Blogging Audio Highlites From Saturday Night

Rockets defenseman Tyson Barrie makes it 1-0 Rockets on a first period power play goal:

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Jamie Benn scores shorthanded to give the home side a 2-0 lead:

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Tyler Myers gets involved in the act to make it 3-0:
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Rockets Make Deal

The Kelowna Rockets have announced that 18 year old Riley McIntosh has been traded to the Tri-City Americans.
The Rockets send McIntosh to the Americans in exchange for a fifth round draft pick in the 2010 Bantam Draft.
President/General Manager of the Kelowna Rockets Bruce Hamilton stated,“This move will allow Riley to get more ice time with a very good hockey club. He’s a third year defenseman and this will give him a better chance to succeed in the Western Hockey League.”
The Rockets acquired McIntosh in the second round of the 2005 WHLBantam Draft, 39th overall. The “stay at home defenseman” has played in 104 games in the Rockets uniform, recording one goal and seven points.
He was also compiled 70 minutes in penalties.

Rockets Win 5th Straight

• Keeping the Chilliwack Bruins to just 11 shots on goal gives you a good idea of just how lopsided the Kelowna Rockets 3-0 win was Saturday night. The Bruins didn't get their first shot on goal until 8 minutes into the opening period. The Rockets allowed just 2 shots on goal in the first period, and allowed a combined seven shots through 40 minutes.
• The Rockets specialty teams were solid. Tysen Barrie and Tyler Myers scored power play goals while Jamie Benn had a shorthanded marker, his 4th shorty of the season. What is amazing is the Bruins have given up 10 shorthanded goals this season. Dustin Sylvester of the Kootenay Ice leads the WHL in shorthanded goals with 6.
• If your wondering, Cam Paddock had 6 shorthanded goals in 2002-2003. Brett McLean also had 6 in 1997-98.
• Kris Lazaruk recorded his second shutout of the season and 5th of his career. Lazaruk's best save may have been on an odd bounce that the puck took on a weak dump-in towards to the Rockets net. Lazaruk now has shutouts in two of his last three starts.
• The Bruins have failed to score a goal in three games against the Rockets this season. They showed some jump in the third period, but looked like a team playing with little to no confidence.
• Lazaruk finally got his new gear. The overage goaltender was wearing matching white pads and gloves in Kelowna Rockets colours after wearing the black pads and gloves used during his time with the Kootenay Ice.
• Cody Almond played in his 185th career game Saturday night.
• The most encouraging sign was a fight Rockets defenseman Tysen Dowzak had with Bruins tough guy Randy McNaught. Dowzak dominated the tilt as the biggest Rocket stepped out of his comfort zone to flex his muscles. I would frankly like to see Dowzak go that aggressive direction more often considering he is a) the biggest player on the Rockets roster (by weight) b) the oldest.
• It's wrong when 17 year-old Mitch Callahan and 18 year-old Tyler Myers lead your team in fighting majors. Callahan and Myers have 5 fighting majors apiece.
• Former Rockets goaltender Kelly Guard took in last nights game. Guard is spending a week in Kelowna as his girlfriends father puts on the World Arm Wrestling Championships. And no, Guard is not competing. The Rockets did a nice thing by introducing him during the midway point of the first period.
• Regina Pats GM Brent Parker took in the game. Before you get too excited that he was sniffing around for a possible trade, remember the Pats are in Kelowna on Wednesday.

Rockets Game Notes vs. Chilliwack

Tonight’s Preview: This is the third meeting of the season between the Rockets and Bruins. The Rockets are 2-0-0-0 against the Bruins this season after 5-0 and 6-0 wins. The Rockets have not allowed a goal by Chilliwack in 125 minutes 57 seconds. The last Bruin to score a goal against the Rockets was Evan Pighin, who scored at the 14:03 mark of the third period in a game March 12th of last season. The Rockets open a five game home stand tonight with dates against the Bruins (twice), Saskatoon, Regina and Swift Current. The Rockets host Saskatoon Wednesday before hosting Regina Saturday. The Rockets are coming off a 6-2 win in Prince George Saturday. Mitchell Callahan had two goals in the win while Colin Long had a goal and three assists. The Rockets directed 40 shots on goal while Adam Brown made 25 saves in the win. Overall the Rockets have won 4 straight, with victories over the Cougars (twice), Tri City and Kamloops. Over that period the Rockets have out-scored the opposition 21-6.

