A step in the right direction

Whistle wins in 100th appearance - Shoot the Breeze Photography 

• Rodney Southam had to be grinning from ear to ear after scoring the game winning goal last night against his old team. The only problem was no one was able to see it considering the 18 year-old was wearing a full face shield after a scrap earlier this month against the Vancouver Giants. The former Americans forward scored at the 14:39 mark of the first period in the Kelowna Rockets 7-1 win over the Tri City Americans. Southam spent parts of three seasons with the Americans before being dealt to the Rockets on November 4th for a fifth round bantam pick. It was Southam's second game winning goal of the season and 7th of his career.
• Southam was one of 13 players on the roster to pick up a point in the game. Rourke Chartier and Dillon Dube each scored twice in the team's 34th win of the season. Southam, Justin Kirkland and Chance Braid - with his first goal in a Rockets uniform - scored in the lopsided win. Leon Draisaitl and Madison Bowey each chipped in with two assists.
• Head Coach Dan Lambert elected to put Justin Kirkland with Tyson Baillie and Leon Draisaitl and it worked. Kirkland had a goal and an assist and followed that up with a solid battle level. Baillie ended the night with only one assists but had a strong game.
• I thought Americans goaltender Evan Sarthou made some nice saves despite surrendering 7 goals against. The 17 year-old made a nice toe save early on Justin Kirkland. With number one goaltender Eric Comrie sidelined with an injury, the Black Diamond Washington product faced 35 shots, with many considered as high quality opportunities.         
• Am I the only one that notices that Leon Draisaitl creates on average five good scoring chances a game? Probably not. Either the 19 year-old has the scoring chance himself or he finds a teammate with a glorious pass which is routinely on the tape.   
• It was only the second time this season the Rockets have scored 7 times on home ice. The Rockets were a 7-5 winner over the visiting Vancouver Giants back on October 1st.
• Jackson Whistle earned the win in his 100th appearance in the WHL. The 19 year-old goaltender was sharp by showing off his good glove hand. Oddly, the only goal he surrender was a Brian Williams point shot that beat Whistle to the glove hand side.
• It was nice to see 20 year-old Chance Braid score a goal. Braid found the back of the net with a quick shot while enjoying some rare power play time. Braid has now scored two goals at Prospera Place this season after getting one earlier with the Prince George Cougars. Head Coach Dan Lambert spoke glowingly about his play on our post game show and admitted he is much better player than he believed.
• Rourke Chartier now has 60 points, two more than his previous career high set last season.
• Madison Bowey hit two milestones last night. With a two assist effort, Bowey now has 100 career assists and 150 career points.   
• Tyrell Goulbourne will play in his 250th career game Friday night against the Seattle Thunderbirds. 
• The 50/50 jackpot was won by a gentleman from Ontario. How nice. It was nice until I found out it was Rob Fauld's of Sportsnet.  All joking aside, Fauld's and fellow Sportsnet broadcasters R.J Broadhead and Sam Cosentino were in the building watching the game. It was an easy guess to see who was buying beverages after the game with the 6 thousand dollar jackpot.