By the numbers

1: The Rockets have been shutout once this season. It happened September 28th in a 1-0 loss in Portland.
4: The number of BC Division teams Jordon Cooke has shutout this season. 
8: Rockets players with 30 or more points this season.
10: The number of Rockets players with a +/- greater than +30.
16: The Rockets have been leading going into the third period in 16 of their last 17 games.
19: The number of consecutive wins Jordon Cooke has on home ice. Kelly Guard had 18 in 2002-2003.
22: The number of additional points the Rockets three overage players (20 year-old's) have scored compared to Cody Chikie, Kevin Smith and Brett Lyon last season. 
23.8: The number of shots on average Jordon Cooke has faced in his 5 shutouts this season.
27: The increase in the number of goals the Rockets have scored compared to all of last season.
142: The number of points the defensive core has combined to score this season.
325: The pace the Rockets are on for scoring goals this season. The team averages 4.5 goals per game.
517: The total of the entire teams plus/minus combined. 

40 never looked so good

• The Kelowna Rockets hit the 40 win plateau Saturday night with a 5-0 shutout win over the Vancouver Giants. It marked the 9th time in Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets franchise history that the team accomplished the feat. The 40 wins is only bettered by the Portland Winterhawks who have enjoyed 43 wins this season. 
• Myles Bell and Colton Sissons each had three point efforts in the teams 23rd consecutive win at Prospera Place. Bell had two goals and an assist while Sissons chipped in with three assists. Sissons ran his point streak to 11 games and has points in 24 of his last 25 games. It was Bell's 8th - two goal game this season.
• Jordon Cooke earned the win and shutout with a 22 save performance. Cooke now has 5 shutouts this season, which is one off the league lead. Cooke leads the WHL in wins with 29.
• The Rockets scored two shorthanded goals. Dylen McKinlay scored his team leading 5th of the season and then MacKenzie Johnston surprised everyone in the building by winning a puck just outside the blue line, skated in and somehow put the puck past Giants goaltender Payton Lee. It looked like Johnston fanned on the shot before it went through Lee's legs, but it was nice to see the defensive defenceman get a goal like that. (Listen to the audio above of Johnston's surprising goal)
• Just one fight last night but it was a long one between Rockets forward Tyrell Goulbourne and Giants d-man Arvin Atwal. It lasted about a minute as the two struggled to throw punched. Goulbourne was clearly the aggressor but Atwal surprised me with his ability to dodge punches and throw a few of his own. 
• In case you were wondering, the Rockets just ended a stretch of playing 7 games in 10 nights. This broadcasters throat was feeling it.     
• The best Vancouver Giants player - in my opinion - over the last two nights is defenceman Reid Zalitach. Zalitach is only 16 but moves the puck well and has a bright future in this league. He will take his licks this season but watch for Zalitach to develop into a real good player down the road.
• The fans deserve a lot of credit for eagerly participating in the game. Each seat had a noise maker on it and the crowd was willing to use it repeatedly during stoppages of play. By keeping rhythm with the music during stoppages, Prospera Place came alive with the sounds that should resonate from an arena where wins are common place and losses are few are far between.

'Whistle' while you work

• Sticking it to the team that traded you must feel good. I am assuming Jackson Whistle was feeling pretty good about himself last night after a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Giants. Whistle was named the games first start with a 32 save performance in the Rockets 39th win of the season. Whistle was clearly the best player on the ice with some solid lower body saves, specifically in the second period when his team found themselves in penalty trouble. For those unaware, Whistle was traded from the Giants to the Rockets back in September. Since the trade, the 17 year-old has prospered.
• It was a crazy start to this one with three goals in a span of 1:26 of the first period. The Rockets opened the scoring just over two minutes into the game when Tyrell Goulbourne struck for his career high 8th goal of the season. The Giants would tie the score 14 seconds later before the Rockets regained the lead a minute later. There could have been more scoring by the Giants, but again, Jackson Whistle was solid the rest of the way. 
• The best line for the Rockets was Tyson Ballie centering Tyrell Goulbourne and Cody Fowlie. Those three had good jump and created a  lot of scoring chances. Baillie is playing as good a hockey as you are going to see from him. With 20 goals, the 17 year-old is making a name for himself in only his second season in the WHL. Baillie should be able to score 25 goals this season, which would match the total of Justin Keller. Keller scored 25 goals as a 17 year-old and would eventually score 50 goals two seasons later. Is it out of the realm of possibility that Baillie could eventually do the same?
• If you are wondering if Cody Fowlie has soft hands, that question can be answered by watching the video of Baillie's third period goal. Fowlie's back hand pass on the tape of Baillie on his off wing is sensational. Fowlie now has 2 goals and 4 assists in his last four games.
• The Rockets received a treat after the game when NHL Hall of Famer Joe Sakic spoke with the team quickly during their post game meal at the arena. Sakic was honored prior to the game with an on ice ceremony which included a quick speech from Joe to the crowd of over 9 thousand. 
• The Rockets are now 4-0-1-0 against the Giants this season heading into the rematch tonight at Prospera Place as the team puts the wraps on three games in three night's for the second straight weekend.  
• The Rockets will gun for their 40th win of the season. The team has accomplished the feat 8 times since they came into the league in 1991.