Five Alive: The Rockets had a record of 4-1-0-0 in their last five game home stand between October 24th and November 1st. The Rockets longest home stand of the season is seven straight at Prospera Place between December 30th and January 14th. Tonight the Rockets enter a portion of their schedule playing 13 of their next 17 games at home.
Long Wonderful vs. the Wack: Rockets forward Colin Long is riding a 12 game point streak against the Chilliwack Bruins dating back to last season. The last time Long failed to register a point against the ‘Wack’ was February 24/07 in a 7-1 loss in Chilliwack. Long has 3+3=6 in two games against Chilliwack this season.
McColgan Makes His Mark: Fifteen year-old Shane McColgan has signed a WHL contract with the Kelowna Rockets. McColgan was selected in the first round of this summers WHL Bantam draft. McColgan is the third American born player selected by the Rockets in the opening round, behind Luke Moffatt (07) and Jason Ryznar (99).
Shooting Out the Lights: The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals – eight times this season. The Rockets have managed to score 6 or more goals three times against the Cougars, with single game outbursts against Kamloops, Kootenay, Everett, Chilliwack and Seattle. Last season the Rockets scored 6 or more goals 12 times.
Hattrick Heaven: Brandon McMillan became the third Rockets player this season to register a hat trick in last Fridays 7-3 win in Prince George. McMillan joins Jamie Benn and Cody Almond on that list. Who was the last Rockets player to recorded two or more hat tricks in one season? Justin Keller had three – three goal games in 05/06.
Number Crunching: The Rockets longest winning streak last season was 7 games. That streak took place between December 31/07 and January 12/08…The Rockets have just 3 power play goals in their last six games. That’s 3 goals in their last 25 chances (8.3%). The good news is the Rockets have not allowed a power play goal in four games, killing off 17 straight power play chances. In the teams last six games the penalty killing unit has given up just four goals in 29 opportunities.
Lov’n Laz: Rockets goaltender Kris Lazaruk has won back-to-back games for the first time since back-to-back victories September 26th and 27th against Kamloops. Lazaruk has allowed just one goal in his last two games (0.50) and has stopped 41 of 42 shots (.976) in those two starts. Lazaruk has 64 career victories.
Coming Off a Win: How do the Rockets fair the game following a win? The Rockets have been in that situation 16 times this season and have followed that up with another victory 10 times.
Scoring 3 and Feeling Glee: The Rockets are 16-3-0-0 when they score 3 or more goals. The only three games where they’ve scored three or more goals and lost were 5-3 to Vancouver, 8-6 to Everett and 7-3 to Lethbridge. The Rockets are 9-4-0-0 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals.
Three Rockets Eligible: NHL Central Scouting has released it’s first list of the Western Hockey League players eligible for this summers draft. Tyson Barrie is rated 8th, Collin Bowman is 22nd and Stepan Novotny is ranked 23rd. The top rated WHL player for the draft is Spokane’s Jared Cowan.
Two @ A-D-T: Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers have returned from the A-D-T Canada-Russia Challenge. Benn picked up two assists in a 5-0 win over the Russians Wednesday in Swift Current but was shutout one night later in the WHL’s 2-1 win. Tyler Myers failed to earn a point in both games, but picked up one minor penalty.
Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 104 goals this season...The Rockets have scored 34 power play goals this season, the third most in the WHL. Only Vancouver (41) and Calgary (39) have scored more times with the extra man…Jamie Benn has scored the most goals in the WHL this season with 22. Benn leads Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen by just three goals….Rockets defenseman Tyson Barrie is second in scoring by defenseman with 27 points. Vancouver’s Jonathon Blum leads the way with 30…Two of the Rockets three shutouts this season have been on the road. Kris Lazaruk recorded one against Kamloops while Adam Brown turned the trick against the Chilliwack Bruins.
Schedule Maker: The Rockets play 9 more games before Christmas. Six of those games are on home ice. The three road games include dates in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton.
No Shootout/No OT: The Rockets have failed to play a game this season that has gone either to overtime or a shootout. The last overtime game the Rockets were involved in that ended in a decision was December 15/07 in a 3-2 overtime win in Saskatoon. Jamie Benn scored the game winner. The last time the Rockets were involved in a shootout was March 9/08 in a 4-3 shootout win in Chilliwack. Tyson Barrie technically scored the game winning goal in that contest. The Rockets were involved in 11 shootout games last season. Kelowna is joined by Portland and Saskatoon as the only three teams not involved in a shootout this season.

Hamilton On McColgan

Here is the interview with Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton on signing first round pick Shane McColgan to a WHL player contract.

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McColgan Makes Debut

The Kelowna Rockets number one pick from this summers WHL draft has chosen major junior over U-S college hockey.
Shane McColgan will make his Rockets debut Tuesday December 16th when the team travels to Red Deer to face the Rebels.
McColgan was the Rockets first round pick - 13th overall in the draft.

Here's my take on it.

Rolling the dice this time around did pay off for the Kelowna Rockets. After choosing American born Luke Moffatt with the teams first round pick in the 2007 draft, the Rockets elected to dive into the deep waters again by selecting California born Shane McColgan in the first round in 2008. Many Okanagan hockey fans questioned the Rockets wisdom of selecting such a player after failing to land Luke Moffatt as a 16 year-old. Yet the gamble has now paid off. What makes it such a gamble is American born players traditionally choose U-S college hockey in the belief it is the best way to get to the NHL. Both the WHL and U-S college hockey provide an avenue to get there, but it's believed that playing junior hockey gets you there a lot quicker. McColgan's decision to choose the Western Hockey League is huge, not only for the Rockets but for the league. Other American born players will now look at him and think twice about opting for a scholarship to a U.S college.
If Luke Moffatt takes a similar route and eventually joins the Rockets organization, then clearly times are a changing and the Western Hockey League may be winning the war. As it currently stands, both sides believe they are winning the battle.

Benn Gets Two Assists for WHL

Jamie Benn had two assists, both on the power play, in the WHL's 5-0 win Wednesday night over the Russian Selects.
It was game five of the A-D-T Canada-Russia Challenge, with last night's game played in Swift Current before a crowd of over 28 hundred.
Of the five goals the WHL scored last night, four were with the extra man as they out-shot the Russians 41-16.
The two teams hook up again tonight in Prince Albert to wrap up the six game series.

Cummy Back In Colorado

For the second time this season Kyle Cumiskey has been recalled by the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.
Cumiskey was called up by the Avs November 6th for a game against the Minnesota Wild before returning to the American Hockey League's Lake Erie Monsters.
Cumiskey played 177 games with the Kelowna Rockets from 2003 to 2006.

Mixed Feelings About A-D-T Challenge

At first glance I'm not a fan of the A-D-T Canada-Russia Challenge.
The format is stale and I could have cared less on who won the first four games of the series between the Russia Selects and the OHL-QMJHL All-Stars. Had the Russians been up 4-0, I wouldn't have lost a second of sleep.
We've often heard that the touring Russia team doesn't ice their best team for the six game series, but even if they did, I frankly wouldn't be anymore interested.
And does Hockey Canada really use these games as an evaluation tool to formulate who is going to be invited back to the teams main camp in December? Are you telling me a bad performance by Jamie Benn over the next two night's is going to take away from the 22 goals he's scored this season as arguably the best shooter in the Canadian Hockey League? Frankly these smart hockey minds at Hockey Canada know full well who's going to be on that training camp roster after watching these players in the first half of the season. No one is going to surprise them over the next two nights.
So while I may sound all negative about this A-D-T Canada-Russia Challenge, I will admit whoever decided on where these games should be played deserves a pat on the back. Swift Current nor Prince Albert will likely ever host a Memorial Cup, or even a WHL All-Star game if it was ever resurrected, so with that in mind these two communities are being treated to something close.
I hope hockey fans in those Saskatchewan centre's take advantage of seeing a Jamie Benn or a Tyler Myers because it's as close as they are going to get, as the Rockets fail to play in those two cities this season. On top of that both Benn and Myers could be playing in the National Hockey League next year.
I'll admit the only thing that excited me about the A-D-T Canada-Russia Challenge last year was when Canada's Luke Schenn beat the **** out of a Russian player, but that still doesn't change my thinking that the format should be put to bed. If that indeed happens, I am pleased that hockey fans in Swift Current and Prince Albert have been given the chance in hosting these two games, because without those two franchises, the WHL we know and love today just wouldn't be the same.

