Bloodoff receives Canadian university hockey's highest honour

It is the highest honour given to a player in Canadian university hockey.

Kelowna Rockets alumni Lucas Bloodoff has been named the Canadian Inter-university Sport (CIS) player of the year.
Bloodoff led his team, the Saint Mary's Huskies, in scoring this season.
He is best known in the Okanagan for captaining the Kelowna Rockets to a WHL Championship in 2009.

Nothing to play for? Not necessarily.

What do the final three games of the regular season mean for the Kelowna Rockets?
Now that the team has clinched the BC Division regular season banner many fans are saying these games mean little, but wait a minute here!
The Rockets are still in a fight with the Edmonton Oil Kings for second place in the overall standings. What does second place mean in the big picture? Don't forget that if the Rockets were to make it all the way to the WHL final they would have the luxury of home ice advantage, especially if that meant a date with the defending league champion Edmonton Oil Kings.
Without question a lot of hockey and luck stands in the way of that occurring but wouldn't the Rockets be kicking themselves if that indeed happened and they wasted them away rather than putting a concerted effort forward to win them?
With a two point lead, the Oil Kings have just two games left against the Red Deer Rebels.
Until the Rockets are mathematically eliminated from having any chance at second place in the WHL standings, its pedal to the medal. 

It wasn't suppose to happen but it did!

Let's be honest with one another. We didn't expect the Kelowna Rockets to win the BC Division regular season title before the puck was officially dropped back in late September? I could come on this blog and be the media know it all and state that I knew it was going to happen but it would be a load of BS.
You know the media type I'm talking about don't you? The guy with all the answers. The guy who knew Myles Bell was capable of close to 40 goals. The media mouth piece who predicted 20 year-old Dylan McKinlay would have a career year. The guy that knew the Rockets would have no problem scoring goals even though the coaching staff were sweating bullets in June and July, not because of the Okanagan heat, but over the question on who would manufacture offense.  
What we did know was the Rockets team would be slightly better than the year prior. The key word here is slightly. The Rockets traded away their top point getter to Saskatoon this summer and reining MVP Brett Bulmer moved on to pro hockey. Even starting goaltender Adam Brown, who broke two team records last season for games played and saves made, became ineligible to return to the hockey club after playing out his 20 year-old season. Those were three HUGE holes to fill.
The only sure thing heading into this season was the Rockets would be a year older on defense after taking their lumps with three rookies (Martin, Bowey, Lees) making up one of the youngest d-cores in the league in 2010-2011.
Honestly, a seven or eight win improvement would have been considering a massive step forward from the 31 victories the team earned last season. 
This team wasn't mentioned with the Portland Winterhawks, Kamloops Blazers or Edmonton Oil Kings at the start of the season. Nor should they have been. Only in early November were small pockets of fans thinking the Rockets could play with the elite.
But they couldn't catch Kamloops could they? They were 15 points in the Blazers rear view mirror on November 1st. Not a chance!
Quietly, the Rockets steadily improved after winning just eight of their first 16 regular season games (8-6-1-1). When the Blazers came back down to earth after earning a point in their first 17 games, what was considered a pipe dream all of a sudden became a possibility that the Rockets could close the gap and raise a banner high into the rafters at Prospera Place.
In November and December the team won 18 of 22 times and were a perfect 12-0-0-0 at home.
Maybe this team is special? What we know now, it is.
While it is the fourth BC regular season banner the team has won since the division was created in 2001-2002, the 2013 banner will have special significance. Why? It was the way in which it was won and the cast of characters that pulled it off when no one believed at the start of the season that it could indeed happen.

Audio - Final seconds from Saturday's 2-1 win

Goulbourne's game winner key in banner win

• You had the sneaky suspicion it would be Tyrell Goulbourne's night after rolling up his Tim Horton's coffee cup and finding out he had won a barbeque. The third year forward then went out on the ice and scored the game winning goal in the Kelowna Rockets 2-1 win Saturday night over the Kamloops Blazers. It was Goulbourne's 5th game winning goal helping his team earn the BC Division regular season title. It was the teams 4th title in franchise history after earning banners in 2011, 2005 and 2004. Here is Goulbourne's game winner: Note: I was so shocked at what I had just witnessed that I was at a loss for words.

