Rockets and Royals clash in second round

Michael Herringer faces old team

• It shouldn't feel odd, but the Kelowna Rockets are facing a BC Division team in the second round of the WHL playoffs. The playoff menu for the Rockets over the last few years has been mainly U.S Division cuisine, but that is about to change as the Western Conference regular season champions will attempt to feast on the Victoria Royals. For what it's worth - and it isn't much now - the Rockets were 5-2-1-0 in the eight games against the Royals this season. Those two regulation losses included a 6-3 setback at Prospera Place when Rourke Chartier, Justin Kirkland, Gage Quinney and Josh Morrissey were all out of the line up. I hate to make excuses, because frankly excuses are weak, but you have to admits those are four significant pieces of the puzzle out of the line up. Regardless, the Royals can win this series if the Rockets are not playing at their optimum level. They score significantly easier than the Americans. They are dramatically more determined in initiating body contact and will get a significant offensive contribution from the d-core, which includes Joe Hicketts and Travis Brown. Without question, the Rockets go up a weight class with this second round opponent.
• It will be interesting to see how the Rockets respond to a much more aggressive opponent. The Royals have traditionally, under coach Dave Lowry, made it a point of hitting hard and finishing checks. The main target has been Rourke Chartier. My guess is the Royals believe Chartier is the head of the Rockets body, and if they can hit and wear him down, it has a trickle down effect to the rest of the team. Look for Chartier to be public enemy number one in this series. It was that way during the regular season, so I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case in this best of seven where the stakes are far greater.
• Nick Merkley and Madison Bowey led the way for the Rockets in the seasonal series with ten points apiece and both will have to be equally as good in this round. Merkley had 4 goals and 6 assists while Bowey had two goals and 8 helpers. In a four game sweep over Tri City, Bowey scored three times.
• Brandon Magee was the story for the Royals in a five game series win over Prince George. The 21 year-old had six goals in the five games and scored the overtime series clincher. Magee had 5+5=10 in the eight games against the Rockets during the regular season and it will be interesting to see who Dan Lambert has out on the ice to contain Magee's line. 
• Magee and 21 year-old forward Austin Carroll are the likely candidates to stir the pot if the pot needs stirring. The two racked up a combined 89 penalty minutes between them in the eight game seasonal series. Rodney Southam was the most active agitator from the Rockets perspective including four fighting majors: two each against Austin Carroll and Ryan Gagnon.
• The key players to watch out for in this series are Tyson Baillie for the Rockets and Chaz Reddekopp for the Royals. This is where Baillie shines. The 19 year-old sparkles in a series where it is tough in the trenches. Baillie is a proven playoff performer where the tougher the grind becomes the more determined he gets. Reddekopp, for my money, is severely underrated and is a physical forces back on the Royals blue line. The West Kelowna resident doesn't receive the positive press that he deserves because fellow blue liners Joe Hicketts and Travis Brown are more charismatic in the offensive zone. 
• Michael Herringer earned his first career WHL playoff start and win in a come-from-behind 5-4 overtime victory against the Tri City Americans last Thursday. While Jackson Whistle will start in goal in game one, Herringer isn't a bad option considering his seasonal series success against the Royals. Herringer (pictured above), had a 4-1-0-0 record in five starts and posted a goals against average of 2.80. Whistle played in only three games and was 1-1-1-0. The 19 year-old had a goals against average of 3.60 and a save percentage of .872. Herringer is a former Victoria Royal. The soft spoken goaltender was a 9th round bantam pick.