Laying It Down With Laz

Again a piece of audio, this time with 20 year-old Rockets goaltender Kris Lazaruk on the lighter side of the game.

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Benn & Myers Represent WHL

The Kelowna Rockets may have the week off from WHL action, but that doesn’t mean two members of the team won’t be involved in heavy level competition.
Rockets forward Jamie Benn and teammate Tyler Myers are off to Calgary Tuesday where they will bus in for games in Swift Current and Prince Albert Wednesday and Thursday as the Western Hockey League leg of the A-D-T Canada-Russia Challenge begins.
Benn and Myers were selected to play for the WHL after attending the Canadian World Junior teams summer evaluation camp in Calgary.
It’s believed these two games against the Russia’s is a springboard for an invite to the Canadian World Junior Teams main camp next month.
The last Rockets player to participate at the ADT Canada-Russia challenge was Luke Schenn, who won Gold for Canada at last years World Junior Hockey Championships.
The CHL is 3 and 1 against the Russia touring team in the 6 game cross Canada series.

Two Minute Minor - Tysen Dowzak

I would consider Rockets defenseman Tysen Dowzak as one of my favorite interviews on this years team. He gives well thought out answers, as you'll find in this interview where we talk about everything other than the X's and O's of hockey.

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Season High 4 Game Winning Streak

• The Rockets ran their winning streak to four games with a 6-2 win in Prince George Saturday night. Colin Long led the way with a goal and three assists, and now shares the team lead in points with Jamie Benn. Long was named the games first star, and saw duty with several line combinations including being reunited with Benn and Lucas Bloodoff.
• The Rockets have won four straight, the teams longest winning streak of the season. The victory Saturday night was also the Rockets 6th straight at the CN Centre in Prince George.
  
• Mitchell Callahan benefited from playing alongside Long. Callahan was able to score twice in the win while chipping in with a third period scrap. It was the 17 year-olds best game of his young WHL career. Callahan came within inches of recording the hat trick, but his wrist shot hit the post and stayed out.
• Long can also be credited for helping both Lukas Matejka and Spencer Main earn their first WHL points. Long's pass from behind the net saw Matejka snap home his first goal of the season while Main earned an assist on the passing play.
• Rockets defenseman Collin Bowman sat this one out after being hit in the head with a puck on a point shot in Friday's 7-3 win. Bowman received 5 stitches to his right ear and was unable to play because of ringing in his ear.
• After the Rockets 6th goal, even the time keeper in Prince George became a fan of the visitors. Instead of putting a 6 up on the scoreboard, a 7 appeared. After about 30 seconds he/she realized the mistake and quickly changed to score to 6-2.
  
• Rookie forward Curt Gogol's willingness to get involved in fighting majors in back-to-back games did not go unnoticed. Over the weekend the 17 year-old age group provided the bulk of the muscle, with Gogol fighting twice, while Callahan and Lukas Matejka each dropping the mitts once. Eighteen year-old Tyler Myers also dropped the gloves once in a fight with Brian Matte.
• Benn and Long now find themselves tied for the WHL scoring lead with Calgary's Brent Sonne. All three players have 39 points.
  
• Long should be considered for the WHL Player of the Week honors. Long had 8 points in three games.
• Again I liked Adam Brown's play between the pipes. You can see him gaining more confidence with each start. The 17 year-old rookie outplayed both 20 year-old Kevin Armstrong and 19 year-old Joe Calijiuri on the weekend.
• When was the last time the Rockets had a dependable 17 year-old goaltender? Never...until now!
  
• You have to love Cougar forward Dana Tyrell's worth ethic, but his -20 rating this season over shadows the 17 goals he's scored. If he wants to make the World Junior team, he's going to have to prove to the scouting staff that he's not a defensive liability.
  
• What happened to Justin Maylan? The key in the Ty Wishart deal with Moose Jaw last season, Maylan is playing on the Cougars 4th line and has just 3 goals in 27 games. After being acquired from the Warriors, Maylan impressed, giving Cougar fans the impression that the trade was a win-win for both teams. Now Cougar fans are again questioning the trade of the marquee 19 year-old defenseman.
• Saturday's game between the Rockets and Cougars saw 8 American born players suiting up. The Rockets had five, while the Cougars had 3. The Rockets would have dressed a 6th had Collin Bowman been able to play.

McMillan's Moment

• It sure was nice to see Brandon McMillan pick up the hat trick Friday night in a 7-3 win in Prince George. Coach Huska tells me I shouldn't expect big offensive numbers from the 18 year-old forward, but it was nice to see him rewarded for his hard work. McMillan had one of his better games by using his speed, but he appeared to be more determined than ever to win puck battles which resulted in quality chances on goal.
• McMillan joins Jamie Benn and Cody Almond on the list of Rockets that have registered hat tricks this season.
• Dylan Hood was equally as good as McMillan Friday night. Hoody ended the game (1+4=5)with a +6 rating. Hood's ability to outwork the Cougars down low resulted in several scoring chances for his line mates, and it was McMillan who was the beneficiary of Hood's solid work ethic.
• Adam Brown is a keeper. While he allowed a softy on the Cougars 2nd goal, I am really starting to like his steady play. Brown is extremely quick down low, and visually covers a good portion of the net causing opposition shooters headaches. It would be nice see the Rockets ride the 17 year-old goaltender. The Vancouver Giants did with Tyson Sexsmith, and now look what they have.
• Veteran goaltender Kris Lazaruk sat this one out after suffering a leg injury in the early morning skate. A Prince George Cougars midget goaltender was used as a back up to Brown as Lazaruk watched from the stands.
• I was surprised that the Cougars pulled overage goaltender Kevin Armstrong after the first period. Sure he gave up 4 goals on 11 shots, but I thought he deserved to start the second period to work his way out of the dilemma he caused. Backup Joe Caligiuri didn't fair much better allowing 2 goals on 8 shots in the second period. The Cougars can thank their lucky stars that Rockets forward Jamie Benn had a quiet game. Had Benn been 'on' his game, it would have been ugly.
• Speaking of Armstrong, he made his WHL debut against the Rockets when he played with the Saskatoon Blades. Armstrong made a relief appearance in a 6-3 loss to the Rockets Oct 11/05. Armstrong allowed just one goal in a third period appearance.
• Why the Cougars didn't take the body in the first two periods proved to be their downfall. The Rockets were allowed to used their speed freely without any form of physical contact. It was only in the third period that the Cougars played physical that they out-scored the Rockets 2-1 and out-shot them 12-8.
• Cougars forward Brett Connolly is the real deal. While the goal he scored hit his shin pad and in, the 16 year-old had no less than four quality offensive chances. Connelly is getting big minutes playing alongside 19 year-old winger Dana Tyrell.
• The Rockets have scored 6 or more goals seven times this season. The Rockets biggest offensive outburst of the season came against the Cougars in a 8-1 win in October.
• The loss was the Cougars 3rd of the season on home ice. The only team to beat the Cougars at the CN Centre prior to Friday's setback were the Vancouver Giants.