Rockets - BC Division regular season champs!

The Kelowna Rockets are the 2012-2013 BC Division regular season champions. A 2-1 win Saturday night over the Kamloops Blazers allowed the Rockets to win the title for the 4th time in franchise history. As the picture above would suggest, time to make room for another beside the 2011 banner.  

Game notes vs. Blazers

 Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play their 68^th game of the regular season and second to last road game of the 2012-2013 campaign with a stop at ISC. The Rockets are 0-2-2-0 in the first four games in Kamloops, having been out-scored 19-12. The Rockets last win in Kamloops was March 2/2012 in a 6-3 victory. Oddly enough the Rockets were out-shot 46-18 yet won the game. These two teams meet tomorrow night to close out the ten game seasonal series. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having won five of their last six games with victories over Lethbridge, Victoria (three times) and Seattle. Overall, the Rockets have out-scored the opponent 30-13 in those six games. The Rockets are 24-6-2-0 in their last 32 games. The Rockets have eleven regulation losses in their last 56 games (42-11-2-1). The Rockets have won 39 of their last 50 (37-10-3-0) games overall.

Beating Blazers @ ISC: The Rockets are 0-2-2-0 in four games at the ISC this season. The Blazers have opened the scoring in all four games and have out-shot the Rockets in all four games (156-119). This is the seasonal series scoring in the first four games in Kamloops:

Period:    1     2     3    OT   Total 

Rockets:  3    6     3     0       12
Blazers:   6    6     5     2       19

Five Games to Go: The Rockets have five games left in the regular season. Three of those five games are on home ice to conclude the regular season. The Rockets sit three points up on the Kamloops Blazers for first place in the BC Division. Of those five games, two are against Kamloops/Vancouver with a single game against Prince George.

Most Wins in Franchise History:

2002-2003: 51 – WHL Champions
2008-2009: 47 – WHL Champions
2012-2013: 47 - ?
2003-2004: 47 – Memorial Cup Champions
2005-2006: 46 – Eliminated 2^nd round
2004-2005: 45 – WHL Champions
1992-1993: 45 – Eliminated in 7 games in rd one

Home Cook’n: The Kelowna Rockets have lost a league low five times on home ice (28-5-0-0) this season. The team has scored 159 goals (4.8 per game) and has allowed 66 goals against (2.00 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except three, with losses to Kamloops (3-1) and (3-2) and to Portland (5-1). The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 24 of their 33 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for six home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 22 of 33 games.

This and That: The Rockets have been shut out three times this season by Kamloops, Portland and Spokane. All three have happened on the road…. Ryan Olsen will play in his 200^th career game tonight in Kamloops…Cody Fowlie played in his 200^th career game February 28^th against Seattle.…The Rockets were 7-5-0-0 in February….Myles Bell was the leading point getter in February with 6+11=17….The Rockets have scored 288 goals this season. The team record for goals in a season is 338 set back in 1995-96.  The Rockets average 4.3 goals per game….Rockets Myles Bell has 87 points, becoming the first Rockets player since Colin Long (91) in 2008-2009 to register 80 or more points in a season. ….The Rockets have hit the 40 win plateau for the 9^th time in franchise history…The Rockets have made the playoffs for the 17^th time in the franchises 18 year history….The Rockets have 2 road games left in the regular season with both against BC Division teams…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….The Rockets 23 game home ice winning streak was the third longest winning streak on home ice in WHL history. It was snapped February 8th in a 5-3 loss to Portland….Dylen McKinlay is the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 43 of their last 58 games with three games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 152-65 on home ice this season….Dylen McKinlay has six shorthanded goals…Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 674 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 618 goals (4,618)…The Rockets have participated in two shootout game this season. That is a league low. Last season the Rockets were involved in a league high 15…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +50. It is the highest +/- total for a Kelowna Rockets player ever. Jesse Schultz was +40 in 2002-2003…Since November 1^st the Rockets have lost nine times in regulation…Five of the teams thirteen regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season…JT Barnett played in his 250^th career game February 8^th against Portland…Tyrell Goulbourne has 19 fighting majors this season…Zach Franko played in his 200th career game February 14^th against Everett.….Ryan Olsen is the first 18 year-old forward since Jamie Benn to score over 30 goals in a Rockets uniform. Benn scored 33 times in 2007-2008…Dylen McKinlay has 24 goals, none on the power play…The Rockets have scored the most home goals in the WHL (159)…The Rockets have 13 shorthanded goals this season, second best in WHL. The team record is 30 shorthanded goals in 1992-93.