A January to remember

• The Kelowna Rockets were jumping in January. The BC Division leaders closed out the month on a winning note Thursday night with a 6-1 win over the visiting Victoria Royals. The win, the teams 22nd consecutive on home ice, is the third longest in WHL history. It also allowed the team to clinch a playoff spot in the Western Conference while moving within five points of Portland for first place in the overall WHL standings. The Rockets erupted for three goals in the first and three more in the second period in the win. While Tyson Baillie scored twice, goaltender Jordon Cooke was sharp early in the game allowing his team to build up a significant lead. In 14 games this month, the Rockets were 12-0-2-0, the best January ever in team history.  
• Colton Sissons led the way for the Rockets in January with 18 points (7+11=18). Tyson Baillie also played strong with 17 points in 14 games (7+10=17). Dylen McKinlay, playing in his 300th career WHL game Thursday night, ended the month with 16 points (5+11=16). Zach Franko, Myles Bell and Ryan Olsen all chipped in with 15 points in January.
• The best goal of the game came from Tyrell Goulbourne. The 18 year-old used good outside speed, cut towards the net and chipped the puck over the shoulder of Royals goaltender Patrik Polivka. Goulbourne has great speed but is finally showing it off consistently. His career high 7th goal of the season was a beauty and was a nice way to cap the month considering the Edmonton product had 9 points in January (3+6=9).
• The Royals didn't play that badly but had problems beating Cooke. Several solid stops in the first period allowed the Rockets to earn a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes. The two teams combined for 27 shots in the first period alone.
• Cooke has now won 18 straight starts at Prospera Place and is 19 and 2 on home ice this season.
• Dylen McKinlay earned two assists giving him 101 for his career.
• Zach Franko scored the game winning goal in the first period. It was his 150th point of his WHL career.
• Damon Severson now has 40 points, third most by a defenceman in the WHL. Last season, the New Jersey Devils draft pick had 37 points.   
• Jesse Lees scored Thursday night, giving him 9 goals on the season and 5 in his last seven games. It was also the 17 year-old's 100th career game.
• MacKenzie Johnston has 17 points this season. Twelve of those came in January alone.
• The Rockets again lead the WHL in goals scored with 234, one better than the Portland Winterhawks.
• The Rockets travel to Vancouver Friday night to face the Giants. The last time these two teams met at Pacific Coliseum, the Giants used overtime in a 4-3 win. AM 1150 has the broadcast starting with the pre-game show at 7 and the play-by-play at 7:30.

Game notes vs. Royals

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Victoria Royals for the fifth of eight times this season. The Rockets are 3-1-0-0 against their BC Division rivals, having out-scored the Royals 16-7. The Rockets make a return visit to Victoria February 22/23^rd before the seasonal series comes to an end on March 6^th at Prospera Place. The Rockets are coming off four games in five nights where they earned seven out of a possible eight points. Tonight’s game is the start of three games in three nights. The Rockets are in Vancouver tomorrow before hosting the Giants Saturday. This is game 52 of the regular season for the Rockets, who enter tonight’s contest with 37 wins on the season and 78 points in the standings, six more than all of last season. The Rockets have five regulation losses in their last 41 games (33-5-2-1) with setbacks to Tri City (twice), Edmonton, Seattle and Calgary. The Rockets have won 30 of their last 35 (28-4-3-0) games overall. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a 21 game home ice winning streak. The only two teams to beat the Rockets on home ice this season are Kamloops and Spokane. The Rockets have points in sixteen straight games (14-0-2-0), having out-scored the opposition 84-41.

January Blues? No way! The Kelowna Rockets are 11-0-2-0 in 13 games this month. That is the equivalent of 24 points in the standings. The 2002-2003 edition of the Rockets went 13-1-0-0 with one tie in 15 games in the month of January. That is the equivalent of 27 points in the standings. The only loss came to the Kamloops Blazers.

McKinlay Milestone: Dylen McKinlay celebrates his 300^th career WHL regular season game tonight against the Royals . Oddly enough his career started with the Royals, who were then known as the Chilliwack Bruins. Interestingly, McKinlay’s first WHL game was against the Kelowna Rockets. The last Rockets player to record 300 games played was Geordie Wudrick in 2010-2011. Wudrick played in a total of 349 regular season games.

Rockets 300 Club: Six players have celebrated over 300 games, all with the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets. Here is that list: Jason Deleurme: 341, Tyler Mosienko: 338, Brett Palin: 324, Cam Paddock: 323, Gavin McLeod: 321 and Ryan Cuthbert: 319. Geordie Wudrick (349), Bart Rushmer (333), Clayton Barthel (327) and Simon Ferguson (319) also celebrated 300 games in the WHL, but like McKinlay, their entire career was not solely spent with the Rockets organization.      

Home Cook’n: The Rockets are 22-2-0-0 at Prospera Place this season. The team has scored 124 goals (5.2 per game) and has allowed 46 goals against (1.9 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except one, when they lost 3-2 to the visiting Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 18 of their 24 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for five home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 17 of 24 games.

