Friday, November 30, 2018

Rockets vs. Americans


Game Day Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Tri City Americans tonight at Toyota Center. This is the third meeting of the season between the two teams, with the road team winning both games. Back on October 12th, the Rockets earned a 3-2 win. Then a night later, back at Prospera Place, the Americans were a 5-4 winner. The seasonal series ends next Wednesday (December 5th) in Kelowna. Kaedan Korczak and Kyle Topping lead the team with 1+2=3 in the two games. Rookie Dallon Wilton has two goals in the two games. The Rockets are 10-3-1-0 in their last 14 regular season games against the Americans. These two teams combined are 16-0-0-0 when leading after 40 minutes of play. The Rockets host Saskatoon tomorrow night before hosting the Americans next Wednesday. The Rockets are 7-5-1-0 in 13 games under Adam Foote.  

November’s best performers: With the month coming to close, Nolan Foote and Liam Kindree have had the most offensive success. Foote (8+3=11) and Kindree (2+8=10) lead the way. Kyle Topping has 9 points (5+4=9) in November while Leif Mattson (1+7=8) has 8 points this month.

Broadcasters Notebook: The Rockets are playing their 16th road game tonight. Edmonton has played a league high 18 road games…The Rockets own the third best road penalty killing unit in the WHL. The PK at home is second last only behind league worst Brandon…The Rockets are 5-8-1-0 against BC Division teams this season….Can you name the only team in the Western Conference the Rockets haven’t yet played? The answer – the Spokane Chiefs….Three players will celebrate 100 games played with the Kelowna Rockets, at the same time, Saturday against the visiting Saskatoon Blades. Kaedan Korczak, Libor Zabransky and Erik Gardiner will hit the 100 games played mark on that night. Gardner hit the 100 games played milestone in the WHL recently, but Saturday’s game will be his 100th with the Rockets. The 19 year-old  had played four previous games with the Regina Pats before being traded….Nolan Foote has scored 8 home goals and 8 road goals this season…Foote is two points shy (98) of 100 for his career …7 of Kyle Topping’s 11 goals have come on the road…15 of Topping’s team leading 30 points have come on the road…Nolan Foote turned 18 yesterday….Four members of the Kelowna Rockets have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s November “Players to Watch’ List. Forward Nolan Foote is an ‘A’ prospect, meaning a first round candidate. Kaedan Korczak is a ‘B’ prospect which means he is a second or third round candidate. Roman Basran/Lassi Thomson are ‘C’ prospects, which means he could be taken in the third to the seventh round…Adam Foote was officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October 23, 2018 replacing Jason Smith.

Trade Winds: The Rockets traded 18 year-old Wil Kushniryk to the Tri City Americans October 22, 2018 for a 5th round bantam pick. The Rockets acquired 20 year-old defenceman Dalton Galley October 10, 2018 from Medicine Hat for a 10th round bantam pick. The hockey club acquired 18 year-old forward Michael Farren October 11th from the Saskatoon Blades for a third round pick. The Rockets acquired 20 year-old Lane Zablocki from Victoria for a conditional 7th round and conditional 4th round bantam draft pick on September 29th.

Season Highs/Lows:
Most goals scored: 8 @ Victoria October 19/18 (8-2 W)
Most goals allowed: 9 vs. Seattle October 10th, 2018 (9-6 L)
Most shots on net: 45 @ Seattle October 6th, 2018 (4-1 L).
Fewest shots on net: 13 @ Edmonton November 17, 2018 (3-1 L)
Most shots allowed: 50 @ Portland November 10, 2018 (3-0 L)
Fewest shots allowed: 20 @ Victoria October 19, 2018 (8-2 W)
Last time shut out at home: October 3rd, 2018 vs. Vancouver (5-0 L)  
Last time shut out on road: November 10, 2018 @ Portland (3-0 L)
Most power play goals allowed: 4 vs. Seattle October 10th, 2018 (9-6 L). T-Birds were 4/5 on power play.
Most power play goals scored: 4 @ Victoria October 19, 2018 (8-2 W)

Roster Stats:
Player total: 24
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s (1998) – 3   Gally, Zablocki, Chizen
19’s (1999) - 5   Topping, Mattson, Gardiner, Bruggen-Cate, Cowell
18’s (2000) – 9  Farren, Thomson, Porter, Foote, Zabransky, Kindree, Brennan, Pow, Steffler,
17’s (2001) - 6   Korczak, Crosbie, Basran, Liwiski, Wilton, Augustine
16’s (2002) - 1   Ernst

Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150


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