Who’s Hot: Ryan Olsen has 5 goals in his last ten games. Olsen has four goals in seasonal series vs. Blazers…J.T Barnett has 4 goals in his last eight games…Myles Bell has points in eight of his last nine games (5+9=14)… Colton  Sissons has points in 31 of his last 37 games….Cody Fowlie has 3+5=8 in his last six games…Jackson Whistle has goals against average of 1.67 in five appearances. Whistle has won his last five starts.

 

Game Notes vs. Royals

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Victoria Royals meet for the 8^th and final time this season. The Rockets are 6-1-0-0 in the first seven games, having out-scored their BC Division rivals 37-13. The Rockets have been especially good on home ice having out-scored the Royals 16-4. These two teams last met February 22^nd and 23^rd in Victoria with the Rockets earning 8-3 and 7-2 wins. The Rockets enter tonight’s game having won four of their last five games with victories over Lethbridge, Victoria (twice) and Seattle. Overall, the Rockets have out-scored the opponent 26-10 in those five games. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Kamloops Friday before hosting the Blazers Saturday night. The Rockets are 23-6-2-0 in their last 31 games. The Rockets have eleven regulation losses in their last 55 games (41-11-2-1). The Rockets have won 38 of their last 49 (36-10-3-0) games overall.

Six Games to Go: The Rockets have six games left in the regular season. Four of those six games are on home ice to conclude the regular season. The Rockets sit one point up on the Kamloops Blazers for first place in the BC Division. Of those six games, two are against Kamloops with two against the Vancouver Giants. Single games are against Victoria and Prince George.

Most Wins in Franchise History:
2002-2003: 51 – WHL Champions
2008-2009: 47 – WHL Champions
2003-2004: 47 – Memorial Cup Champions
2005-2006: 46 – Eliminated 2^nd round
2012-2013: 46 -  ?  
2004-2005: 45 – WHL Champions
1992-1993: 45 – Eliminated in 7 games in rd one

Home Cook’n: The Kelowna Rockets have lost a league low five times on home ice (27-5-0-0) this season. The team has scored 155 goals (4.8 per game) and has allowed 63 goals against (2.00 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except three, with losses to Kamloops (3-1) and (3-2) and to Portland (5-1). The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 23 of their 32 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for six home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 22 of 32 games.

This and That: The Rockets are 7-0-0-0 in Thursday games. They have out-scored the opponent 35-6….The Rockets have been shut out three times this season by Kamloops, Portland and Spokane. All three have happened on the road….This Friday in Kamloops, Ryan Olsen will play in his 200^th career game…Cody Fowlie played in his 200^th career game February 28^th against Seattle.…The Rockets were 7-5-0-0 in February….Myles Bell was the leading point getter in February with 6+11=17….The Rockets have scored 284 goals this season. The team record for goals in a season is 311 set back in the 2002-2003 season. The team needs to average 4.2 goals per game in their final seven regular season games to tie that record. The Rockets average 4.3 goals per game….Rockets Myles Bell has 87 points, becoming the first Rockets player since Colin Long (91) in 2008-2009 to register 80 or more points in a season. ….The Rockets have hit the 40 win plateau for the 9^th time in franchise history…The Rockets have made the playoffs for the 17^th time in the franchises 18 year history….The Rockets have 2 road games left in the regular season with both against BC Division teams…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….The Rockets 23 game home ice winning streak was the third longest winning streak on home ice in WHL history. It was snapped February 8th in a 5-3 loss to Portland….Dylen McKinlay is the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 43 of their last 57 games with two games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 148-62 on home ice this season….Dylen McKinlay has six shorthanded goals…Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 673 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 614 goals (4,614)…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…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +52. It is the highest +/- total for a Kelowna Rockets player ever. Jesse Schultz was +40 in 2002-2003…Since November 1^st the Rockets have lost nine times in regulation…Five of the teams thirteen regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season…JT Barnett played in his 250^th career game February 8^th against Portland…Tyrell Goulbourne has 19 fighting majors this season…Zach Franko played in his 200th career game February 14^th against Everett.….Ryan Olsen is the first 18 year-old forward since Jamie Benn to score over 30 goals in a Rockets uniform. Benn scored 33 times in 2007-2008…Dylen McKinlay has 24 goals, none on the power play…The Rockets have scored the most home goals in the WHL (155)…The Rockets have 13 shorthanded goals this season, second best in WHL. The team record is 30 shorthanded goals in 1992-93…Myles Bell has 36 goals. 19 have been scored on home ice with 17 on the road..This Saturday (March 9) Zach Franko will turns 20….Damon Severson hasn’t scored in 15 games…Colton Heffley hasn’t scored in 18 games. His last goal was January 24^th against Seattle….Zach Franko hasn’t scored in 13 games…Cody Fowlie is four points shy of 100 for his career.    