This and That: The Rockets are 2 for 15 (13.3%) on the power play in their last five games….The Rockets have failed to score a power play goal in four of their last five games…The Rockets gave up 6 goals in a 6-5 overtime loss Monday in Kamloops. It marked the first time since a 6-2 loss in Calgary December 16^th that they have surrendered 6 goals on the road….Myles Bell snapped a mini six game goal scoring drought with two goals in Kamloops Monday night. Bell has 29 goals on the season….The Rockets have 9 road games left in the regular season with 7 of them against BC Division teams…Five of the Rockets 10 losses this season have been decided by a single goal… Jordon Cooke was named the WHL Goaltender of the Month for December. Cooke was 6-0-0-0 and posted a goals against average of 2.00. Cooke had his 20 consecutive winning streak snapped in Monday’s overtime loss in Kamloops. Kelly Guard won 10 straight games – four different times between 2002 and 2004….Since a 3-0 win over the Kamloops Blazers November 1^st the Rockets are 28-4-2-0….The Rockets 21 game home ice winning streak is a team record. The franchise record is held by the Tacoma Rockets, who won 24 straight home games in 1992-93….Dylen McKinlay is  the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 34 of their last 42 games with two games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have 34 power play goal in their last 42 games (34 for 144 over that span – 23.6 %)…..The Rockets have scored 204 goals in their last 43 games (average 4.74)....Madison Bowey (22), Mitch Wheaton (63) and Myles Bell (87) are rated among the top players by NHL Central Scouting for June’s draft. The mid-season rankings were released by NHLCS on Tuesday. Jackson Whistle is rated (26) among North American goalies…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 124-46 on home ice this season…The Rockets have scored the most goals in the WHL (228)….Zach Franko has sixteen more points (55) than the 39 he put up all of last season. That is a new career high for the 19 year-old…..J.T Barnett has 8+11=19 in 27 games with the Rockets…Dylen McKinlay has four shorthanded goals…Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 664 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 558 goals (4,558)…Zach Franko has 55 points this season. Twenty-eight (31) have been registered on the road with 24 coming on home ice…Jordon Cooke’s 27 wins is the most in the WHL….The Rockets have participated in one shootout game this season. That is a league low. Last season the Rockets were involved in a league high 15…The Rockets lead the WHL in home ice wins with (22)…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +42. It is the highest +/- total for a Kelowna Rockets player. Jesse Schultz was +40 in 2002-2003…Since November 1^st the Rockets have lost four times in regulation…Six of the teams ten regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season…Zach Franko is one point shy of 150 for his career….JT Barnett is 5 games shy of 250 for his WHL career…Tyrell Goulbourne has 16 fighting majors this season.              

Who’s Hot: Tyson Baillie has 3+3=6 in his last four games…..Jesse Lees has four goals in his last six games…Colton Sissons is riding an eight game point streak. Sissons has 3+9=12 over that period… Ryan Olsen has goals in eight of his last ten games… Zach Franko has 7+7=14 in January, tops among Rockets players…MacKenzie Johnston has 11 points (3+8=11) in his last 12 games…Carter Rigby has 7+3=10 in last five games.

Notes, a quote and anecdotes

• Isn't 72 regular season games in the WHL too much? The question comes to the forefront again after the Kelowna Rockets just completed a stretch which saw them on the ice four times in the last five night's. Surprisingly they came away with 3 wins and an overtime loss.
• The Victoria Royals come into Kelowna red hot. The Royals have won 7 of their last 8 games after a shootout loss last night to the PA Raiders. The guy to watch Thursday is Brandon Magee. The 18 year-old has nine goals in his last four games and should have arguably been named the WHL Player of the Week after putting up six goals against the Vancouver Giants in back-to-back games on the weekend. I guess with that said, Rockets forward Carter Rigby could also be considered for POW after recording back-to-back hat tricks on home ice.
• Myles Bell now has 7-two goal games this season. Ryan Olsen has five-two goal games while Cody Fowlie has four. In total, 11 players on this years team has multiple goal games.
• Speaking of Olsen, (pictured right), the 18 year-old has two more points than Shane McColgan of the Saskatoon Blades. The two were traded for one another this summer. McColgan has 11 goals while Olsen has 26. Olsen is only three back of Myles Bell for the team lead in goals. Bell has 29, five back of the league lead.   
• I wonder if every time Blades coach Lorne Molleken looks at Olsen's stats he cringes? Maybe that only happens when he looks at Colton Sissons. How good would those two players look in a Blades uniform right now?   
• I was a Blackberry user and reluctantly went to an IPhone at the request of the radio station. Would never go back.
• I just downloaded the Edmonton Oilers app on my phone. It is outstanding. I would love the Kelowna Rockets to offer a similar app where blogs, articles and video would be as close as your phone. Only time will tell.
• Who do you want to win tonight...Kamloops or Portland? The two teams collide tonight in the Rose City. A Portland win and they are seven points up on the Rockets for first place in the WHL standings. A Blazers win and the Rockets lead them by just five points for first place in the BC Division. Personally, I will go with a Winterhawks victory and let you figure out why I'd say that.
•  Here is Seattle coach Steve Konowalchuk's take on the Kelowna Rockets. "They are playing with so much confidence. You can really see it...they are playing for one another as a team. When it's 6-0 they are still blocking shots and doing things for the reason of winning. They have depth and they keep coming at you".  
• Ryan Olsen and Myles Bell are approaching 30 goals. When was the last time two Rockets scored 30 or more goals in the same season? It was 2008-2009 when Jamie Benn (43), Colin Long (33) and Cody Almond (33) all reached the 30 goal benchmark. 
• I received a nice e-mail this week from a mother of a Kelowna Rockets player. I won't mention what was said, but her kind words were appreciated. I am glad that this blog, which is time consuming, provides families/friends and fans with a little more than what you can read either in the newspaper or hear on our broadcasts. I try to share my opinion to make it an interesting place to visit.
• I am still amazed that when Gary Glitters - Rock'n Roll song comes on at the ShoWare Center, the fans yell out in unison, "Portland Sucks".   
• I made this comment on Twitter the other day but I thought I should get it in print. Ryan Huska should be considered a front runner for the Western Conference coach of the year. While Travis Green and Guy Charron have done a great job with Portland and Kamloops respectively, those two teams were suppose to be at the top of the conference. The Rockets, led by Huska, weren't suppose to be in the same breath as those two teams.      