Soft spoken forward makes noise in overtime

Gage Quinney - Shoot the Breeze Photo

• Dan Lambert had a hunch that Gage Quinney would be the hero in overtime. The Kelowna Rockets head coach channelled his inner Nostradamus to predict the 19 year-old forward would find the back of the net for his first ever playoff goal. Whether it was pure luck or a premonition, Lambert called it. Quinney went out and beat Americans goaltender Eric Comrie with 1:28 left in the first overtime, lifting the Kelowna Rockets to a 5-4 win and a four game sweep. Quinney’s game winner came on the Rockets 71^st shot on net.
• That’s right; the Rockets would fire 71 shots at Americans goaltender Eric Comrie. That total was built up after carrying a 16-0 shot advantage in the first nine minutes of the game before Tri City would finally get a puck directed towards Jackson Whistle. A seeing eye wrist shot from the side boards glancing off defenceman Cole Martin and then found its way past Whistle. The Rockets ended the opening period with a 20-7 shot advantage yet trailed 2-0. It marked the first time in the series that the Americans had scored a first period goal and the first time they had a lead after twenty minutes.
• Despite the two goal deficit, Rourke Chartier got the ball rolling early in the second period to make it a one goal game, but again the Americans found the back of the net. A weak wrister from the blue line that Whistle had problems detecting ended up hitting the post before it was jammed in for a shorthanded goal. Head Coach Dan Lambert had no choice but to pull the veteran goaltender in favour of back up Michael Herringer, who made 11 saves, earned his first career WHL playoff win and saw his team claw back from a 4-1 deficit.
• Did the change in goal make a difference? Madison Bowey scored a power play goal shortly thereafter and Rourke Chartier fired home his second of the game 36 seconds later. Entering the third period down by only a goal, Bowey scored his second of the game 37 seconds into the final frame and it was tied at four. Three goals in a span of 2:24 seconds had the visitors on even terms.
• Game four started with a bang when Rockets designated tough guy Chance Braid dropped the gloves with Americans 230 pound forward Maxwell James. The two were jawing at the opening face-off and then elected to tangle just four seconds after the puck was dropped. The WHL frowns upon such actions, so Braid may find himself suspended for game one of the Western Conference semi final.
• The Rockets eliminated the Americans in four straight games. It marked the first time the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets have eliminated a U.S based team in the first round in a sweep in their 24 years in the WHL.
• The loss for the Americans saw the end of the junior career for 19 year-old goaltender Eric Comrie. The classy Edmonton product is regarded as one of the elite netminders in his age group will now go on to pro hockey in the AHL with the Winnipeg Jets minor league affiliate. It was great to shake his hand after the game and congratulate him on a tremendous WHL career.
• Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving took in Wednesday night’s game.
• The Rockets now await the winner of the Victoria/Prince George series to see who they will face in round two. Game one and two are set for next Friday and Saturday night at Prospera Place. Tickets go on sale this morning.

Tough night for goalies in game three victory

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Eric Comrie deserves a Mulligan. So does Jackson Whistle. Both goaltenders were lights out terrific in game one and two of this opening round playoff series between the Kelowna Rockets and Tri City Americans. Many were wondering if these two could keep up the pace. Unfortunately for both of them, on the same night oddly, looked human in the Rockets 5-3 win. Comrie made two nice saves on Gage Quinney in the first period and had no chance on Riley Stadel's opening goal, but the 19 year-old didn't make the timely saves we are accustomed to seeing him make. Tomas Soustal's low wrist shot to the glove hand side was a stoppable puck and Tyson Baillie's power play goal through Comrie's legs in the third period is one the Winnipeg Jets prospect will easily deny. After being the best player on the ice in game one and two, sadly for the Americans, their last line of defense was mortal in the two goal loss.
• After shutting out the Americans in game one and two, you knew the dam would break for Jackson Whistle. Named the CHL goalie of the week earlier in the day, Whistle was just average in the game three win. Like Comrie, the 19 year-old didn't make any outlandish saves to deny the Americans of glorious scoring chances. Whistle had no chance on the Beau McCue goal which ended his shutout streak at 154:14, but Jordan Topping's goal from the wing and McCue's second goal to make things interesting late in the game was a rising shot that should be stopped. The nice thing was Whistle didn't have to be terrific at his end because Comrie was just OK at the other end of the ice. 
• No one noticed in the building, but Joe Gatenby was the Rockets top player. Gatenby's compete level was the best on the team. I would venture to guess he didn't lose a puck battle all night long. His teammates? I different story. I thought the majority of the team didn't have the compete for pucks like we witnessed in game one and two. Several times, American players were able to out muscle the visitors off the puck. It had nothing to do with making body contact and separating the man from the puck, but just more 'want' in getting it to win it outright.
• Disciple, or a lack thereof was a real concern in game three for the Rockets. They allowed the Americans nine power play chances. Nine! That can't happen...EVER...in the playoffs if you want to win. Thankfully the Americans power play unit struggled and only manufactured one goal. Sure, some of the calls were suspect, but you have to avoid going to the penalty box that often. You have to play smart at this time of the year and two penalties by veteran players, who I won't mention, must be eliminated. Those two penalties are a tell tale sign of where the majority of the team was mentally last night.
• The Rockets struck for two power play goals. Tyson Baillie's game winner was essentially a two-on-one off the rush, so while it counts as a power play goal, the team didn't exactly set up in the offensive zone and create the scoring chance from there. But after going 0 for 7 in the first two games, the Rockets will take any success they can get with the extra man.
• I thought Tomas Soustal had a good game. I think Cole Lind played well. Chance Braid had some good shifts. Anyone who had determination and wanted to battle along the boards looked good in my opinion. Lind's assist on Braid's third period goal was a great example of wanting the puck more than the opponent and literally willing the puck into the net.
• I will go back to the fact that if Comrie was as good in game three as he was in game one and two, the Americans may be a game away from tying this series. Fortunately the goalie struggled or the Rockets could be up in the series 2-1 not 3-0.
• How did Parker Wotherspoon not get a game star for the Americans last night? He stood out like a sore thumb. Like Gatenby, he too won pucks, made great decisions and often rushed the puck up ice. You have to remember Wotherspoon is a 1997 born player. I thought he was the best American on the ice by a country mile. The score-sheet won't show it, but more importantly his play did.
• A pretty decent crowd last night at the Toyota Center. A Tuesday game that saw just over 32 hundred fans on hand should put a smile on the face of ownership. 
• Game four in the series goes tonight at the Toyota Center. The Rockets can wrap up this series in four straight games but the effort has to be better....and the team has left lots of room for it to be significantly better. Leon Draisaitl was extremely quiet outside of two grade 'A' scoring chances where he fired the puck directly into the logo of Comrie. If that line of Tyson Baillie, Leon Draisaitl and Gage Quinney can come alive in game four, I like the Rockets chances of advancing tonight to round two.