Who’s Hot: Ryan Olsen has 5 goals in his last nine games…J.T Barnett has 4 goals in his last eight games…Myles Bell has points in eight of his last nine games (5+9=14)… Colton  Sissons has points in 31 of his last 36 games….Cody Fowlie has 3+5=8 in his last five games…Jackson Whistle has goals against average of 1.67 in five appearances. Whistle has won his last five starts.

 

Rockets game notes vs. Hurricanes

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Lethbridge Hurricanes are meeting for the second and final time this season. These two teams met back on December 12^th – in Lethbridge – with the Rockets earning a 3-1 win. Carter Rigby and J.T Barnett scored while Colton Heffley providing an empty netter in a tight hockey game. Damon Severson had two assists and was named the first star. Jordon Cooke made 20 saves in the win.  Kelowna out-shot Lethbridge 27-21. The Hurricanes are making their first stop in Kelowna since January 20/13 when they earned a 6-3 win. Jordon Cooke was pulled in that game after giving up three goals in under three minutes in the second period. Adam Brown allowed just one goal the rest of the way. The Rockets enter tonight’s game riding a three game winning streak after victories over Victoria (twice) and Seattle. Overall, the Rockets have out-scored the opponent 19-6 in those three wins. Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Kamloops to face the Blazers tomorrow night before hosting Victoria on Wednesday. The Rockets are 22-5-2-0 in their last 29 games. The Rockets have ten regulation losses in their last 53 games (40-10-2-1). The Rockets have won 37 of their last 47 (35-9-3-0) games overall.

Eight Games to Go: The Rockets have eight games left in the regular season. Five of those eight games are on home ice to conclude the regular season. The Rockets sit five points up on the Kamloops Blazers for first place in the BC Division.  Of those eight games, three are against Kamloops with two against the Vancouver Giants. Single games are against Lethbridge, Victoria and Prince George.

Most Wins in Franchise History:

2002-2003: 51 – WHL Champions
2008-2009: 47 – WHL Champions
2003-2004: 47 – Memorial Cup Champions
2005-2006: 46 – Eliminated 2^nd round
2012-2013: 45 -  ?  
2004-2005: 45 – WHL Champions
1992-1993: 45 – Eliminated in 7 games in rd one

Home Cook’n: The Kelowna Rockets has lost a league low five times on home ice (26-5-0-0) this season. The team has scored 148 goals (4.8 per game) and has allowed 62 goals against (2.00 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except three, with losses to Kamloops (3-1) and (3-2) and to Portland (5-1). The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 22 of their 31 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for six home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 21 of 31 games.