Hard to be doom and gloom after overtime loss

• Losing in overtime never feels good. But realistically, if you throw in all of the variables it is hard to feel discouraged after a 6-5 overtime loss last night to the Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets were playing their fourth game in five night's and simply ran into penalty trouble. When you are not sharp mentally, which fatigue plays a factor, you take undisciplined penalties that normally you wouldn't take. I am not here to make excuses, but the game was clearly decided on the power play. Had the Rockets not taken those trips to the penalty box, the chances of the Blazers scoring three even strength goals were slim. I thought the Rockets were the better team five on five. Only when the Blazers had the extra man on the ice were they able to dominate the play.  
• Sure, the Rockets gave up two - two goal leads in the third period, but at the end of the day with the schedule this team has endured in January, picking up a point in a building where the home team has lost just four times in regulation is a pretty decent accomplishment. I could come on this blog and be negative after the loss, but honestly I can't. Against elite teams like Kamloops their is a fine line between winning and losing. You can't take bad penalties, you need great goaltending and you need a good response from your own specialty teams unit. The Rockets fell short in those three areas and still managed a point. Tough to leave the Interior Savings Centre feeling glum when you look at the big  picture of how the visiting team played.
• The Rockets could have won this game as easily as the Blazers. Zach Franko hits the goal post in overtime on the teams only shot on goal. It was one of three goal posts and two breakaways the visiting team failed to convert on.
• The coaches won't complain about it, but I thought the penalty in overtime was questionable. In a tied game, against two marquee teams, Rockets forward Dylen McKinlay attempts to check Blazers forward Tim Bozon with his stick in the neutral zone. Bozon goes down, what I would consider easily,  and the Blazers go to the power play. Good on Bozon for going down. Veteran move. That call essentially put a gun to the head of the Rockets. If the call went the other way the Blazers would have been pleading for mercy. It's a death sentence. Kamloops is an elite team that when given the power play chance, specifically on a 4 on 3, will beat you. In my opinion the tough penalty to take was the slash Carter Rigby took when the Rockets had a 5-3 lead. It gave the Blazers momentum and the game tilted in their favor after that.
• A tough night for the goaltenders. Cole Cheveldave fought the puck and was suspect on Rigby's second period goal which made the score 5-3. Cheveldave even had one squeeze past him, and with a fresh sheet of ice, the puck may have slowly slid past the goal line. It is safe to say Jordon Cooke had his struggles too. JC Lipon's wrister from just inside the blue line less than a minute into the third period would have been stopped 99 percent of the time. Instead the shot beat him blocker side and the Rockets two goal lead was reduced to one. But, lets not forget Cooke's tremendous save against Blazers d-man Marek Hrbas on a grade 'A' chance in overtime. It should have been game over, but Cooke came up large. It was Cooke's first loss in 21 starts. That is a WHL record, even though that achievement isn't technically kept by the league.  
• Chase Suoto scored the game winner after he redirected a puck  - in the air  - from a point shot. I have mentioned on this blog before that I've been impressed by Suoto's improvement as a player. He came into the WHL wanting to be a scrapper, to antagonize and be a disturber but concussions have likely forced him to change his game. The change has been for the better. 
• Blazer forwards Colin Smith and Tim Bozon receive a lot of positive press for the dynamic plays they make. What shouldn't be lost is the contribution that Matt Needman and Cole Ully make. Blazers fans can disagree with me if they want, but I thought 5 on 5, Needman and Ully were more affective. 
• I predicted this season that Brendan Ranford would score 50 goals this season. The Blazers sharp shooter is no where near that total. It has been a tough season for the 20 year-old, who looked like a 50 goal man last night with 1+2=3. 
• It would be interesting to know how many wins/points the Blazers have earned with late third period rallies. They are the kings of the third period comeback. Either they score the tying goal late or score the game winner. In the two wins against the Rockets, the Blazers have scored the tying goal or game winner with 33 second left (3-2 win Sept 22) and the tying goal with 22 second left (last night) in regulation time. Interesting to note that both those goals were scored on the power play.   
• These two teams are evenly matched. It would make for an outstanding playoff series where home ice advantage would be crucial. My gut feeling is these two won't meet in the post season though, so enjoy the final five meetings of the season between the two teams.
• For the credibility of the three stars, I think the Blazers organization has to rethink their approach. Whoever selects them must take a more balanced approach. Giving the Blazers all three stars looks bad on them. If you want to go that way, mention that the 'Blazers three stars are' and take that approach. My good friend Jon Keen, who see's the game very well, gave Rockets forward Myles Bell the third star on his broadcast.   
• A few more positive notes. The overtime loss still earned a point for the Rockets, who moved within three points of Portland for first place in the overall WHL standings. 
• The Rockets lead in the BC Division was reduced by just one, so they still have a 7 point lead on Kamloops with a game in hand. 
• With one game left in January, the Rockets are 11-0-2-0 in the month. Can you honestly be critical of that record?  If you do, please go see a doctor. 

