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Tonight’s Preview: Happy New Year!
Welcome to January, a month that will see the Kelowna Rockets play 11 games in
24 nights. The Rockets host the Spokane Chiefs for the first time this season.
The Chiefs are the only U.S Division team not to have played a game this season
at Prospera Place. These two teams met back on December 2nd, in
Spokane, with the Chiefs earning a 2-1 overtime win. These two teams close out
the seasonal series with games February 17th (Kelowna) and February
26th (Spokane). The Rockets are 8-2-2-1 in their last 13 games
against the Chiefs dating back five seasons. The Rockets have held the lead
heading into the third period 18 times this season. How about the Chiefs? Only eight
times (8-0-0-0). The Rockets are coming off a 2-1 loss Friday night against the
Victoria Royals. Nolan Foote scored the lone goal in the teams 7th
loss on home ice this season. Overall,
the Rockets have won 4 of its last 6 games and have points in 5 of its last 7
games (4-2-1-0). The Rockets face the Kamloops Blazers in a home and home
series this weekend.
December’s Top
Performers: The
Kelowna Rockets played 13 games in December. The top offensive performer during
the month was Kole Lind. Lind had 6+12=18 in December. Jake Kryski had 8+7=15
while Cal Foote had 1+12=13. Calvin
Thurkauf and Jake Kryski led the team in goals during the month with 8 apiece.
Kole Lind and Nolan Foote each had 6 goals apiece.
That’s a Fact Jack: Tomas Soustal and
Calvin Thurkauf have both missed 7 games with the Kelowna Rockets while
attending the World Junior’s. The Rockets are 4-2-1-0 without two of their top
forwards…Dillon Dube is missing his 10th straight game tonight as he
plays for Team Canada at the WJHC…The
Rockets have scored 5 goals in their last three games. Of those 5 goals scored,
four have come on the power play with only one even strength goal…The Rockets
power play is 4 for 17 (24%) in its last three games... The Rockets are 12-4-2-0 in their last 18 games and have points in
12 of their last 15 (10-3-2-0)….Defenceman Cal Foote and forward Kole Lind have
been named to the roster for the CHL Top Prospects game. Foote is one of only
two players on the Rockets roster to play in every game this season. The other
is Rodney Southam. Lind leads the team in scoring. The Top Prospects game will
be played in Quebec City.
Broadcasters Bits: Calvin Thurkauf captained
team Switzerland at the World Junior’s…Rookie Erik Gardiner has 1+5=6 in 7 games
with the Rockets since making his debut with the team in Medicine Hat before
the Christmas break…Kole Lind had his 13 game point streak snapped December 18th
against the Edmonton Oil Kings. It is the longest point streak by a Rockets
player this season …Calvin Thurkauf has 8 goals in his last four games and was
named the WHL Player of the Week December 7th to 11th …The Rockets
were 8-3-2-0 in December...The Rockets were 6-4-0-0 in 10 games in November
after going 8-4-0-0 in 12 games in October…The Rockets are the only team in the
WHL that has failed to surrender a shorthanded goal against this season…The
Rockets are 6-8-0-0 against BC based teams this season…The Rockets are 23-14-2-0 after 39 games. Last season the team was
27-10-2-0 after 39 games….Michael Herringer has started in 17 of the last 23
games and 23 of the last 30…The Rockets are 8-0-1-0 against U.S Division teams
this season…The Rockets are the most penalized team in the WHL and have a
league high 25 fighting majors…Tomas Soustal (Czech Republic) and Calvin
Thurkauf (Switzerland) have returned to the team after competing at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Montreal/Toronto.
Both will play this weekend against the Kamloops Blazers.…Dillon Dube is the 15th
player in Kelowna Rockets franchise history to make Canada’s world junior
team…January Birthdays: Devante Stephens turned 19 on Monday…Jordan Borstmayer
(Jan 9th), Riley Stadel (Jan 16th) and Michael Herringer
(Jan 26th) also have birthdays in January….Jake Kryski is 6 points
shy of 100 for his career…James Hilsendager is playing in career game #149
tonight vs. Spokane.
Who’s Hot? Lucas Johansen has a
5 game point streak (0+6=6)…Nolan Foote has goals in three straight games …Cal
Foote has points in 7 of his last 12 games (1+12=13)….Jake Kryski has 6+5=11 in the last 9 games and 8+7=15 in his
last 12 games…Calvin Thurkauf has 8 goals in his last four games…Tomas Soustal has points in 12 of his
last 15 games. The 19 year-old has goals in 10 of his last 18 games and has 10+15=25
over that period… Kole Lind has points in 24 of his last 28 games (16+24=40)…Lind
has goals in 11 of his last 17 games.…Nick Merkley has points in 17 of his last
25 games (9+16=25).
Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150
2 comments:
Yes, the Rockets are missing three of their top players but....Regan, in your opinion is there still something missing with this team. One night they play like Memorial Cup Champions, the next night they play poorly.
Regan, what is your current opinion with the Rockets? Yes, they have been missing three of their players at the Juniors but something else seems to be missing with this team, this year. One night they are All-Stars the next night, not!
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