This and That: Cody Fowlie played in his 200^th career game Thursday night…The Rockets were 7-5-0-0 in February….Myles Bell was the leading point getter in February with 6+11=17….The Rockets have scored 277 goals this season. The team record for goals in a season is 311 set back in the 2002-2003 season. The team needs to average 4.2 goals per game in their final eight regular season games to tie that record. The Rockets average 4.3 goals per game….Rockets Myles Bell has 85 points, becoming the first Rockets player since Colin Long (91) in 2008-2009 to register 80 or more points in a season. ….The Rockets have hit the 40 win plateau for the 9^th time in franchise history…The Rockets have made the playoffs for the 17^th time in the franchises 18 year history….The Rockets are rated as the 5^th best team in the country according to this week’s CHL Top 10 rankings. Last week the Rockets were rated 6^th….Ryan Huska and the Kamloops Blazers are being inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. The Blazers teams – 1993-94 and 1994-95 - will be inducted during a ceremony in Penticton in July…The Rockets have 3 road games left in the regular season with all 3 against BC Division teams…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….The Rockets 23 game home ice winning streak was the third longest winning streak on home ice in WHL history. It was snapped February 8th in a 5-3 loss to Portland….Dylen McKinlay is the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 42 of their last 55 games with two games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 148-62 on home ice this season….Dylen McKinlay has six shorthanded goals…Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 672 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 607 goals (4,607)…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…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +51. It is the highest +/- total for a Kelowna Rockets player ever. Jesse Schultz was +40 in 2002-2003…Since November 1^st the Rockets have lost eight times in regulation…Five of the teams thirteen regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season…JT Barnett played in his 250^th career game February 8^th against Portland…Tyrell Goulbourne has 19 fighting majors this season…Zach Franko played in his 200th career game February 14^th against Everett.….Ryan Olsen is the first 18 year-old forward since Jamie Benn to score over 30 goals in a Rockets uniform. Benn scored 33 times in 2007-2008…Dylen McKinlay has 23 goals, none on the power play…The Rockets have been shorthanded 300 times this season, the second most of any team in the WHL…Rockets have scored most home goals in the WHL (148)…The Rockets have 13 shorthanded goals this season, second best in WHL. The team record is 30 shorthanded goals in 1992-93…Myles Bell has 35 goals. 18 have been scored on home ice with 17 on the road.  

Who’s Hot: Ryan Olsen has 4 goals in his last seven games…J.T Barnett has 4 goals in his last eight games…Myles Bell has a seven game point streak (4+9=13)… Colton Sissons has five goals in his last nine games….Sissons has points in 30 of his last 34 games….Cody Fowlie has 3+2=5 in his last three games…Jackson Whistle has goals against average of 1.67 in four appearances. Whistle has won his last four starts.

McKinlay having career year

• Dylen McKinlay is having a career season and the Kelowna Rockets couldn't be happier. The twenty year-old scored his 22nd and 23rd goals of the season helping the Rockets to a 4-1 win Thursday night over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. McKinlay scored once shorthanded, his league leading (Adam Lowry of the SC Broncos also has 6) sixth shorthanded goal of the season, helping his team move 7 points up on Kamloops for first place in the BC Division. McKinlay leads the team in shorthanded goals, games played and plus minus with a whopping +51. Not bad for an overage player that was acquired from the Kootenay Ice prior to the start of the season. 
• McKinlay was the Rockets best forward and was full marks for being named the first star. Overall it was a rough outing for the home team who seemed to struggle for the majority of the night despite scoring the opening goal - from McKinlay - less than 30 seconds into the game. The T-Birds deserve credit for playing hard, but I thought the Rockets were just good enough to win.
• Jordon Cooke made only 17 saves but I thought he was sharp when his team wasn't. The 19 year-old goaltender made solid stops against a Seattle team that struggled mightily to find the back of the net. Cooke's best stop came against T-Birds Roberts Lipsbergs with a nice right pad save in the third period when the Rockets had a slim 3-1 lead.
• The T-Birds power play is partially to blame for the loss. They had ideal chances to make it a one goal game with Damon Severson and Tyson Baillie taking penalties less than four minutes apart. Not only did Seattle fail to capitalize, but they had few good looks on either opportunity. The Rockets penalty killing unit was rock solid on four all kills.
• T-Birds d-man Jesse Forsberg left the game in the second period after he was hit with what may have been a high stick from Rockets forward Rourke Chartier. Forsberg was on the power play at the time. Chartier's stick seemed to clip Forsberg in the head or face. The 19 year-old fell to the ice, and with no penalty on the play, Dylen McKinlay went down and scored a shorthanded goal to make it 2-0.     
• The Rockets end the month with 7 wins in 12 games. It marked the first time this season the team went through a month losing five times.
• The Rockets end the regular season against U.S based team going 12-8-0-0 in 20 games.
• Myles Bell was the leading point producer in February with 6+11=17. Colton Sissons was 7+8=15 whle Dylen McKinlay had 5+6=11.
• The Rockets are 7-0-0-0 in Thursday games and have allowed just 6 goals against in those seven Thursday games.
• The Rockets have 26 wins on home ice this season, one win better than Portland (25) and Edmonton (25). 
• The Rockets have 13 shorthanded goals, one fewer than league leading Spokane (14).
• The Rockets have been shorthanded 300 times this season, second most in the league to only Saskatoon. (302).
• Up next? Lethbridge visits Saturday night.