Pics From PG

Just another day in paradise. The players leave the hotel and board the bus for a ride down to CN Centre for a pre-game skate.

I can't trust that Gregg Drinnan, so I had to get a look for myself to see if the Prince George Cougars coaching staff were indeed wearing helmets at practice. At the Cougars pre-game skate this morning coach Schoeneck and Klippenstein were both wearing a lid.

A pic of Cody Almond at practice this morning. The dudes work ethic has him playing a dominant game.

Benner looking on at the pre-game skate.

Who's this guy with the facial shield? That's Brett Bulmer. Bulmer is playing with the Prince George Midgets but took part in workouts this morning. The guy behind him with the cage is Dylan Hood. Hood's nose still hasn't totally healed, so the cage goes back on.

Coaches Jeff Finley and Kim Dillabaugh checking out the ice at the CN Centre. This is exactly what is needed along the street in front of Prospera Place. Who knew Kenny Rogers was in town this week? Joking aside, the real benefit is to tell the public what's happening in the venue, including upcoming Rockets games.

I thought I'd take a picture of this pillar outside the Rockets dressing room at CN Centre because of all the WHL players that have signed it over the years. Justin Bernhardt's signature is at the top right while Brady Leavolds is on the left. I like Andrew DeSousa's signature which shows he played with 4 different teams. The picture of the suitcase fits.

Rockets Game Notes vs. Cougars

Tonight’s Preview: This is the second meeting of the season between the Rockets and Cougars. The Rockets are 1-0-0-0 after an 8-1 win over the Cougars back on October 11th. The Rockets out-shot the Cougars 45-12 in that game with Colin Long (2+1=3), Kyle St. Denis (1+2=3) and Tyson Barrie (1+2=3) leading the attack. Brandon McMillan had 3 assists, while Jamie Benn had two goals and a fight with Cougars defenseman Cody Hobbs. Adam Brown earned the win in goal. Last season the Rockets were 4-0-0-0 in Prince George, outscoring the Cougars 27-5. The Rockets were winners by scores of 5-1, 6-1, 11-1 and 5-2 in their four visits to CN Centre. The Rockets last loss in Prince George was March 3/07 in a 7-4 setback. The Rockets are coming off a 3-1 win over the Tri City Americans Wednesday. Evan Bloodoff broke a 1-1 tie with over 5 minutes left in the third period before Cody Almond would score an empty netter to give the Rockets their 14th win of the season, and second straight. Following this weekend’s games against the Cougars, the Rockets open a five game home stand with two games against Chilliwack and single games against Saskatoon, Regina and Swift Current.

Statistically Speaking: Rockets forward Jamie Benn has 21 goals this season, the most of any player in the Canadian Hockey League. Matthew Pistilli of Shawinigan (QMJHL) is a close second with 20 goals in 20 games. Twelve of Benn’s 21 goals have been scored at home this season. Colin Long has 6+18=24 in 19 career games against the Prince George Cougars. Long has been held off the score-sheet just twice in those 19 games. Long has just one goal in his last 7 games overall, yet has points in 6 of his last 8 games. Long has 2+9=11 in those 6 games.

Lov’n Laz: Rockets goaltender Kris Lazaruk has won back-to-back games for the first time since back-to-back victories September 26th and 27th against Kamloops. Lazaruk has allowed just one goal in his last two games (0.50) and has stopped 41 of 42 shots (.976) in those two starts. This will be Lazaruk’s 125th career start tonight. Lazaruk has 64 career victories.

Coming Off a Win: How do the Rockets fair the game following a win? The Rockets have been in that situation 14 times this season and have followed that up with another victory 8 times.

Scoring 3 and Feeling Glee: The Rockets are 14-3-0-0 when they score 3 or more goals. The only three games where they’ve scored three or more goals and lost were 5-3 to Vancouver, 8-6 to Everett and 7-3 to Lethbridge. The Rockets are 8-4-0-0 in games where they’ve allowed 3 or more goals.

Three Rockets Eligible: NHL Central Scouting has released it’s first list of the Western Hockey League players eligible for this summers draft. Tyson Barrie is rated 8th, Collin Bowman is 22nd and Stepan Novotny is ranked 23rd. The top rated WHL player for the draft is Spokane’s Jared Cowan.

Cody’s Coming Out Party: Cody Almond has 8 – 2 goal games over his career, but registered his first career hat trick Saturday night against Kamloops. Almond now has 20 points in 22 games this season. Almond scored his 50th career goal into an empty net Wednesday. Almond is playing in his 183rd career game tonight.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 91 goals this season. Only Vancouver (107) have scored more goals than the Rockets in the Western Conference…..The Rockets have scored 34 power play goals this season, the third most in the WHL. Only Vancouver (38) and Calgary (37) have scored more times with the extra man…Jamie Benn has scored the most goals in the WHL this season with 21. Benn leads Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen by just three goals….Rockets defenseman Tyson Barrie is third in scoring by defenseman with 24 points. Vancouver’s Jonathon Blum leads the way with 27…Two of the Rockets three shutouts this season have been on the road. Kris Lazaruk recorded one against Kamloops while Adam Brown turned the trick against the Chilliwack Bruins…The Rockets have two players that have registered hat tricks this season. Cody Almond recorded three goals Saturday against Kamloops while Jamie Benn had three goals November 1st against Lethbridge.

Schedule Maker: The Rockets play 11 more games before Christmas. Six of those games are on home ice. The five road games include dates in Prince George (twice), Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton.

Two Head to A-D-T: Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers have been named to team WHL, which will face the Russians in the A-D-T Canada/Russia Challenge next month. Games will be played in Swift Current and Prince Albert Saskatchewan.