A day in advance. Game notes for game three

Shoot the Breeze Photography

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets have a 2-0 lead on the Tri City Americans heading into game three of this Western Conference quarter final series. The Rockets have out-scored the Americans 9-0 in the first two games. Game three is tonight with game four tomorrow night again at the Toyota Center. If a game five is necessary, it will be played Friday at Prospera Place. The Rockets are coming off a 3-0 shutout win in game two Saturday night. Jackson Whistle made 30 saves for his second consecutive shutout in the post season. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist while Rodney Southam and Tyson Baillie added singles. The Rockets fired a series high 45 shots on net and were 0 for 4 on the power play. These two teams collided four times during the regular season with the Rockets going 3-1-0-0. The Americans have the bragging rights of being the first team to beat the Rockets with a 5-2 victory on October 18^th. It snapped the Rockets 10 game winning streak to start the season. In two games at Prospera Place during the regular season, the Rockets were a 4-0 (October 22^nd) and a 7-1 winner (January 14^th). In the only other game, in Kennewick, the Rockets earned a 4-1 win. Overall, this is the 6^th time these two teams have collided in the playoffs (1996, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2014 and 2015). This is the eighth consecutive appearance in the post season for the Rockets and 19^th time in the franchises 20 year history. Since the Christmas break the Rockets are 27-8-2-1.

Playoff series scoring breakdown:

Period:         1     2    3   Total

Rockets:      2     3    4     9

Americans   0    0    0      0

This and That: The difference in scoring between these two teams is significant, but specifically on the blue line. The Rockets had 215 points from defenceman this season while the Americans had 114 points. That is a 101 point difference…Leon Draisaitl has scored in both games in this playoff series…Rockets defenceman Madison Bowey and Americans defender Justin Hamonic has a few things in common. Both were born in Winnipeg. Both played midget hockey for the Winnipeg Wild and both are captains of their respective teams for a second consecutive season…The Rockets are 0 for 7 on the power play in this series…Rodney Southam’s game winning goal in game two was his first career playoff goal….Tyrell Goulbourne has a fighting major in back-to-back playoff seasons. The 21 year-old fought Americans forward Maxwell James in game two and also tangled with former Am’s defenceman Josh Thrower in game five of last year’s opening round playoff series…The Rockets have out-shot the Americans 31-11 in the first period in the first two games of this series…The Rockets won the most road games of any team in the WHL (27)…Nick Merkley and Cole Linaker were the only two players to play in all 72 regular season games this season… The Rockets were held to just one goal seven times this season. Kamloops (road), Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (twice – once on road and once at home), Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...Justin Kirkland has missed 17 straight games with a LBI…Josh Morrissey is missing his 12^th straight game tonight with a LBI…The Rockets are facing a U.S Division team for the seventh time in the last eight playoff series. The only exception was against the Kamloops Blazers in a second round series back in 2013…Tyrell Goulbourne has a team high 37 playoff games under his belt…Madison Bowey has 32 games of playoff experience…The Rockets played in 14 post season games last season …Cole Martin has 31 playoff games on his resume…Rodney Southam was named the Rockets unsung hero of the year at the teams year end awards banquet…The Rockets averaged 41 shots per game in last year’s opening round playoff series against the Americans. In the first two games of this series the team is averaging 37.5 shots on net…In total the Rockets have 317 games of playoff experience in the lineup this evening…Veteran d-man Mitch Wheaton has been cleared to play and could see action.

Rockets 2014-2015 regular season recap: The Rockets finished in first place in the Western Conference with 53 wins and 112 points. The 53 wins and 112 points was the second highest total in franchise history. The team scored 305 goals, the second most in the WHL. The 183 goals allowed were the fewest of any team in the WHL. It was the first time since 2003-2004 that the team led the league with the fewest number of goals. That season they allowed 125 goals against. Nick Merkley led the team in scoring with 20 goals, 70 assists and 90 points. Merkley’s 70 assists were not a franchise record though. Rory McDade had 70 helpers in 2000-2001. Colin Long had 69 in in 2007-2008. Marty Flichel has the franchise record with 79 assists in the 1995-96 season.    

Hot to Trot: Jackson Whistle has earned back-to-back shutouts in this series..Nick Merkley has points in seven of his last ten games. The 17 year-old has 4+8=12 over that stretch….Madison Bowey has points in ten of his last fourteen games. Bowey has 4+9=13 over that stretch….Leon Draisaitl has thirty-nine points (14+25=39) in his last twenty-two games.

Whistle matches Comrie in a game two win

Jackson Whistle has been a brick wall - Shoot the Breeze Photo 

• Move over Eric Comrie, the guy 180 feet from your crease is no shrinking violet either. As good as the Tri City Americans goaltender has been in the first two games of an opening round playoff series against the Kelowna Rockets, Jackson Whistle has been no slouch at the other end of the ice. While the 19 year-old West Kelowna resident has no where near the same resume as Comrie, the undrafted goaltender has been equally as good in the first two games of this Western Conference quarter final series. Whistle made 30 saves Saturday night in the Rockets 3-0 home ice win, helping his team to a two-nothing lead in this best of seven playoff series. Whistle was the better of the two goaltenders over the final 40 minutes of play, making his best stop on Americans forward Vladislav Lukin on a breakway in the second period. Lukin received a pass at the Rockets blue line and skated behind the defense only to see his shot, between the legs of Whistle, denied by the veteran goaltender. Whistle seemed to struggle early in the game when his team out-shot the Americans 20-6 in the first period, but he made timely saves when it really counted. Surprisingly, in the building he was not named the first star but was clearly in the best player on the ice through the final 40 minutes of the hockey game.
• Eric Comrie was without question the story in the first period. The Tri City Americans goaltender was peppered with 20 shots and allowed only one goal. For a second consecutive game the Rockets could have been up 4-0 without Comrie's exploits. The only puck that found the back of the net was a Rodney Southam one timer that beat the Winnipeg Jets prospect high to the blocker side. Comrie made several solid stops in the first period including a nice left pad save on rookie Cole Lind and a left toe save on Gage Quinney in an opening 20 minutes that was heavily tilted in the Rockets favour.
• This game was in doubt until Leon Draisaitl fired a wrist shot home with less than five minutes left in the third period.  Draisaitl finished the game with a goal and an assist but for the most part was quiet in the second game of the series. The Edmonton Oilers first round pick fired a nice shot through a screen on a one-on-one situation with Americans defenceman Tyler Wotherspoon which essentially put the game away. The 19 year-old would set up Tyson Baillie for an empty netter with 84 seconds left in the hockey game.
• The Americans had more glorious chances to score in this game in the final 40 minutes than they did in a 6-0 loss in game one. The best scoring chance happened on a two on none when Americans forward Justin Gutierrez received a pass at the Rockets blue line and was sent in on what appeared to be a breakaway. The 19 year-old forward must have been on a long shift because he uncharacteristically lumbered into the zone with the puck where a teammate, Beau McCue, joined him on the glorious scoring chance. Gutierrez elected to pass it off to McCue who returned the favour. The end result? A shot taken by Gutierrez that missed the net on a glorious scoring chance for the visitors. 
• Jackson Whistle has now gone 120 playoff minutes without allowing a goal. This has never happened in Kelowna Rockets franchise history that a goalie has earned back-to-back playoff shutouts. Kelly Guard is the franchise leader in playoff shutouts with five. Whistle has two in two games.
• A fight in the playoffs? Yep, it happened when Americans forward Maxwell James  was slashed in the neutral zone by Rockets 21 year-old Tyrell Goulbourne. James immediately threw his gloves down and started throwing punches at the unsuspecting Rockets forward. The Americans were accessed an extra two minutes for instigating but were able to kill off the penalty. The Rockets are now 0 for 7 on the power play in the first two games of the series.
• The Rockets have now out-shot the Americans 31-11 in the first period. 
• Former Kelowna Rockets forward Kris Schmidli attended the game. Schmidli was involved in the Leon Draisaitl trade. The PA Raiders also received 18 year-old Dalton Yorke and a first round bantam pick.
• Arizona Coyotes GM Don Maloney attended the game.
• Game three and four in the series are back in Tri City Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. 