Rockets games notes vs. Seattle

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Seattle Thunderbirds are meeting for the fourth and final time this season. The Rockets are 2-1-0-0 against Seattle, having out-scored the T-Birds 14-7. The Rockets are coming off back-to-back wins over Victoria last weekend out-scoring the Royals 15-5.  The Rockets are 21-5-2-0 in their last 28 games. The Rockets have ten regulation losses in their last 52 games (39-10-2-1). The Rockets have won 36 of their last 46 (34-9-3-0) games overall. Following tonight’s game the Rockets host Lethbridge Saturday before traveling to Kamloops (6 PM) to face the Blazers on Sunday.

Seasonal Series vs. Seattle:

Period:        1    2    3   OT   Final    
Rockets:     3    6    4    1      14  
T-Birds:       3   2    2     0      7

*The Rockets have out-shot the T-Birds in two of the three games. The Rockets average 35 shots on goal in the three games while Seattle has averaged 26 shots on net in the seasonal series. The Rockets are 0 for 9 on the power play while the T-Birds are 2 for 11 with the man advantage in the three games.  Jackson Whistle has played in two of the three games.      

Nine Games to Go: The Rockets have nine games left in the regular season. Six of those nine games are on home ice to conclude the regular season. The Rockets sit five points up on the Kamloops Blazers for first place in the BC Division.  Of those nine games, three are against Kamloops with two against the Vancouver Giants. Single games are against Seattle, Lethbridge, Victoria and Prince George.

Home Cook’n: The Rockets have lost a league low five times on home ice (25-5-0-0) this season. The team has scored 144 goals (4.8 per game) and has allowed 61 goals against (2.00 per game).  The Rockets have scored at least 3 or more goals in every home game this season except three, with losses to Kamloops (3-1), Portland (5-1) and to the visiting Blazers (3-2). The Rockets have scored four or more goals in 21 of their 30 home games. Jordon Cooke and Jackson Whistle have combined for six home ice shutouts this season. The team has allowed two or fewer goals at home this season in 20 of 30 games.

This and That: Cody Fowlie plays in his 200^th career game tonight…The Rockets end off the month of February tonight with a game against the T-Birds. The Rockets are 6-5-0-0 in 11 games. Those five losses have come in the last 9 games….The Rockets have scored 273 goals this season. The team record for goals in a season is 311 set back in the 2002-2003 season. The team needs to average 4.2 goals per game in their final nine regular season games to tie that record. The Rockets average 4.3 goals per game….Rockets Myles Bell has 84 points, becoming the first Rockets player since Colin Long (91) in 2008-2009 to register 80 or more points in a season. ….The Rockets have hit the 40 win plateau for the 9^th time in franchise history…The Rockets have made the playoffs for the 17^th time in the franchises 18 year history….The Rockets are rated as the 5^th best team in the country according to this week’s CHL Top 10 rankings. Last week the Rockets were rated 6^th….Ryan Huska and the Kamloops Blazers are being inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. The Blazers teams – 1993-94 and 1994-95 - will be inducted during a ceremony in Penticton in July…The Rockets have 3 road games left in the regular season with all 3 against BC Division teams…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….The Rockets 23 game home ice winning streak was the third longest winning streak on home ice in WHL history. It was snapped February 8th in a 5-3 loss to Portland….Dylen McKinlay is the only Rocket to play in every game this season…The Rockets have led going into the third period in 41 of their last 54 games with two games being tied heading into the final frame.…The Rockets have out-scored the opposition 144-61 on home ice this season….Dylen McKinlay has five shorthanded goals…Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, the Rockets have picked up 671 wins over the last 18 seasons…Since entering the WHL in 1991, the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have scored 4 thousand 603 goals (4,603)…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…Dylen McKinlay leads the team in plus/minus with a +47. 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 eight times in regulation…Five of the teams thirteen regulation losses came in the first five weeks of the season…JT Barnett played in his 250^th career game February 8^th against Portland…Tyrell Goulbourne has 19 fighting majors this season…Damon Severson is four points shy of 100 for his career…Zach Franko played in his 200th career game February 14^th against Everett.….Ryan Olsen is the first 18 year-old forward since Jamie Benn to score over 30 goals in a Rockets uniform. Benn scored 33 times in 2007-2008…Dylen McKinlay has 21 goals, none on the power play.