No Shootout/No OT: The Rockets have failed to play a game this season that has gone either to overtime or a shootout. The last overtime game the Rockets were involved in that ended in a decision was December 15/07 in a 3-2 overtime win in Saskatoon. Jamie Benn scored the game winner. The last time the Rockets were involved in a shootout was March 9/08 in a 4-3 shootout win in Chilliwack. Tyson Barrie technically scored the game winning goal in that contest. The Rockets were involved in 11 shootout games last season. Kelowna is joined by Portland and Saskatoon as the only three teams not involved in a shootout this season.

Benn Best In CHL

Did you know that Jamie Benn has scored the most goals in the Canadian Hockey League? You do now. Benn has 21 goals in 21 games this season. Only Shawinigan's Matthew Pistilli comes close with 20 goals in 20 games.

Dull Start - Dandy Finish

• An unlikely hero scored the game winning goal in the Rockets 3-1 home ice victory against the Tri City Americans Wednesday night. Evan Bloodoff, with just one goal in his first 19 games, scored the winner with just over five minutes left in the third period in the Rockets 14th win of the season.
• While the Rockets power play failed to score a goal in three chances, it was nice to see two of the three goals scored even strength. Jamie Benn's 21st goal of the season was likely the ugliest that will come off his stick this season as he crashed the net to tie the game at one, and Cody Almond's empty netter was shorthanded. It was the Rockets 4th shorthanded goal of the season. Benn has three of them.
• Rockets goaltender Kris Lazaruk gave up only one goal in the game, but it was a bad one from a sharp angle. But despite that softy, he really barred down mentally and made some terrific saves, especially when the Americans had a 5 on 3 at about the 7 minute mark of the second period. The Americans, who failed to score to take a 2-0 lead, saw Jamie Benn get the opening goal for the home team with 1:12 left in the second period to tie the game at one.
• Colin Long may not be playing on the same line as Jamie Benn, but that didn't deter him from getting on the score-sheet. Long had two assists.
• The win snapped a losing streak against the Tri City Americans that dates back three seasons. The Rockets were 0 and 2 against the Americans this season, 0 and 4 last season and 0 and 4 the season prior. The bottom line was the Rockets beat the Americans for the first time in 11 trys.
• Chet Pickard was named the games second star for his great play in this one. The Americans goaltender made some huge saves, and gave his team a chance to beat a Rockets team that appeared to get better as the game wore on. Giving up two goals on 30 shots sounds like a pretty good effort from your starting goaltender.
• The two Americans that stood out for me outside of Pickard were Taylor Procyshen and Brett Plouffe. Procyshen wouldn't quit working and showed some good speed to the outside. No wonder he's the team captain. Plouffe showed a great shot from the point, something I just didn't notice in two games previous in Tri City. It seemed every time the Americans gained control in the offensive zone, the puck when back to Plouffe who wired one from the blue line.
• I like this Tri City American team. Quick would best describe them. This is an exciting team to watch. Even with a late 2-1 third period lead, few Rockets fans left the building until Cody Almond's empty net goal sealed the deal in this one.
• Are the Rockets a mirror image of the Americans? Their records sure are. The Rockets are 9 and 2 on home ice while the Americans are 9 and 1. The Rockets road record is 5 and 8 while the Americans is 5-6-0-2. The Rockets and Americans each have 18 points at home this season while the Am's have 12 points compared to Kelowna's 10 on the road.
• I noticed RG Properties' Dave Dakers watching the game with Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton Wednesday night. Do you think Hamilton pointed out the pitiful scoreboard in the arena to Dakers over the course of the game?

Game Notes vs. Americans

Tonight’s Preview: This is the third meeting of the season between the Rockets and the Americans. The Rockets are 0-2-0-0 with both losses coming in Tri City by scores of 5-2 and 4-1. Following tonight’s game the two teams close out the seasonal series January 14th at Prospera Place. The Rockets are coming off a 5-0 shutout win over Kamloops Saturday night. Cody Almond scored three times while Kris Lazaruk made 16 saves for his 4th career shutout. The Rocket fired 39 shots at the Blazer goal while scoring on 1 of 5 power play chances. Jamie Benn and Lucas Bloodoff also scored goals for the Rockets, who snapped a three game losing streak. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Prince George for a pair of games this weekend before opening a five game home stand with two games against Chilliwack and single games against Saskatoon, Regina and Swift Current.

Scoring 3 and Feeling Glee: The Rockets are 13-3-0-0 when they score 3 or more goals. The only three games where they’ve scored three or more goals and lost were 5-3 to Vancouver, 8-6 to Everett and 7-3 to Lethbridge. The Rockets are 8-4-0-0 in games where they’ve allow 3 or more goals.

Three Rockets Eligible: NHL Central Scouting has released it’s first list of the Western Hockey League players eligible for this summers draft. Tyson Barrie is rated 8th, Collin Bowman is 22nd and Stepan Novotny is ranked 23rd. The top rated WHL player for the draft is Spokane’s Jared Cowan.

Cody’s Coming Out Party: Cody Almond has 8 – 2 goal games over his career, but registered his first career hat trick Saturday night against Kamloops. Almond now has 19 points in 21 games this season. Almond’s next goal will be his 50th of his career. Almond is playing in his 182nd career game tonight.

Broadcaster Tidbits: The Rockets have scored 88 goals this season. Only Vancouver (103) have scored more goals than the Rockets in the Western Conference…..The Rockets have scored 34 power play goals this season, the third most in the WHL. Only Calgary (37) and Vancouver (35) have scored more times with the extra man…Jamie Benn has scored the most goals in the WHL this season with 20. Benn leads Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen by just two goals….Rockets defenseman Tyson Barrie is tied with Swift Current’s Eric Doyle for the league lead in points by defenseman with 24. Vancouver’s Jonathon Blum technically averages more points per game from the blue line than Doyle and Barrie. Blum has 23 points but has played in 7 fewer games…Evan Bloodoff has the ability to become the all-time franchise leader in games played, but a few things need to happen. Bloodoff would have to play as a 20 year-old and would have to dress in all 72 regular season games over the next three seasons. That would give Bloodoff 344 games played, 3 more than franchise leader Jason Deleurme…Two of the Rockets three shutouts this season have been on the road. Kris Lazaruk recorded one against Kamloops while Adam Brown turned the trick against the Chilliwack Bruins…The Rockets have two players that have registered hat tricks this season. Cody Almond recorded three goals Saturday against Kamloops while Jamie Benn had three goals November 1st against Lethbridge.