Energy on the ice and in the building

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Head Coach Dan Lambert didn't want his team to play cute hockey. The players on the Kelowna Rockets roster delivered in an impressive 6-0 win last night in game one of a best of seven Western Conference quarter final series against the Tri City Americans. Not one goal will make the TSN honour role, but who cares! Outside of a three minute span of the second period, the Rockets were clearly the better team. They were first on pucks, finished hits and came in waves. Had it not been for Americans goaltender Eric Comrie's heroics in the first period, what would the score have been? Of the ten shots the Rockets had in the opening 20 minutes, were six of those quality chances? It was a terrific opening 20 minutes.
• While Comrie will get much credit for keeping it close after one period, how about Jackson Whistle's save early in the second period with his team playing with a 1-0 lead? Whistle made a solid stop on Jordan Topping on a two-on-one in the visitors first solid offensive push of the game.
• Tyson Baillie took a penalty eight minutes into the second period but Nick Merkley's shorthanded goal essentially turned the game back in the Rockets favour. Merkley's goal was one of two shorthanded goals the Rockets would score with Chartier's second of the game in the third period coming with Tyrell Goulbourne in the box for hooking.
• Whistle earned the shutout in his first career playoff start. It marked the first time a Rockets goalie has earned a playoff shutout since Jordon Cooke made 25 saves in a 4-0 win in game four of a first round playoff series in 2013 against the Seattle Thunderbirds. It was the first home playoff shutout since Mark Guggenberger made 21 saves in the WHL final against the Calgary Hitmen in 2009.  
• The best goal of the game may have been from Dillon Dube. It had nothing to do with how the puck was fired past Comrie, but more so how it was created. The Rockets hemmed the Americans inside their own zone for a significant amount of time. A gassed Justin Hamonic turned over a puck at the side of the net and the relentless forecheck made the Americans pay. 
• Rourke Chartier and Nick Merkley each had three point games, but anyone wearing a white, red, teal and black uniform had a solid game. Riley Stadel impressed me, as did rookie Cole Lind. Chance Braid took body. Tyrell Goulbourne had good energy. Again, it was hard to pick apart the home teams game.  
• Few will agree with me, but I thought the officiating was terrific. They allowed the two teams to play! Knit picky calls could have been made but the two referee's called it both ways. I hate an overly officiated game. I actually detest it. I hate where one official blatantly makes calls against the team that is leading in order to keep a game close. I know they don't purposely try to do it, but sometimes it looks/feels that way. I give the tip of the hat to Ryan Benbow and Adam Griffiths. I thought both guys were consistent. Maybe its easy for me to say in a 6-0 game?
• Leon Draisaitl, Gage Quinney and Chance Braid all won their very first WHL playoff games Friday night. All three were swept in back to back seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders.
• Rookies Lucas Johansen and Tomas Soustal made their playoff debuts against the Americans. Johansen had his first playoff assist on Leon Draisaitl's second period goal while 16 year-old Cole Lind also earned his first playoff point on Madison Bowey's third period goal.
• Dillon Dube scored his first career playoff goal in the 6-0 win. Dube played one post season game as a 15 year-old with the Rockets in last seasons Western Conference final. 
• I thought the atmosphere in the building was excellent. Noise makers were distributed before the game and it made a significant impact. I thought the building was loud and alive. The music, for whatever reason on this night was excellent. It wasn't overbearing and the song selection was a home run. 