Game notes vs. Blazers

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face the Kamloops Blazers in a rare Monday night game. This is the fifth meeting of the season between the two teams. The Rockets are 2-1-1-0 in the first four games, having out-scored the Blazers 17-12 in the seasonal series. After tonight these two teams meet again in a home and home series February 15^th and 16^th. The seasonal series concludes with games March 3^rd (@Kamloops), March 8th (@Kamloops) and March 9th (in Kelowna). The Rockets are playing their 4^th game in five nights after winning three games in three nights with victories over Seattle (twice) and Prince Albert. Following tonight’s title with the Blazers, the Rockets host Victoria (Thursday, Jan 31), are in Vancouver (Friday, Feb 1) before hosting the Giants (Saturday, February 2^nd).  This is game 51 of the regular season for the Rockets, who enter tonight’s contest with 37 wins on the season and 77 points in the standings, five more than all of last season. The Rockets have five regulation losses in their last 40 games (33-5-1-1) with setbacks to Tri City (twice), Edmonton, Seattle and Calgary. The Rockets have won 30 of their last 34 (28-4-1-0) games overall. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a 21 game home ice winning streak. The only two teams to beat the Rockets on home ice this season are Kamloops and Spokane. Overall, the Rockets have points in fifteen straight games (14-0-1-0), having out-scored the opposition 79-35. The Rockets have won six in a row.  

Seasonal Series Breakdown:

Period      1       2     3    OT   Total

Rockets:   3      9     5     0       17

Blazers:    1      5     5     1       12

*The Rockets have out-shot the Blazers in three of the four games. The Rockets power play is 4 for 16 in the seasonal series. (25%). The Blazers have had seven more power play chances than the Rockets in the four games. (5 for 23 or 22%). 

Home Cook’n: The Rockets are 22-2-0-0 at Prospera Place this season. The team has scored 124 goals (5.2 per game) and has allowed 46 goals against (1.9 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except one, when they lost 3-2 to the visiting Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 18 of their 24 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for five home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 17 of 24 games.

This and That: The Rockets have road games left in the regular season with 8 of them against BC Division teams…With 22 games left in the regular season, the Rockets sit in first place in the BC Division with a eight  point lead on second place Kamloops…. The Rockets 37 wins this season is six better than their win total from all of last season….Five of the Rockets 10 losses this season have been decided by a single goal… Jordon Cooke was named the WHL Goaltender of the Month for December. Cooke was 6-0-0-0 and posted a goals against average of 2.00. Cooke has won his last 20 games. That is a franchise record and is believed to be a league record yet that mark is not recorded in the WHL record book. Kelly Guard won 10 straight games – four different times between 2002 and 2004….The Rockets are rated as the 4^th best team in Canada according to the CHL Top 10 rankings.…Since a 3-0 win over the Kamloops Blazers November 1^st the Rockets are 28-4-1-0….The Rockets 21 game home ice winning streak is a team record. The franchise record is held by the Tacoma Rockets, who won 24 straight home games in 1992-93….Dylen McKinlay is  the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 33 of their last 41 games with two games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have 34 power play goal in their last 41 games (34 for 141 over that span – 24.1 %)…..The Rockets have scored 199 goals in their last 42 games (average 4.74)....The Rockets are 22 and 2 after 24 home games this season…Madison Bowey (22), Mitch Wheaton (63) and Myles Bell (87) are rated among the top players by NHL Central Scouting for June’s draft. The mid-season rankings were released by NHLCS on Tuesday. Jackson Whistle is rated (26) among North American goalies…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 124-46 on home ice this season…The Rockets have scored the most goals in the WHL (223)….Zach Franko has fourteen more points (53) than the 39 he put up all of last season. Franko has tied his career high of 53 points (22+31=53) set in his rookie season in 2010-2011...J.T Barnett has 8+11=19 in 26 games with the Rockets…Dylen McKinlay has four shorthanded goals…Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 664 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 553 goals (4,553)…Zach Franko has 53 points this season. Twenty-eight (29) have been registered on the road with 24 coming on home ice…Jordon Cooke’s 27 wins is the most in the WHL….The Rockets have participated in one shootout game this season. That is a league low. Last season the Rockets were involved in a league high 15…The Rockets lead the WHL in home ice wins with (22)…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +40. Jesse Schultz was +40 in 2002-2003…Since November 1^st the Rockets have lost four times in regulation…Six of the teams ten regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season…Dylen McKinlay will play in his 300^th game this Thursday against visiting Victoria. McKinlay is playing his 299^th career game tonight.  McKinlay has 98 career assists…Zach Franko is three points shy of 150 for his career….Colton Heffley played in 150^th career game Saturday  vs. Prince Albert…JT Barnett is 6 games shy of 250 for his WHL career…Tyrell Goulborune has 16 fighting majors this season.              
 