No Shootout/No OT: The Rockets have failed to play a game this season that has gone either to overtime or a shootout. The last overtime game the Rockets were involved in that ended in a decision was December 15/07 in a 3-2 overtime win in Saskatoon. Jamie Benn scored the game winner. The last time the Rockets were involved in a shootout was March 9/08 in a 4-3 shootout win in Chilliwack. Tyson Barrie technically scored the game winning goal in that contest. The Rockets were involved in 11 shootout games last season. Kelowna is joined by Portland and Saskatoon as the only three teams not involved in a shootout this season.

Schedule Maker: The Rockets play 11 more games before Christmas. Six of those games are on home ice. The five road games include dates in Prince George (twice), Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton.

Two Head to A-D-T: Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers have been named to team WHL, which will face the Russians in the A-D-T Canada/Russia Challenge next month. Games will be played in Swift Current and Prince Albert Saskatchewan.

Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Jamie Benn has goals in 8 of his last 10 games. That’s 12 goals over that period. Colin Long has points in 11 of his last 14. Long has 9 goals and 13 assists = 22 pts over that period. Cody Almond has points in twelve of his last seventeen games. Almond has 6+6=12 over that period. Dylan Hood has (1+3=4) in his last three games. Brandon McMillan has not scored in 20 games.

California Fires Impact Rockets Families

I received an interesting response from an e-mail I sent to Steve Long (Colin Long's father) today about the recent fires in California. I was wondering if they had all threatened the Long's home. Steve said the intense fires were about 7 to 8 miles from his home in Santa Ana California, but the same couldn't be said for another player on the Rockets roster.
Apparently Adam Brown's family had to be evacuated from their home in Yorba Linda as the fires threatened their neighborhood. Despite the evacuation, Brown's home was not destroyed in the blaze.
Of course we in Kelowna can sympathize with what's been going on in California after the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire in 2003.

Paradis Out

Jesse Paradis won't play Wednesday against Tri City. Paradis is out a week with a lower body injury. Paradis hurt hs knee/ankle when he was hit during Saturday's game against the Kamloops Blazers.

Cam Paddock Audio Interview

Here is the conversation I had this morning with former Kelowna Rockets forward Cam Paddock. Paddock made his NHL debut last Friday with the St. Louis Blues and managed to score his first NHL goal in that same game.

www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FCam_Paddock.mp3&nid=829693

NHL Draft List Includes 3 Rockets

The list of the top rated players eligible for this summers draft have been released by NHL Central Scouting.
Kelowna Rockets defenseman Tyson Barrie is rated as the 8th best prospect in the Western Hockey League.
Teammate Collin Bowman is rated 22nd overall while Stepan (Step-an) Novotny is ranked 23rd among Western Hockey League skaters.
The top rated player from the WHL for next June's draft is Spokane's Jared Cowan.

Schenn Shot

Thanks to Kevin and Dorothy Fabian for this photo of Luke Schenn in warm-up Saturday night at GM Place.

Things That Make Me Go Hmm...

• How much better is Kris Lazaruk feeling about his game today? Lazaruk was likely on the low of lows prior to Saturday's 5-0 shutout over the Blazers. Does he now get back in the good books with Rockets fans that have been disappointed with his play? Likely not, but it's a step in the right direction. I personally am cheering for him, because the pressure that he faced coming into Kelowna must have been immense. It wasn't like he came into the Rockets dressing room after Jung had faltered, but took over the #1 goaltending duties with the expectations that he was the savior goaltender that would lead this team to great things.
• I had an interesting conversation with Brandon McMillan Saturday night. He admitted to me he needs to be apart of a group that has to up his play in the offensive zone. With one goal in his last 20 games I asked him if he simply is not that type of player, yet I and others are pigeon-holing him into a possible offensive threat. McMillan says he needs to elevate his play, and the two goals he's scored this season won't cut it. The good news is McMillan realizes his shortcomings and now needs to work on them. It would be interesting to see how many shots on goal he gets per game. I would imagine those totals would be extremely low.
• Cody Almond is a different example all together. Often times criticized for shooting rather than passing, Almond's been rewarded for his efforts this season with his quick release. I'm not going to criticize Almond for his shoot first - pass second mentality because he may be the best Rocket this season...yes better than even Jamie Benn at times. Look at Evander Kane? No one shoots the puck more than Giants forward Evander Kane, and look at his offensive totals. It is clearly by design that Kane plays alongside a passer in Casey Pierro-Zabotel. If the Rockets can find a passer to complement Almond, maybe we have something here? Cody, keep shooting the puck, but don't forget what has everyone impressed by your play this season - your work ethic.
• You have to hand it to the new group in Portland for turning that team around. Since the new ownership group/coaches took over, the change on the ice is clearly visible. So what does that say about coaching? The best coaches often times are able to get the most out of a group of players that may lack in overall skill level but can still play a solid structured team game. I am still a believer that a solid work ethic can beat a skilled team any day of the week. We saw that in 2003-2004 when the Rockets didn't put up bigger numbers offensively, but Marc Habscheid had them playing as good a team game as you will ever see.
• Speaking of Habschied, is their any coach out there more qualified at the junior level not in the game? If I am a team that is struggling, do I not give him a call and inquire if he is interested?
• What does that say about Luke Schenn making an appearance at Friday's game in Vancouver? To see him shaking hands with the likes of Benn, Almond, Barrie and McMillan before the game put a smile on my face. Sure Schenn now has a Toronto Maple Leafs logo on the front of his jersey, but that doesn't mean he is about to forget the teammates he left behind.
• If Colin Long needs an endorsement to be named to the U-S World Junior team, look no further than Giants captain Jonathon Blum. I spoke to Blum about Long's chances of wearing American colours in Ottawa, and Blum strongly believes Long should be there. Blum is an automatic to be named to the team when U-S Hockey reveals it's roster in early December. Let's hope Long - despite being from the dreaded WHL - gets a shot at representing his country.
• An interesting intermission at Kamloops Blazer home games. A car dealer parades his vehicles around the ice to the awe of the onlooking crowd. And just in case you didn't catch it in the first intermission, you get a second chance to see those same vehicle in the second intermission. What a treat!
• Now the Vancouver Giants do it right. Once the intermission is over an off road vehicle comes flying onto the ice and starts firing t-shirts from a master blaster cannon mounted above the vehicle. The fans that scream the loudest get a t-shirt fired their way. The concept isn't new, but it works. It's better to have the building sound like a rock concert than a morgue.