Rockets game notes vs. Americans

Dan Lambert coaches first career WHL playoff game

Tonight’s Preview: Welcome to the 2015 WHL playoffs. The Kelowna Rockets open the first round against the Tri City Americans. These two teams met in the opening round last March with the Rockets winning in five games.

These two teams collided four times this season with the Rockets going 3-1-0-0. The Americans have the bragging rights of being the first team to beat the Rockets with a 5-2 victory on October 18^th. It snapped the Rockets 10 game winning streak to start the season. In two games at Prospera Place during the regular season, the Rockets were a 4-0 (October 22^nd) and a 7-1 winner (January 14^th). In the only other game, in Kennewick, the Rockets earned a 4-1 win. Overall, this is the 6^th time these two teams have collided in the playoffs (1996, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2014 and 2015). This is the eighth consecutive appearance in the post season for the Rockets and 19^th time in the franchises 20 year history. The Rockets head into the post season riding a two game winning streak after wins against Vancouver last weekend. Since the Christmas break the Rockets are 25-8-2-1.

Rockets 2014-2015 regular season recap: The Rockets finished in first place in the Western Conference with 53 wins and 112 points. The 53 wins and 112 points was the second highest total in franchise history. The team scored 305 goals, the second most in the WHL. The 183 goals allowed were the fewest of any team in the WHL. It was the first time since 2003-2004 that the team led the league with the fewest number of goals. That season they allowed 125 goals against. Nick Merkley led the team in scoring with 20 goals, 70 assists and 90 points. Merkley’s 70 assists were not a franchise record though. Rory McDade had 70 helpers in 2000-2001. Colin Long had 69 in in 2007-2008. Marty Flichel has the franchise record with 79 assists in the 1995-96 season.    

Season Series Sharpshooters: Rourke Chartier had 4+2=6 in four games against the Americans this season. Tyrell Goulbourne also had 4+2=6 in the four meetings. Leon Draisaitl had 2+2=4 in one game against the Am’s. Jackson Whistle was 3-1-0-0 in the four games with a goals against average of 1.50 and a save percentage of .938. The Rockets out-scored the Am’s 17-7. Eric Comrie played in three of the four games, posting a goals against average of 3.33 and a save percentage of .900.  