Who’s Hot: Tyson Baillie has 3+3=6 in his last three games…..Jesse Lees has four goals in his last five games…Colton Sissons is riding a seven game point streak. Sissons has 3+7=10 over that period… Ryan Olsen has goals in seven of his last nine games… Zach Franko has 7+5=12 in January, tops among Rockets players…MacKenzie Johnston has 11 points (3+8=11) in his last 11 games…Carter Rigby has 6+3=9 in last four games.

Four lines of fury

• The Prince Albert Raiders likely woke up this morning still wondering which was considered the Kelowna Rockets number one line. I don't blame them. The first unit was as good as the fourth Saturday night in a dominating 6-2 win at Prospera Place. The Rockets were relentless in playing a pressure game that had the Raiders chasing the puck all night long. You knew it would be a rough night for the visitors when Tyrell Goulbourne, celebrating his 19th birthday, set up Cody Fowlie for the opening goal less than four minutes into the game. From there, it was all down hill for the visitors.
• I was honestly shocked at how badly the Raiders were outplayed. This game wasn't even close. The Rockets surely were the more fatigued team after arriving back in Kelowna at 5 am after an emotional 4-3 overtime win against the T-Birds the night before. The Raiders looked flat and the Rockets looked every bit the part of a team that is knocking on the door for first place in the overall standings.  
• Tyson Baillie continues to impress. A three point night against the Raiders and the overtime hero Friday night in Seattle. The 17 year-old could arguably be considered the best third round pick the team has had since Seth Leonard was chosen in the 1993 WHL Bantam Draft. Baillie has 17 goals, seven more than in his rookie season. 
• Madison Bowey and Mitch Wheaton are getting a lot of attention in their draft year, but Jesse Lees is showing NHL scouts he has some game. Lees now has 8 goals, 4 of them in his last five games. The 17 year-old's +39 rating isn't to bad either.
• Dylen McKinlay is turning into a force. The 20 year-old's worth ethic has turned up a notch and his battle level has taken huge strides over the past few games. It is fair to say he has shown in the second half that he can throw the body with the best of them. His 48 points don't hurt either. What a pick up. 
• Ryan Olsen hit the 25 goal plateau. Eleven of those 25 have been on the power play. The 18 year-old is making a statement that he would have looked awfully good in a Saskatoon Blades uniform this season. The Blades loss is the Rockets gain.
• Colton Heffley sure looked good on defence last night. The 18 year-old forward didn't look out of place. Heffley makes smart plays, is as strong as an ox and can hit. Just ask Raiders forward Carson Perreaux after he was ran over by Heffley at centre ice. 
• I was really impressed with the play of Raiders goaltender Andy Desautels. Desautels was the only reason this game didn't go into double digits. He gave up six, but received little help from the guys in front of him.
• I counted six goal posts hit by the Rockets.    
• The Rockets have won 21 consecutive games on home ice and are now 22 and 2 at Prospera Place.
• Overall the team has won 6 straight heading into Monday's game in Kamloops in a match up of the top two teams in the BC Division. The two teams are separated by 8 points in the standings with the Rockets holding a game in hand.
• The Rockets have now won 37 games this season. All that is left is 22 games in the regular season. 
• Photo by Marissa Baecker. 

Move over Jamie Benn, you've got company

• Jamie Benn move over. The Dallas Stars sharp shooter now has some company when it comes to Kelowna Rockets players that have recorded hat tricks in back-to-back games. Benn did it back in the 2008-2009 season and 18 year-old Carter Rigby did it Thursday night in a 8-0 win over Seattle. Rigby scored three times and added two assists for a five point night. Rigby had a hat trick last Saturday in a 5-3 win over the Vancouver Giants. Rigby now has three-three goal games this season. The last Rockets player to do that was Geordie Wudrick, who managed the feat in 2010-2011. The win, the Rockets 20th consecutive on home ice, moved them 6 points up on Kamloops in the fight for first place in the BC Division and within four points of Portland for first place in the overall WHL standings.       
• Rigby, Benn and Brett McLean are the only Kelowna Rockets to record hat tricks in back-to-back games. Nope, Justin Keller, Jason Deleurme and Jesse Schultz were able to accomplish the feat and all three of them found the back of the net with regularity.     
• The line of Carter Rigby, Colton Heffley and J.T Barnett were the story in the teams 35th win of the season. Those three combined for 13 points. Heffley had a goal and three assists while Barnett had four assists and a fight. It was Heffley's first four point game of his WHL career. Barnett hasn't recorded four points in his 4 seasons with Kelowna, Everett, Kamloops and Vancouver.
• Jordon Cooke made 18 saves for his 4th shutout of the season. That is one off the league lead. Cooke is now tied for the WHL lead in wins (26).
• How about Tyrell Goulbourne's fight with T-Birds d-man Jesse Forsberg? That is as quick and dominant a fight as you will see. Three punches and done.
• I had a lot of people commenting to me about Goulbourne's speed. Over the last two games specifically, Goulbourne has shown off his tremendous acceleration while killing off a penalty. Coach Huska wasn't joking when he suggested last week that Goulbourne could be the fastest skater on the team without the puck. Do you think NHL scouts are intrigued? Yepper.
• Seems odd doesn't it. The Rockets win 8-0 and Zach Franko and Ryan Olsen don't find the score sheet. Myles Bell had a quiet night with one assist. 
• The strangest part of the evening came as the two teams traveled back to Kent for tonight's rematch at ShoWare Center. Both buses arrived at the Sumas border crossing at 2 am in the morning with players, coaches and broadcasters looking blurry eyed after the battle five hours prior. No words were spoken, but odd stares were shared as the two teams waited in a small holding room while border guards checked out the team buses and allowed them to go along their way.
• We are back on the air with the rematch tonight on AM 1150. We have the pre-game show at 7 and the play-by-play at 7:30.

