Rockets/Royals Rumble

·      Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play game three of a four straight on the road tonight when they visit the Victoria Royals. These two teams hook up again tomorrow before the Rockets make a return visit for two games February 21^st and 22^nd. The Royals make two stops in Kelowna in November, with dates on the 6^th and 20^th. What does that mean? The Rockets will face the Royals four times in the next 9 games. Last season the Rockets had a boat load of success on the Island, winning three of four games (8-2 W, 5-1 W, 5-2 W) before suffering a 6-2 loss. The Rockets were 5-3-0-0 in the eight game seasonal series, out-scoring the Royals 31-20. The Rockets are coming off a 4-2 win in Prince George last Wednesday. Nolan Foote had 1+2=3 in the teams 7^th victory of the season. Following these two games in Victoria, the Rockets return home to face the Prince George Cougars on Friday and the Royals Wednesday November 6^th.  In November, the Rockets play 7 of 11 games on home ice.

·       Sign here please: Dillon Hamaliuk signed an entry level contract with the San Jose Sharks October 25^th. Hamaliuk was chosen in the 2^nd round by the Sharks in June’s NHL Draft. The 19 year-old joins Nolan Foote, who was signed by Tampa Bay back on June 25^th.      

·        Nolan Named Captain: Nolan Foote was named the 25^th captain in franchise history (Tacoma+Kelowna) October 18th. Foote joins brother Cal, who captained the Rockets during the 2017-2018 season. Both are first round selections of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning too. The Rockets selected Foote in the second round, 42^nd overall in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. This is Foote’s fourth and likely final season in the WHL.    

·        Who’s Hot: Forward Pavel Novak has 5+8=13 in 12 games. Novak has five goals in his last 9 games and has points in five of his last eight games…Liam Kindree has 2+3=5 in his last five games…Kyle Topping has points in 7 of the 12 games he has played this season…Nolan Foote has 6 goals in his last six games and has 12 multiple goal games over his career...Nolan Foote leads the team in shots on goal with 41…Roman Basran has an impressive stat line with a goals against average of 2.18 and a save percentage of .930.   

·        Broadcasters Notebook: Equipment Manager Chaydyn Johnson is a member of the off-ice staff for the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge in Medicine Hat and Swift Current, November 2^nd to 9^th. Johnson is behind the bench of Team Red ….Nolan Foote, Dillon Hamaliuk and Kaedan Korczak have been named to Team WHL for the upcoming Canada-Russia Series next month. Those three will compete in two games against the touring Russian Selects in games in Prince Albert and Saskatoon…Pavel Novak is a ‘C’ prospect for next June’s NHL Draft. Those rankings released by NHL Central Scouting. A ‘C’ prospect is regarded as a player selected between the 5^th and 7th round. The 2020 NHL Entry Draft will be held in Montreal…The Rockets are 7-4-1-0 after 12 games this season. The team was 3-9-0-0 after 12 games last season and 4-9-0-0 after 13 games….Kyle Topping played in his 200^th career WHL game October 4^th in Prince George….Roman Basran has started in 10 of 12 games this season…The Rockets are 2-4-1-0 in 7 attempts against BC Division teams this season, with both wins coming against Prince George.