This and That: Rourke Chartier was named the Kelowna Rockets MVP. The 18 year-old had 48+34=82 in 58 games and led the team in power play goals with 14.…Madison Bowey was named the team’s top defenceman….Devante Stephens was named rookie of the year and most improved….Joe Gatenby was the scholastic player of the year…Madison Bowey and Rourke Chartier were named first team Western Conference all-stars. Nick Merkley and Josh Morrissey were named second team Western Conference all-stars….The Rockets won the most road games of any team in the WHL (27)…Nick Merkley and Cole Linaker were the only two players to play in all 72 regular season games this season….The Rockets owned the best power play in the WHL this season (26.2%) and scored a league high 90 goals with it…Only the Brandon Wheat Kings had more home ice wins (27) than the Rockets (26)…Dan Lambert is the Western Conference nominee for coach of the year. GM Bruce Hamilton is the Western Conference nominee for executive of the year….The Rockets are rated as the fourth best team in the final CHL Top 10 junior rankings….Kole Lind, Jordan Borstmayer and Brayden Chizen have joined the team for the remainder of the season. Lind and Borstmayer played for the Saskatoon Midget Contacts. Borstmayer is a third round pick from 2013 while Lind was the second to last player taken in the fourth round that year. Chizen was a 9^th round bantam pick that year…The Rockets were held to just one goal seven times this season. Kamloops (road), Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (twice – once on road and once at home), Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...Justin Kirkland has missed 15 straight games with a LBI…The Rockets are facing a U.S Division team for the seventh time in the last eight playoff series. The only exception was against the Kamloops Blazers in a second round series back in 2013…Tyrell Goulbourne has a team high 35 playoff games under his belt…The Kelowna Rockets saw a four percent increase in attendance at home games this season. An average of 5 thousand 180 fans took in home games at Prospera Place….Madison Bowey has 30 games of playoff experience…The Rockets played in 14 post season games last season…Damon Severson was the Rockets playoff scoring leader one year ago….The Rockets played in just one overtime playoff game last season. It was game three of the Western Conference final against Portland….Cole Martin has 29 playoff games on his resume…Four Rockets are making their playoff debuts. Lucas Johansen, Tomas Soustal, Devante Stephens and Tate Coughlin could see their first taste of playoff hockey…Defenceman Josh Morrissey turns 20 tomorrow. Happy Birthday Jo-Mo!!

Hot to Trot: Nick Merkley has points in six of his last eight games. The 17 year-old has 3+6=9 over that stretch….Madison Bowey has points in nine of his last twelve games. Bowey has 3+8=11 over that stretch….Leon Draisaitl has thirty-six points (12+24=36) in his last twenty games…Cole Martin is a +143 in his four year career.

Lambert honoured

It isn't often that a first year head coach wins over 50 games. It isn't often that a first year head coach is a nominee for the Western Hockey League coach of the year.
Kelowna Rockets bench boss Dan Lambert has been recognized as the best coach in the Western Conference after leading his team to a 53 win season. As the Western Conference nominee, Lambert, who took over from Ryan Huska last summer, will go up against the Eastern Conference nominee, Regina Pats head skipper John Paddock. Oddly, Paddock is also a first year coach in the WHL.
Last season, Ryan Huska was the Western Conference nominee for coach of the year and was beaten out by Eastern Conference nominee, Kootenay Ice's Ryan McGill.
Lambert is the fourth Rockets coach to be nominated for the league award. Ryan Huska, Marc Habscheid and Marcel Comeau were also honoured. Habscheid was named the WHL Coach of the Year and CHL Coach of the Year in 2002-2003, while Comeau took home the league award in the 1992-93.

Am I allowed to pick favourites? I guess I have!

Broadcasters are not supposed to have favourites on the team they cover. And if they do, they aren't supposed to let anyone know. Mum's the word. It is believed as a media member you will evaluate their performance in the sporting ring in a more favourable manner without taking a critical eye at the mistakes they make. For me, I only hold those so called 'favourite players' to a higher standard. I don't give them the easy way out because of the players and individuals they have become in what is usually four or five short years of major junior hockey. The neat thing for me is getting to know these players as people first and as hockey players second. As fans, it's often the other way around. That is the fun part about being allowed access to the players that only a home broadcaster can. Who are my two favourite Kelowna Rockets players that are on the back nine of their hockey careers in the WHL? Read on and I will explain who they are and why they are considering special to me. 

Cole Martin: When I met 'Marty' in the fall of 2011, the only thing that intrigued me about this smallish 17 year-old defenceman was the Texas twang in his voice and the fact that he was raised in the Lone Star State. This guy won't be able to play major junior will he? He will be homesick in a week, I told myself. My first interview with Martin led me to believe he was a focused athlete who knew what he wanted to accomplish. He informed me that he left home at an early age to pursue his hockey career, so young in fact; that many kids his age now are only concerned about how many hours they can spend in a day playing Xbox. 'Marty's' maturity blew me away. 

The now 21 year-old admitted to me this fall that he was contemplating returning for his overage season. That's typical Cole Martin. In every interview I've ever conducted with him, no stiffness, and no fake answers. Every comment is heartfelt and honest. He is personable, focused - not cocky - but confident in his abilities. Instead of putting in a half heart effort heading into his 20 year-old season, Martin returned to Kelowna as a physical specimen. He worked out diligently to put on muscle to make his smallish frame more durable.

