Game Notes vs. Bruins

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Bruins are meeting for the 10th and final time this season. The Rockets are 3-1-0-0 at home against the Bruins this season and 4-2-0-0 in Chilliwack. That adds up to a record of 6-3-0-0 in the first nine games in the seasonal series, with the Rockets out-scoring the Bruins 26-25. The Rockets are coming off a 4-3 shootout win over the Bruins Sunday night in Chilliwack. Tyson Barrie and Cody Almond scored in the shootout. Colin Long, Milan Kytnar and Luke Schenn scored goals in regulation time for the winners. Kristofer Westblom made 15 saves in the win. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having lost five straight home games. Over that period the Rockets have been out-scored 19-6. Overall the Rockets have just three wins in their last 10 games, having scored just 17 goals over that period. Following tonight’s game the Rockets close out the season with a road game Friday in Tri City before hosting Prince George Cougars Saturday night. The Rockets year-end awards banquet is set for Tuesday March 18th.

Seasonal Series Scores:
@ Chilliwack Nov 3rd 4-3 W @ Kelowna Nov 2nd 3-2 OTW
@ Chilliwack Dec 2nd 3-1 L @ Kelowna Jan 9th 3-1 W
@ Chilliwack Dec 31st 4-1 W @ Kelowna Jan 18th 3-2 W
@ Chilliwack Feb 2nd 6-3 L @ Kelowna Feb 9th 4-1 L
@ Chillwack Mar 7 4-3 SOW @ Kelowna March 12th

Benn Back: Rockets forward Jamie Benn returns to the lineup tonight after missing 17 games with a sprained ankle. Despite his absence, Rockets leading scorer and linemate Colin Long managed to put up 17 points (6+11=17) in 17 games. Without Benn by his side, Long was held off the score-sheet just 4 times in those 17 games. Prior to Benn's injury in practice, the 18 year-old had 10+15=25 in his last 12 games.

Who’s Hot-Who’s Not: Colin Long has points in 11 of his last 13 games. Long had 6+8=14 over that period. Brandon McMillan has one goal in his last 21 games and no goals in his last 16. Evan Bloodoff has not scored in 16 games. Tyson Barrie has 3+10=13 in his last 17 games. Myles MacRae has 3 goals in his last 22 games and just 2 goals in his last 17.

Quick Hitters: The Rockets have failed to score a goal in their last 19 power play chances. The Rockets have gone three games without a goal with the extra man. The last power play goal came off the stick of Lucas Bloodoff in the early stages of the second period in a 2-1 win in Portland. The Rockets have scored just one goal in the second period in their last six games. That goal again was off the stick of Lucas Bloodoff in a win against the Hawks…The Rockets have scored 235 goals this season, 79 more than a year ago. The Rockets and Giants have six shootout losses this season, tops in the Western Conference. Both Edmonton and Moose Jaw lead the league in shootout losses with seven. The Rockets are 6-10-0-1 in 17 games without Jamie Benn. When Benn scores the Rockets are 14-5-0-3. Benn's last game was January 26th against the Medicine Hat Tigers…The Rockets have scored a power play goal in 13 of their last 17 games….The Rockets have just three road wins in their last 10 games. The Rockets are (3-6-0-1) over that period…The Rockets are 6-7-0-0 in their last 13 home games…Kristofer Westblom has started seven straight games, and has won 5 of his last 9 starts…The Rockets are 11-12-0-2 since the trade deadline….The Rockets are 5 and 6 in the shootout this season with wins over Chilliwack, Edmonton, Seattle and Vancouver (twice). The Rockets have lost shootout games to Kamloops (twice), Moose Jaw (twice), Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. The Rockets have been held to a single goal 5 times at home and 7 times on the road this season. The Rockets have been shutout three times this year.

Games Played Ticker:
Brady Leavold: 197 Colin Long: 158 Dylan Hood: 107 Tyler Myers: 130
Cody Almond: 157 Brandon McMillan: 123 Myles MacRae: 181
Kyle St. Denis: 65 Evan Bloodoff: 125 Tysen Dowzak: 163
Lucas Bloodoff: 136 Luke Schenn: 186 Colin Joe: 245

Rockets vs. Divisions:
vs. BC: 20-12-0-2 vs. US: 7-9-2-0 vs. Central: 4-2-0-1 vs. East: 5-3-0-2

Rockets Players by Province: BC=12 US=4 ALB=3 SASK=2 MAN=1 EURO=1 Total=23

Rockets Schedule - Next 5 Games: Rockets Results - Last 5 Games:
March 14 @ Tri City Rockets 1 Seattle 5 L
March 15 vs. PG Rockets 2 Portland 1 W
Game #1 of Playoffs Rockets 1 Vancouver 5 L
Game #2 of Playoffs Rockets 0 Tri City 2 L
Game #3 of Playoffs Rockets 4 Chilliwack 3 SOW