Rockets vs. T-Birds

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets begin a tough portion of the WHL schedule tonight when they host the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Rockets will play seven games in nine days. The Rockets are in Seattle (Kent) tomorrow night before hosting Prince Albert Saturday. The team then travels to Kamloops for a rare Monday night game before hosting Victoria (Thursday, Jan 31), in Vancouver (Friday, Feb 1) before hosting the Giants (Saturday, February 2^nd).  This is game 48 of the regular season for the Rockets, who enter tonight’s game with 34 wins on the season and 71 points in the standings, one fewer than all of last season. The Rockets have five regulation losses in their last 37 games (30-5-1-1) with setbacks to Tri City (twice), Edmonton, Seattle and Calgary. The Rockets have won 27 of their last 31 (26-4-1-0) games overall. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a 19 game home ice winning streak. The only two teams to beat the Rockets on home ice this season are Kamloops and Spokane. Overall, the Rockets have points in twelve straight games (11-0-1-0), having out-scored the opposition 61-30. Overall, the Rockets have won three straight.  

Seasonal Series vs. Seattle: This is the second of four meetings between the T-Birds this season. These two teams met December 1^st in Kent with the T-Birds earning a 4-2 win. Myles Bell and Rourke Chartier scored in a losing cause while Jackson Whistle made 27 saves in the setback. The Rockets were 0 for 5 on the power play. Brandon Glover made 37 saves for the T-Birds and was named the first star.  Last season Seattle won both games at Prospera Place by scores of 2-1 in a shootout and 2-0.         

Home Cook’n: The Rockets are 20-2-0-0 at Prospera Place this season. The team has scored 110 goals (five per game) and has allowed 44 goals against (1.9 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except one, when they lost 3-2 to the visiting Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 16 of their 22 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for four home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 15 of 22 games.

Playing 3 in 3: The Rockets are playing three games in three nights for the 4^th time this season. The Rockets are 7 and 2 in those nine games played. The Rockets will play three games in three nights next weekend as well. The Rockets play three games in three nights seven times this season.      

This and That: With 25 games left in the regular season, the Rockets sit in first place in the BC Division with a four  point lead on second place Kamloops…. The Rockets 34 wins this season is three better than their win total from all of last season….Five of the Rockets 10 losses this season have been decided by a single goal… Jordon Cooke was named the WHL Goaltender of the Month for December. Cooke was 6-0-0-0 and posted a goals against average of 2.00. Cooke has won his last 18 games. That is a franchise record. Kelly Guard won 10 straight games – four different times between 2002 and 2004….The Rockets are rated as the 4^th best team in Canada according to the CHL Top 10 rankings this week…Since a 3-0 win over the Kamloops Blazers November 1^st the Rockets are 25-4-1-0….The Rockets 19 game home ice winning streak is a new team record. The franchise record is held by the Tacoma Rockets, who won 24 straight home games in 1992-93….Dylen McKinlay is  the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 31 of their last 38 games with two games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have 32 power play goal in their last 38 games (32 for 130 over that span – 24 %)…..The Rockets have scored 181 goals in their last 39 games (average 4.64)....The Rockets are 20 and 2 after 22 home games this season…Madison Bowey (22), Mitch Wheaton (63) and Myles Bell (87) are rated among the top players by NHL Central Scouting for June’s draft. The mid-season rankings were released by NHLCS on Tuesday. Jackson Whistle is rated (26) among North American goalies…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 110-44 on home ice this season…The Rockets have scored the second most goals in the WHL (205)….Zach Franko has thirteen more points (52) than the 39 he put up all of last season. Franko had a career high 53 points (22+31=53) in his rookie season in 2010-2011...J.T Barnett has 8+7=15 in 23 games with the Rockets…Colton Sissons has goals in five of his last ten games….Dylen McKinlay has three shorthanded goals….Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 661 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 535 goals (4,535)…Zach Franko has 52 points this season. Twenty-eight (28) have been registered on the road with 24 coming on home ice…Jordon Cooke’s 25 wins is one shy of league leader Luke Siemens of the PA Raiders….The Rockets have participated in one shootout game this season. That is a league low, tied with Portland who also has one shootout game. Last season the Rockets were involved in a league high 15…The Rockets have the second most home ice wins in the WHL this season (20). Only Portland has more (21)…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +37. That is third best in the entire WHL. That is the highest total for a Rockets player since Jamie Benn was a +32 in 2007-2008. Jesse Schultz was +40 in 2002-2003…Since November 1^st the Rockets have lost four times in regulation…Six of the teams ten regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season.           

Who’s Hot: Myles Bell has 4+5=9 in the month of January…Colton Sissons is riding a four game point streak. Sissons has 2+3=5 over that period… Ryan Olsen has goals in five of his last six games… Zach Franko has 6+5=11 in January, tops among Rockets players…MacKenzie Johnston has 10 points (3+7=10) in his last 8 games.