A Rare Road Shutout

• I see the 10 team Western Conference separated into three tiers. Vancouver, Tri City and Spokane are in one tier as the top end teams in the conference. Kelowna, Everett and Kamloops are in a second tier while Chilliwack, Seattle, Prince George and Portland are in the third tier. But after what I saw Saturday night in Kamloops, the Rockets are on the verge of moving to the top tier with the Giants, Americans and Chiefs. The Rockets dominated on the shot clock and on the scoreboard in a 5-0 win over the Blazers. Kamloops goaltender Jon Groenheyde gave his team a fighting chance in this one.
• My belief is the Rockets are on the line which separates the first tier of teams from the second tier. What will it take for the Rockets to move into the tier of the elite teams in the West? Maximum effort with no stragglers. Every member of this team needs to contribute in his own individual way to the betterment of the team. Anything short and this team will remain at tier two.
• It's amazing what a little emotion can do to the Rockets overall game. The Rockets brought it in buckets Saturday night courtesy of Kyle Verdino, Tysen Dowzak and Collin Bowman. In all three incidents, the three Rockets defenseman took exception to questionable hits by the Blazers on fellow teammates. While all three players were tagged with instigator penalties, which essentially wiped out power play chances, I'd far rather take that type of aggression than seeing a team that looks as though they don't have a heartbeat. Play with controlled emotion and the results are evident. Just look at Saturday night's outcome if you need an example.
• You had to feel good for Rocket forward Cody Almond. Almond, the best Rockets player in the month of November on work ethic alone, was rewarded for his efforts offensively by recording his first career hat-trick. Almond's prettiest goal of the night came when the teams were playing 4 on 4 and defenseman Riley McIntosh (yes Riley McIntosh) fed Almond a beautiful cross ice pass from the left point that Almond one-timed into the net from the left face-off circle.
• Blazers head coach Barry Smith must have been scratching his head after this one. After putting his team on the ice for a 4:45 am skate the day after arriving from Portland after a 7-5 loss, what trick does Smith pull out of his hat to grab his teams attention this time? The Blazers were uninterested and were out of sync all night. For a team that hadn't played for 6 days, they looked like they had played three games in four nights, not the Rockets.
• I felt good for overage goaltender Kris Lazaruk. Lazaruk only saw 16 shots yet was solid in recording the win, and shutout, his 4th of his career. Now I want to see Lazaruk step up and show his stuff Wednesday in a home date against the Tri City Americans.
• I haven't talked glowingly about rookie forward Lukas Matejka, but after Saturday's game I have to admit it was his best effort of the season. Matejka still has huge holes in his game, yet he created some good things in front of the Blazers net and got into a scrap with Slovakian born Michal Siska. I am not sure what the future holds for Matejka, but lets hope this is a stepping stone to improved play, because no points for a European forward after 13 games won't cut it.
• European forward Stepan Novotny also had a strong game. Novotny hit the goal post twice in last night's win, before earning an assist on Lucas Bloodoff's goal to make it 5-0.
• The Rockets were a combined +19 while the Blazers were a combined -19.
• The win snapped the Rockets 3 game losing streak, and snapped the Blazers 5 game home ice winning streak.

A Guided Tour High Above Pacific Coliseum

This is the catwalk high above the ice surface at Pacific Coliseum. Heading this direction will take you directly over the scoreboard. Here is a picture taken along the catwalk towards the ice. That little red thing down there is the net. Getting dizzy yet? Here is one of the old broadcast booths on the other side of the score clock. My belief is this is the location where Jim Robson called many a Vancouver Canuck game in his day. Even the booth has a 70's look to it. The odd thing is the broadcast booth has a sliding window. Did they think it was going to rain up there?

On my way back from where I came on the catwalk, I noticed this sign. Nice to know I was taking my life in my own hands with my walk across the score clock.

Safe on solid ground, a picture of the Shaw TV play-by-play crew of Bill Wilms (far left) and Dan Russell in the middle.

Even Having Luke Around Didn't Help

• Giving up late goals was a common theme Friday night in a 5-3 road loss in Vancouver. The Rockets gave up four of the five goals in the final three minutes of each period. The first two goals were scored with under three minutes left in the first period to give the home team a 2-0 lead. The Giants would make it 3-0 on a goal with under 3 minutes left in the second period. And to top it off, Gary Nunn’s empty netter to make it a 5-3 score came with just over a minute left to play in the final frame. Only Evander Kane’s goal to make it 4-0 came just a minute into the third period.
• After putting together a great effort against the Giants Wednesday at home, Friday’s performance just didn’t match up. Give the Rockets credit for fighting back after trailing 4-0, but against a good team like Vancouver, scoring four goals in the final 19 minutes of the hockey game was asking a little too much. To see the Rockets almost pull it off was impressive, but something tells me the Giants relaxed a little after building up what appeared to be a comfortable 4-0 lead.
• Giants forward Evander Kane extended his point streak to 20 games with a goal and an assist. Rockets defenseman Tyler Myers had a goal and two helpers in the loss.
• I liked the play of rookie forward Mitchell Callahan, Dylan Hood and Jesse Paradis in this one. Callahan provided some good energy, Hood had a goal and Paradis added a physical presence. Hoods goal was his 4th in 12 games.
• Give props to Rockets forward Jesse Paradis for getting involved in a fight with Giants winger Lance Bouma after the feisty forward attempted to run over Rockets rookie defenseman Aaron Borejko. Bouma had something against Borejko, as he hit him heavily in the first five minutes of the opening period as well.
• The Rockets have now lost 3 straight games, having been out-scored 12-5 in the process.
• Swift Current Broncos assistant general manager Eldon Moberg was in attendance at last night’s game and will be watching from the rafters when the Rockets face the Blazers in Kamloops tonight. Is it just coincidence or is Moberg kicking tires for a potential trade? The Broncos have four – 20 year-olds while the Rockets have just two – one under the league limit. The Broncos are reportedly shopping around defenseman Jesse Dudas. What are the Rockets in the market for? Among other things, a puck moving defenseman.
• The Giants gave a nice video tribute to head coach Don Hay before puck drop Friday night. The Giants recognized Hay for his 400th win in the WHL.
• A crowd of 11 thousand 555 took in Friday’s game. Not bad considering we are in mid November. The Giants have played the majority of their games this season on the road, so the hunger for some ‘home’ hockey is clearly evident. At 18 bucks for a good seat, you can’t beat that for your entertainment dollar.
• Luke Schenn made a surprise appearance at the Kelowna Rockets dressing room before Friday’s game. The Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman decided to stop by and watch his junior team play on the night before the Leafs visit the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place. The picture below is Luke and I just outside the Rockets dressing room prior to game time. I had a feeling he may show up, and Schenner didn't disappoint.

