Game Day Preview: The Kelowna Rockets
close out a three game home stand tonight against the visiting Brandon Wheat
Kings. This is the one and only meeting of the season between the two teams.
They met once last season, in Brandon, with the Wheat Kings earning a 7-4 win
(Dec 9/17). The Rockets had a 3-1 second period lead before the home team
fought back, scoring five of the final six goals in the wide open affair. The
Wheat Kings last visited Prospera Place on December 3, 2016. Nick Merkley
scored twice in the victory. The Rockets are coming off a 4-3 overtime win last
Saturday against the Prince George Cougars. Nolan Foote scored the game winner.
A six game road trip awaits them November 9th with dates in Seattle,
Portland (doubleheader), Prince George, Red Deer and Edmonton.
Foote in the door: Adam Foote was
officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October 23, 2018
replacing Jason Smith. Foote earned his first WHL coaching victory that night
in the Rockets 3-2 win over the Swift Current Broncos. Foote played 1,154 games
in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Quebec
Nordiques. Foote is also a two time Stanley Cup champion.
Broadcasters Notebook:
Kyle
Topping is riding a 10 game point streak. Topping has 5+10=15 over that
period….Forward Nolan Foote has been named to Team WHL, who will host two games
when the Russian Selects face the WHL in the 2018 CIBC Canada/Russia series.
Games will be played in Kamloops Monday and in Vancouver Tuesday….Nolan Foote has
7 goals in 7 games……The Rockets have 930 wins as a franchise since relocating
from Tacoma to Kelowna for the 1995-96 season ….Five members of the Kelowna
Rockets have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s “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 projected to be selected in the
second or third round. Roman Basran, Kyle Topping and Lassi Thomson are ‘C’
prospect, which means they could be taken in the third to the seventh round…. The
Rockets have failed to open the scoring in 11 of the 16 games this season….The
Rockets have trailed going onto the third period in 10 of the games 16
games….Connor Bruggen-Cate has points in 5 of his last 8 games (2+5=7)…Kaedan
Korczak has points in 6 of his last 7 games (2+6=8)…Liam Kindree has points in
four of his last five games (2+7=9).
Trade Winds: The Rockets traded 18
year-old Wil Kushniryk to the Tri City Americans on October 22, 2018 for a 5th
round bantam pick. Kushniryk was pointless in four games this season. The
Rockets acquired 20 year-old defenceman Dalton Galley October 10, 2018 from the
Medicine Hat Tigers for a 10th round bantam pick. The hockey club
acquired 18 year-old forward Michael Farrin October 11th from the
Saskatoon Blades for a third round WHL bantam pick. The Rockets also made a
trade with the Victoria Royals Saturday September 29th. The team
acquired 20 year-old Lane Zablocki for a conditional 7th round and
conditional 4th round bantam draft pick.
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: 21 vs. Vancouver
October 3rd, 2018 (5-0 L)
Most shots allowed: 39 @ Prince George
September 29th, 2018 (5-2 W)
Fewest shots allowed:
20 @ Victoria October 19, 2018 (8-2 W)
Last time shut out: October 3rd, 2018 vs.
Vancouver (5-0 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) – 4 Gally, Zablocki, Chizen
19’s (1999) - 5 Topping, Mattson, Gardiner, Bruggen-Cate,
Cowell
18’s (2000) - 10 Farrin, 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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