 

A lot of questions....favourable answers

Many questions surrounded the Kelowna Rockets heading into this season. Could they be better on home ice? Could Jordon Cooke fill the huge shoes left by Adam Brown? Was Zach Franko trade bait after a dismal 18 year-old season? Did the young defense have any confidence after taking their fair share of licks last season? Who would the teams 20 year-old's be, and would they be an upgrade from last season?

Lets answer question #1. Could the team improve its home record?

Last season was a struggle with just 18 home ice wins in 36 attempts. When you are playing just over .500 hockey at Prospera Place, few teams entered Kelowna last season with fear in their belly anticipating a rough night. That has taken a 180 degree turn with 20 wins in 22 home games which is the best home record in the WHL. They are again a dominating force at home. 

Question #2. Could Jordon Cooke become a legitimate number one goaltender in the WHL after two seasons backing up Adam Brown?

The answer would be yes. Cooke has set a franchise record with 18 consecutive wins and is tied for the league lead in wins (25). The workload has increased significantly from a season ago, but the save percentage and goals against numbers are as strong as ever. The pressure will be on Cooke to perform in the playoffs, but he's been feeling the heat this season as the #1 goaltender and has answered the bell.

Question #3. Could Zach Franko return to the form that he had in his rookie season?

Last season was dismal to say the least for the then 18 year-old. The Winnipeg resident had lost his confidence and shied away from puck battles and struggled finding the back of the net. Franko has found his game this season though. Now second in team scoring, Franko will always be a better passer than a shooter, but remains an impact player in his 19 year-old season. He is a gifted player and is showing it this season.

Question #4. Could the defensive core take a big jump forward or was their confidence shattered after playing in crucial situations last season?

This group is better after having their feet put to the fire last season. Sixteen year-old's Madison Bowey and Jesse Lees were a part of a d-core that was the youngest in the WHL in 2011-2012. Bowey and Lees were a surprising +6 combined  while 17 year-old Damon Severson was a +5.  Rookie Cole Martin took his lumps and was a -9. This season, those four players are a combined +110. Throw in MacKenzie Johnston, Riley Stadel and Mitch Wheaton and the d-core is combined +164.

Question #5 Who would the Rockets three overage players be and would they be an upgrade from Adam Brown, Cody Chikie and Brett Lyon?

Older players win you hockey games and the Rockets were essentially picking up the scraps from other teams who had a glut of 20 year-old players. The biggest move involved a draft pick for Dylen McKinlay who was acquired from the Kootenay Ice. It was well documented that McKinlay was a good player a few seasons ago with the Chlliwack Bruins but I'm not sure even the organization knew that 'Kins' would produce offensively like he has this season. McKinlay is not without his flaws, all 20 year-old's in this league usually have a few warts, but he plays at a high rate of speed and creates some good scoring chances for his line mates. He is also a threat to score shorthanded.
J.T Barnett and Cody Fowlie were acquired off waivers, again essentially picking up players that the Everett Silvertips nor any other team wanted. Fowlie has been a great teammate and has taken a nice leadeship role while Barnett, who was injured on opening night and returned prior to Christmas, has scored some timely goals and adds even more depth to an already deep team.

Rockets set record while rolling on home ice

• It was reason to celebrate Saturday night at Prospera Place as the Kelowna Rockets broke a team record with their 19th consecutive win on home ice. That eclipses the old mark of 18 straight wins on home ice in 2002-2003. Now this years team can attempt to smash the franchise record of 24 consecutive wins on home ice set by the Tacoma Rockets in 1992-93. 
• If the Rockets hope to reach the franchise mark they are going to have to do it by going though the Portland Winterhawks. The 24th straight win would have to come against the visiting Winterhawks on February 8th. The record breaker would also have to happen against the Winterhawks one night later. Between then and now the Rockets have home games against Seattle, Prince Albert, Victoria and Vancouver.    
• During the 19 game winning streak the Rockets have allowed 1.8 goals against per game. 
• Don't look now, but defensive d-man MacKenzie Johnston has the second most points on the team in the month of January. Johnston has 10 points (3+7=10), one more than leading scorer Myles Bell. Zach Franko leads the way with 11 points.
• With five games left in the month, Ryan Olsen has a chance to equal are exceed the 8 goals he scored in November. Olsen has five goals in January.
• 25 games left in the regular season. The Rockets play 14 of those 25 on home ice. 
• The Rockets have 71 points this season. All of last season the team collected 72 points.
• With 200 goals scored, the Rockets are just 17 shy of the 217 goals they scored all of last season.  
• Amazingly, the Rockets still have six more meetings against the Kamloops Blazers.
• An interesting comment from coach Huska the other night when we were discussing Tyrell Goulbourne's play on the penalty kill. Huska suggested Goulbourne could be the fastest skater on the team. You don't notice it when he is carrying the puck, but watch him in a race for it and see who gets there first.
• The WHL doesn't keep such a record, but Jordon Cooke's 18 straight wins has to be a new bench mark for goalies. Kenric Exner of the Kamloops Blazers (1998-99) went 24 games without a loss but that included a couple of ties.
• If everything goes according to plan, the Rockets roster could be entirely healthy when they face the Seattle Thundebirds Thursday night. J.T Barnett and Henrik Nyberg would have to return for that to become a reality. The question now is who do you scratch? Nice problem to have. 
• The Rockets enter a tough stretch of the schedule. The team will play seven games in the next ten days starting Thursday against the T-Birds. It includes back-to-back three games in three night stretches.