Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and T-Birds are meeting for just the second time this season. The T-Birds were a 4-3 overtime winner back in Kelowna on November 17th. The Rockets will meet Seattle three times in their next 10 games. After tonight’s game the two teams close out the seasonal series February 25th at the Key Arena before hosting the T-Birds March 9th. Rockets have three wins in their last 6 games overall (3-2-0-1), and have points in five of their last seven games. The Rockets are wrapping up a portion of their schedule playing three straight games on the road. The Rockets are coming off a 4-3 shoot-out loss last night in Everett followed by a 7-0 setback in Vancouver. The Rockets return home to face Chilliwack on Tuesday.
Road Rash: The Rockets are winless in 9 straight road games (0-7-1-1). The clubs longest winless streak on the road is 10 games from December 13/98 to February 14/99.
Sick of the Shutout: The Rockets have been shutout 10 times this season, including twice in the teams last four games. Eight of those 10 have been suffered on the road. Chilliwack leads the way having been shutout 12 times, followed by Portland with 11. Of those 11, the Hawks have been shutout 9 times on opposition ice. If you think that’s bad, look at the Swift Current Broncos. In 2004-2005 they were shutout a whopping 17 times.
Watching the Wack: The Rockets are two points up on Chilliwack for the final playoff spot in the B.C division. The Bruins have 12 games left in the regular season, with 8 of those at home. The Bruins face a BC division team in 8 of their final 12, including two more times against the Rockets on February 20th and 24th.
Number Crunching: In the Rockets 17 wins this season the teams power play is 19.2% or 23 for 120…The Rockets have added 17 year old Jason Sands to the roster to backup Torrie Jung. Sands is originally from California, but now resides in Kelowna…The Rockets have just one win in their last 14 road games (1-10-2-1) and are riding an 9 game road losing streak…The Rockets are 11-14-2-0 in 27 games against BC division opponents this season…The Rockets have been involved in 21 – one goal games this season. In those games the Rockets are 7-5-5-4…The Rockets have been held to a single goal 14 times this season, 7 times at home, 7 times on the road.
Time Ticking Down: With 14 games left in the regular season the Rockets have 8 games at home and 6 games on opposition ice. The Rockets have 10 games left against BC division opponents, 3 games against US division clubs and one against Central division foes.
Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Tyler Myers has points in 4 of his last 7 games (4A). Justin Bernhardt has 2+5=7 in his last 9 games. Cody Almond snapped a 20 game goal scoring drought last night against the Tips. David Schulz has 2+5=7 in his last 8 games. In Torrie Jung’s last six starts he has made 161 of 176 saves. That’s good for a save percentage of .915.
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