Here is the audio conversation I had with Schenn just prior to game time:

www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_0911.MP3&nid=827848

• And congrats to former Rocket Cam Paddock for not only playing in his first NHL game Friday night for the St Louis Blues, but for scoring his first NHL goal against Chicago.

Kelowna Packers Jersey Pic

Thanks to Doyle Pontenteau of the Daily Courier for the pic.

Rockets Game Notes vs. Giants

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets have won six of their last nine games heading into tonight’s contest against the Vancouver Giants. It’s the third of eight meetings between these two teams this season. They met Wednesday in Kelowna with the Giants earning a 3-1 win. The two teams exchanged goals in the first period before skating into the final period tied at one. In the third the Giants would get back-to-back goals less than five minutes apart in the two goal win. The Rockets out-shot the visitors 37-24. The Rockets were 0 for 5 on the power play. The loss snapped the Rockets three game home ice winning streak. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Kamloops tomorrow night before hosting Tri City on Wednesday. The Rockets begin a portion of their schedule tonight playing four of their next five games on home ice.

It Doesn't Happen Often: Forwards Colin Long and Jamie Benn have failed to register a point in back-to-back games. Long’s longest pointless streak last season was three games. Benn was shutout in back-to-back games five times last season…Rookie goaltender Adam Brown suffered his first loss of the season Wednesday night in a 3-1 setback to the Giants. Brown had won his first 7 games…The Rockets have failed to score a power play goal in back-to-back games. The Rockets are 0 for 8 over that period. The last power play goal was scored by Colin Long in a 5-2 win over Edmonton November 2nd….Benn and Long have combined for 40% of the team’s offense this season. Benn and Long have 61 points combined. The remaining players on the roster have 153 points combined.

Lack of Success: The Rockets are 3 and 7 in their last ten appearances at Pacific Coliseum. In those 10 games the Rockets have scored just 19 goals, or an averaged of just 1.9 goals per game. The Giants on the other hand have scored 43 goals over that period, or an average of 4.3 goals per game.

Power with the Power Play: The Rockets have scored 31 goals with the power play this season. Overall the team has scored 80 times; meaning 38.8 % of their goals have been scored with the extra man.

‘Benn’-fitting From the Power Play: Rockets forward Jamie Benn has 32 points this season. Of those 32 points, 16 of those points (50%) have been earned with the extra man. When Benn scores the Rockets are 8-4-0-0.

No Shootout/No OT: The Rockets have failed to play a game this season that has gone either to overtime or a shootout. The last overtime game the Rockets were involved in that ended in a decision was December 15/07 in a 3-2 overtime win in Saskatoon. Jamie Benn scored the game winner. The last time the Rockets were involved in a shootout was March 9/08 in a 4-3 shootout win in Chilliwack. Tyson Barrie technically scored the game winning goal in that contest. The Rockets were involved in 11 shootout games last season. Kelowna is joined by Portland and Saskatoon as the only three teams not involved in a shootout this season.

Schedule Maker: The Rockets play 13 more games before Christmas. Six of those games are on home ice. The seven road games include dates in Prince George (twice), tonight in Vancouver, Kamloops, Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton.

Two Head to A-D-T: Jamie Benn and Tyler Myers have been named to team WHL, which will face the Russians in the A-D-T Canada/Russia Challenge next month. Games will be played in Swift Current and Prince Albert Saskatchewan.

Who’s Hot – Who’s Not: Jamie Benn has goals in 6 of his last eight games. That’s 10 goals over that period. Colin Long has points in 9 of his last 12. Long has 9 goals and 11 assists = 20 pts over that stretch. Cody Almond has points in eleven of his last fifteen games. Almond has 6+6=12 over that period.

Home Cook’n: The Rockets are 8-2-0-0 at home this season, having out-scored the opposition 45-22. The only losses at home this season were a 3-1 setback to Vancouver and a 3-2 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings October 25th.

Paddock was Mr. Playoff

Cam Paddock will make his NHL debut this weekend. For the record he is another Rockets alumni that I never expected to ever step on NHL ice. Sure he was a good junior player, but he never was a huge offensive threat nor was he a physical force. That said, Paddock stood out when it really counted...the playoffs.

Paddock is no stranger to Kelowna Rockets fans. He played 323 games with the Rockets over five seasons and won a WHL title with the team in 2003 and then captured a Memorial Cup crown one year later as a 20 year-old.

Paddock's best season in Kelowna was 2001-2002 when he scored 38 goals, yet Paddock saved his best games for post season. How about the 2003 playoffs when he scored goals in 11 of the Rockets 19 playoff games. Paddock would score three goals in a four game sweep of Vancouver, would score just once in a four game sweep of Spokane before scoring three times in a five game Western Conference final against Seattle. In the WHL finals against Red Deer, Paddock would score goals in three of the six games, including a two goal effort in the champion series clinching game, leading the Rockets to a 2-0 win and the teams first ever WHL title. Paddock is third all time on the Rockets games played list, and for the third time this season joins a former Rocket in making his mark in the NHL. Mitch Fritz turned the trick late last month with the New York Islanders while Luke Schenn started the season with the Leafs.

Rockets All Time Games Played Leaders:

Name: Games Played
Jason Deleurme 341
Tyler Mosienko 338
Brett Palin 324
Cam Paddock 323
Gavin McLeod 321
Ryan Cuthbert 319

* Mosienko holds the club record for the most playoff games played with 81. Brett Palin is a close second with 75.

Jersey Auction Results

Close to 8 thousand dollars was raised last night from the auctioning off of the Kelowna Packers jersey's worn by the Rockets. Jamie Benn's jersey fetched the highest bid, at close to 2 thousand dollars. All the proceeds from the auction go directly to the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame.

I had the privilege of attending this mornings induction ceremony and spoke to defenseman Harry Smith:
www.am1150.ca/player/player?mediapath=&type=mp3&fi=files%2Fam1150%2Fsrimedia%2FR09_0898.MP3&nid=827162

CBC Hockey Night in Canada's Scott Oake and Kelly Hrudey were there. The induction ceremony will be seen during the second intermission of the second game Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada. Oake will wear a Packers jersey after Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton bid 500 dollars with the stipulation that Oake wear the jersey on Hockey Night in Canada.