Who’s Hot: Ryan Olsen has 4 goals in his last six games…J.T Barnett has 4 goals in his last eight games…Myles Bell has a six game point streak (3+9=12)… Colton Sissons has five goals in his last eight games….Sissons has points in 30 of his last 33 games….Carter Rigby has 7+3=10 in last six games… Cody Fowlie has 3+2=5 in his last two games…Jackson Whistle has goals against average of 1.67 in four appearances this month. Whistle has won his last four starts.

Things that make me go hmmm....

• How can the Victoria Royals – the most penalized team in the WHL - have 38 more power play chances than the Kelowna Rockets? The Rockets are choir boys compared to their BC Division rivals.   
• What happens to WHL first overall pick Mathew Barzal? Will he sign with Seattle or will the T-Birds be forced to trade him? The reason he is on my mind is the 15 year-old and his midget team played against the Okanagan Rockets this past weekend. 
• Do you think the Edmonton Oil Kings have a better appreciation for the Western Conference? After losses to Spokane and Tri City, the Oil Kings still have to meet first place Portland before their U.S Division road trip comes to an end. 
• Didn’t we all anticipate the Tri City Americans to fall flat on their face after they lost starter Eric Comrie? Guess that didn’t happen. Proves they are not a one trick pony. 
• Is the WHL officiating improving as much as the play on the ice with the playoffs quickly approaching? Sadly, I don’t think it is. 
• When will the day come when a player punches an opponent on the ice, the victim doesn’t retaliate and the offender is the only one sent to the penalty box? 
• While everyone is bitching about the number of fans coming out to watch Kelowna Rockets home games this season, is their another team in the WHL that can boast 5 sell outs? 
• How can Portland’s Nic Petan go from 35 points last season to 106 points this season?  That is a 71 point improvement. Ok, I get it. He is getting increased ice time, power play time and is working with two solid line mates. Still, a 71 point improvement is crazy. 
• I encourage you to listen to Bob Stauffer of the Edmonton Oilers Radio Network. He is solid on the air. Tapped in, but honest and critical of the team he broadcasts games for. Honestly, it’s refreshing. 
• The Saskatoon Blades 15 game winning streak is impressive. But should we consider that the Blades have played Moose Jaw five times and Brandon three times over that stretch. Both the Warriors and Wheat Kings are non-playoff teams. 
• Remember the day when the WHL was considering the defensive league when compared to their OHL and QMJHL cousins?  Not anymore. The WHL has two 100 point producers.  The OHL and QMJHL don’t have any. 
• Kelowna Rockets forward Myles Bell has 84 points this season, 16 away from 100. The last Rockets forward to accomplish the feat was Colin Long in 2007-2008. Bell needs 1.8 points per game over the final 9 games to reach the 100 point plateau. 
• The Rockets have 44 wins this season, 7 shy of the team record of 51 set back in 2002-2003. The Rockets 44 wins is the 6^th most in franchise history. 
• The Rockets have to average 4.2 goals per game over the last 9 to reach the franchise record for goals scored in a season.  The record is 311 goals scored in 2002-2003.
• The Rockets have seven players with 15 or more goals. T
• The Rockets have a chance of claiming a BC Division title with three weeks left in the regular season. Would you have thought they’d be here at the start of the season? If you say yes, you are lying to yourself.       

Goal scoring by committee - audio