Record by Month:
Month Games Record Home Road
September: 4 1-2-1-0 0-1-1-0 1-1-0-0
October: 11 5-5-0-1 3-3-0-1 2-2-0-0
November: 13 9-2-1-1 4-1-0-0 5-1-1-1
December: 12 6-4-0-2 2-1-0-0 4-3-0-2
January: 13 10-2-0-1 8-0-0-0 2-2-0-1
February: 11 3-7-0-1 2-5-0-0 1-2-0-1
March: 9 2-3-0-0 0-2-0-0 1-2-0-0

Rockets Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored: 11 @ Prince George Jan 11/08 in an 11-1 win.
Most Goals Allowed: 9 vs. Lethbridge February 1/08 in a 9-4 loss.
Most Power Play Chances: 11 @ Chilliwack Feb 2/08 in a 6-3 loss, @ Swift Current Jan 25/08. The Rockets were 0/11, losing 4-0.
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 4 @ Cougars Jan 11/08 (11-1 W), vs. Cougars Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win, @ PG Nov 10/07 (6-1 W)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 @ Vancouver Dec 29/07 (5-2 L), @ Everett Sept 29/07
Most Shots Taken: 41 @ Prince George Jan 12/08 (5-2 W).
Fewest Shots Taken: 9 @ Vancouver Sept 29/07 (5-0L)
Most Shot Allowed: 48 @ Vancouver Sept 30/07
Fewest Shots Allowed: 13 vs. Blazers Oct 30/07 (6-1 W)
Last Shutout: - Kristofer Westblom 22 saves vs. Cougars Jan 4/08 in a 6-0 win. Kristofer Westblom 28 saves vs. Calgary (5-0 W)
Last Time Shutout: - @ Swift Current Jan 25/08 – Guggenberger 30 saves (4-0 L)
Most Points by a Player: Jamie Benn had 2+4=6 vs. Prince George Jan 19/08.
Most Goals by a Player: Brady Leavold scored 4 goals vs. Prince George Jan 19/08.
Penalty Shots: Dylan Hood fails to score Feb 16/08 in a 3-2 shootout win vs. Edmonton. Juuso Puustinen fails to score on Torrie Jung Feb 8/08 in a Rockets 2-1 shootout loss to the Blazers. Lucas Bloodoff fails to score on Justin Leclerc in 4-3 loss to Kamloops December 28th. Torrie Jung stops Bruins forward Cody Smuk in a 4-1 win in Chilliwack Dec 31/07. Torrie Jung stops Hawks forward Luke Walker Nov 17/07 in a 4-1 win in Portland. Kristofer Westblom stops Everett’s Shane Harper in a 3-2 overtime loss Nov 16/07 in Everett. Torrie Jung stopped Michal Repik in the 3rd period of a 5-0 loss Sept 29/07.
Overtime Winning Goal: Jamie Benn scored at 4:59 December 15/07 in a 3-2 win in Saskatoon. Tyler Myers scored at 3:58 of overtime December 5/07 in a 4-3 win over Medicine Hat. Colin Long scored at :44 of overtime Nov 23/07 in a 7-6 win over Kootenay. Jamie Benn scored at 1:07 of overtime Nov 2/07 in a 3-2 win over Chilliwack.
Shootout Game Winning Goals: Cody Almond scores vs. Chilliwack Mar 7/08 in a 4-3 win. Colin Long scores vs. Giants Feb 24/08 in a 3-2 win. Tyson Barrie scores vs. Edmonton Feb in a 3-2 shootout win. Dylan Hood scores in a 4-3 win in Seattle October 6/07. Colin Long scored the game winner in a 2-1 win over Vancouver October 24th.
Roster Stats:
Player total: 24
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s – 3 Westblom, McEwan, Leavold
19’s – 3 Dowzak, MacRae, Joe
18’s – 8 Long, Kytnar, L. Bloodoff, Jung, Schenn, Almond, Benn
17’s – 6 St. Denis, E. Bloodoff, McIntosh, Myers, McMillan, Hood
16’s – 4 Bowman, Barrie, Paradis, Verdino
Average Age: 17.7
Rookies – 7

NHL Draft Picks-Training Camp Attendees: Jamie Benn (Dallas 07), Torrie Jung (Tampa Bay 07), Cody Almond (Minnesota 07), Milan Kytnar (Oilers 07), Tysen Dowzak (Tryout Philadelphia).

Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel (AM 1150)