Game Day Preview: The Kelowna Rockets
face the Spokane Chiefs for the first of four times this season. Yep, the
Chiefs are the only team the Rockets haven’t played this season until now. The
two teams meet again February 6th in Kelowna before
clashing again February 22nd at Veterans Memorial Arena. The
seasonal series ends March 13th at Prospera Place. Last season the
Rockets were 2 and 2 in the four games between these two teams, who haven’t met
in the playoffs since 2003. The Rockets eliminated the Chiefs in four straight
games in the second round. The Rockets are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss
Wednesday night to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. Mark Liwiski and Kyle
Crosby scored in the setback, Roman Basran, the first star, made 35 saves in
the loss. Following tonight’s game, the Rockets return home to face Kamloops
Saturday night. Overall, the Rockets are 4-7-2-1 in 14 games since the
Christmas break. The Rockets are 16-14-4-1 in 35 games under head coach Adam
Foote.
Who’s Hot: Kyle Topping has 6+8=14
in his last 13 games…Nolan Foote has 6+6=12 in his last 11 games….Lassi Thomson
has 4+3=7 in his last 11 games…The Rockets penalty killing unit is 43 for 53 in
their last 12 road games…The Rockets have points in 12 of their last 16 home
games (9-4-3-0).
Broadcasters Notebook: Did you know that
Rockets head coach Adam Foote and Chiefs head coach Dan Lambert were teammates
with the Quebec Nordiques? Foote wore sweater #52 while Lambert wore #50 as raw
rookies in the 1991-92 season….Trevor Wong is in the lineup this evening. The
15 year-old will suit up for his third game in the WHL after making his debut
October 27th against Prince George. Wong was the Rockets first round pick (18th)
in the 2018 WHL bantam draft….The Rockets have 19 games left in the regular
season. Of those 19, 12 are against teams in the BC Division…The team will play
three games in three nights March 1st, 2nd and 3rd…..The
team has been out-shot in 12 of the last 13 games…The Rockets are 5-7-1-0 in 13
games against a US Division team this season. Three of the four wins have come
against Tri City with a single victory over Everett and Seattle…The team plays
7 more games against US Division rivals with four games against Spokane, two
with Portland and a single against Everett.…The Rockets have played 15-one goal
games at home this season. Last year they played 15-one goal games at Prospera
Place…The team has played in nine-one goal games on the road…The Rockets are
8-12-2-1 against BC Division teams this season…Five members of the Kelowna
Rockets have made NHL Central Scouting’s latest rankings. Lassi Thomson is
rated 14th, Nolan Foote is ranked 26th and Kaedan Korczak
is 31st. Kyle Topping is 195th while Alex Swetlikoff is 217th,
Among goalies, Roman Basran is 11th among North American netminders…..Adam
Foote was officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October
23, 2018 replacing Jason Smith.,,The Rockets are 7-11-1-0 when playing the
second game of back-to-backs….The team acquired 20 year-old Shael Higson from
the Brandon Wheat Kings for 20 year-old Braydyn Chizen and a 5th
round bantam pick. The team then claimed 20 year-old defenceman Matt Barberis
off waivers from the Vancouver Giants. To make room for Barberis, the team
released overage forward Lane Zablocki, who is now with the BCHL’s Vernon
Vipers.
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:
16 vs. Victoria December 7, 2018 (2-0 win)
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)
Last shutout at home:
December
7, 2018 vs. Victoria (2-0 W - Roman Basran 16 saves)
Last shutout on the
road: January
18, 2019 @ Everett (2-0 W – James Porter 40 saves)
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)
Overtime Games: vs. Seattle (3-2 Loss) January 30, 2019, @ Kamloops (3-2 Loss) December
28, 2018, vs. Saskatoon (5-4 Loss) December 1, 2018, @ Tri City Nov 30, 2018
(3-2 win), @ PG (4-3 Loss) November 14, 2018, vs. PG (4-3 win) October 27,
2018.
Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM
1150
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