Rockets the Western Conference regular season championship.  

200 Point Club: Nineteen year-old Tyson Baillie recorded his 200^th career point against the Moose Jaw Warriors back on February 14th. Baillie now has 206 points in his four year career. Ready to join Baillie in the ‘200 Point Club’ is Leon Draisaitl, who has 198 career points heading into tonight’s game against the Giants. Josh Morrissey has 196 career points.

Dare to Compare: The Rockets have a record of 47-10-3-1 this season, good for 98 points. After 61 games last season the team was 48-9-0-4, which was good for 100 points. The team has scored 271 goals this season. At the same time last year after 61 games, 260 goals were scored and 155 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 154 goals against.  

Hot to Trot: Leon Draisaitl has a six game point streak (5+10=15)…Tyson Baillie has a nine game point streak with five goals and 11 assists (5+11=16). Defenceman Josh Morrissey had an eleven game point streak snapped Wednesday night. Morrissey had (6+6=12) over that period.…Leon Draisaitl has eighteen points (5+13=18) in his last nine games.     

Braid terrific. Goulbourne equally good in home ice win

Chance Braid - Shoot the Breeze Photo

• Chance Braid was excellent. Tyrell Goulbourne was darn good too. The two overage players made a massive impact in the Kelowna Rockets 4-2 win Wednesday night at Prospera Place. Braid, who should have been named the games first star, fought and dominated a tilt with Victoria Royals designated tough guy Taylor Crunk and then went out and scored a power play in the come-from-behind win. Braid also hit a goal post in the third period and was a key in the game winning goal from Leon Draisailt in the third period. On the game winner, Braid took Royals defenceman Travis Brown off the puck behind the Victoria net by sending him to the ice. Teammate Nick Merkley retrieved it, skated behind the net before locating Draisaitl in front to make the score 3-2. At the end of the game, Braid received the second star in the building but was one of the main reason why the Rockets were able to rally back with four unanswered goals.
• I mentioned Goulbourne's strong play because he was a constant throughout the entire game when it came to initiating body contact. It was Goulbourne's great board battle work in the second period that resulted in Madison Bowey eventually making it a one goal game. Goulbourne's exploits in the second period was the best shift of the game. I thought the overage forward was extremely quiet in back-to-back games in Victoria on the weekend but played a significant factor in the teams 47th win of the season.
• Michael Herringer didn't get much love in the three star selection at games end, but the rookie netminder was solid, specifically early in the game when his team was down and out flat. Herringer was the only reason his team trailed 2-0 after the opening period. I thought the three stars in the game should have been; Braid #1, Herringer #2 and Goulbourne #3. Neither of the three will care but the game was clearly won in the second period thanks to Braid and Goulbourne's exploits and the steady play of Herringer.
• The last time the Rockets were down 2-0 after the first period of play was against Seattle back on January 16th. In that game the Rockets would lose 5-2 on home ice.
• Tyson Baillie would extend his point streak to nine games with a shorthanded goal to make the score 4-2. Baillie received a pass from Rodney Southam at centre ice and skated in on a breakaway, beating Royals goaltender Justin Paulic with a nice deke to the forehand. It was the teams 14th shorthanded goal of the season. The penalty killing unit was outstanding going 7 for 7.     
• I thought Devante Stephens had a great back on defense. The rookie wasn't without his share of errors, but made solid plays to break up odd man rushes and his skating speed is such a factor out there. Is he not the most improved player from the start of the season? This guy has come miles from day one when not many expected him to even make the team. 
• The Rockets played this one without Rourke Chartier, Justin Kirkland, Tomas Soustal and Jackson Whistle. Those are four significant regulars out of the line up. 
• The Rockets are now 5-1-1-0 in the eight game seasonal series against the Royals. It all comes to a close March 11th when the two teams face-off again at Prospera Place.
• The win kept the Rockets two points up on Brandon for first place in the WHL standings with 11 games left in the regular season.  
• The Rockets are riding an 8 game winning streak on home ice after Wednesday's win. The longest winning streak of the season at Prospera Place was nine games between September 20th and November 8th.  
• Royals head coach Dave Lowry coached his 300th game.