Rockets return to face Chiefs

Pavel Novak - Shoot the Breeze photo

·       Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets host the Spokane Chiefs in a weekend home and home series. The two teams meet tomorrow in Spokane. This is the third meeting of the season between the two teams. On opening night the Rockets were a 4-3 overtime winner. Dillon Hamaliuk scored the game winning goal. Back on November 9^th, the Chiefs were a 6-1 winner. The Chiefs fired 55 shots on goal. Mark Liwiski opened the scoring before the Chiefs scored 6 straight. Tonight’s game marks the return of ex-Rocket Leif Mattson to Prospera Place. The 20 year-old was dealt to the Chiefs December 5^th for a 2020 3^rd round WHL bantam pick. Mattson played 203 games with the Rockets after being acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings on October 6, 2016 for a 9^th round pick. Mattson was the Rockets Humanitarian award winner last season.

·         Broadcasters Notebook: Pavel Novak is trying to do something one other European born player has accomplished with the organization. Novak leads the team in points. Vaclav Varada tied for team lead in points (88) with Tacoma in 1994-95…After returning for one game after playing for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, Nolan Foote has missed 7 straight games with an injury. The Rockets are 8 and 12 in 20 games without him this season. Foote did not play against the Chiefs in the season opener as his was still with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning….The Rockets are playing their 48^th game of the season tonight, meaning only 20 games remain…The team has 13 home games left and only 7 on the road…..The Rockets are 8-4-0-0 against teams in the US Division….The Rockets are now 19-5-0-0 when scoring the games first goal…The Rockets have played in 24-1 goal games this season, the most in the WHL…The Rockets are 10-14-1-1 against teams in the BC Division…The Rockets are 6 and 1 in overtime with game winning goals coming from Matthew Wedman, Dillon Hamaliuk, Nolan Foote, Kaedan Korczak (twice) and Liam Kindree….Head Coach Adam Foote coached in his 100^th game last Sunday against the Vancouver Giants.

·         Milestone Makers: Rockets 20 year-old Matthew Wedman is playing in his 298^th game tonight. Nolan Foote is 5 games shy of 200 for his career. Defenceman Kaedan Korczak is one point shy of a career high in points. The 18 year-old has 33 points heading into tonight’s game…Jake Lee is one point shy of the career high 24 points he put up last season in Seattle…Goaltender Roman Basran is three appearances shy of 100 for his career.