On the ice, 'Marty' has turned into a terrific player. I was cheering for him last season when he became the WHL plus/minus leader. Never one to say much unless I put a microphone in front of his face, Martin has always put the team before himself. Not every junior player, even the good ones, is built that way.

Martin will go down as one of my favourite 20 year-olds all-time. Our interactions over the years have been excellent and I will be sad to see him go. I guess that's what happens when you see a player mature over four years and grow into one of the best defenders in the WHL.  

Tyrell Goulbourne: I have seen this player come into the organization as a 16 year-old and I've had the privilege of interacting with him for five seasons. 'Goulby' grows on you. What I remember in my first interaction with him was this kid from Edmonton wanting to play with the Rockets as an affiliated player, but couldn't, after he was suspended by his midget league for something he did in a playoff game. In the fall of 2010, this shy rookie with tattoos on his arm could sing. Sing? More about that later. 'Goulby' wouldn't say much to me in his first year with the Rockets. I think he was scared because of the mic I had in my hand. He was always reluctant to do interviews because he believed he wasn't very good at public speaking. I thought otherwise, and with a little help, I wanted him to get more confident with his interactions with the media. He was an engaging personality. I just wanted to get it out of him.  After four years, with his effort not mine, that goal has been accomplished. He looks relaxed on television, specifically, and his answers for the media are pro. 

As hard as this may seem to believe, Goulbourne wasn't an overly tough player when he came to the Rockets. That part of his game evolved. So did his skating. 

I knew Goulbourne had a great personality when I first heard him bellow out on the bus the song, The Star Spangled Banner. Every once in a while he would break into other songs without prompting. The guy could sing and sing well. With more confidence around his teammates, he too became more vocal and our interactions increased. In his 19 and now 20 year-old season, he often would mimic me calling play-by-play on the bus with a scoooooooores at the end to the laughter of his teammates. This was almost common place after every win. His impression of me was pretty accurate. I would pretend not to hear it from my seat at the front of the bus, but it was clearly audible. Inside, I found it funny and flattering. 

Tyrell Goulbourne isn't all about joking around though. We would often have good talks before games while simply sitting in the stands looking at the ice surface in front of us. My proudest moment involving him came last summer when he was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers. I didn't see that coming when he was 17. But again, what's been so rewarding for me is to see him mature, gain confidence and ultimately, with great coaching, become a better player. 

Like Cole Martin, Tyrell Goulbourne will be a success story in whatever challenges he faces. Will he/they play in the NHL? You need commitment, opportunity and a little bit of luck doesn't hurt either. 

All I know is that I've been privileged to cross paths with both of these elder statesmen as they attempt to achieve their dream. I'm just glad I've been able to get to know them both personally as the team's broadcaster.

Rockets/Americans collide again in round one

Eric Comrie - Shoot the Breeze Photo

• Who will stand out from the rest when the WHL playoffs open Friday night for the Kelowna Rockets? Put your money on Tyson Baillie. This is typically his time of the year. The harder the game becomes the more the 19 year-old elevates his play. The four year veteran has 27 playoff games under his belt and typically at this time of the year shows up on the score-sheet more times than not. Baillie has 13+16=29 in those 27 career playoff games. Proof enough for ya? In 14 playoff games last year, the undrafted forward, had 5+8=13 in 14 post season games. Looking for a game winning goal in overtime? It's typically 'Tyson Time'. 
• I expect Cole Linker to make an impact in this years playoffs. Maybe not on the score-sheet, but he has a warrior mentality and will sacrifice for the betterment of the team. The 19 year-old had only 4+3=7 in 14 playoff games last season but may see some power play time in the playoffs this go-around after getting basically zero last season. Again, Linaker had seven power play goals this season. Last year, used primarily shorthanded, had none.   
• Tyrell Goulbourne is a five year veteran so his resume allows him to boast the greatest number of games played of any Rockets player in the post season. The 21 year-old has 35 games under his belt. Madison Bowey has 30 games of experience in the 'real season' and has impressive point totals with 5+9=14 in 14 playoff games in last years run towards the Western Conference final. 
• Nick Merkley may be only a second year player, but the 17 year-old has 4+16=20 in 21 career playoff games. As a raw 16 year-old last season, Merkley had 4+13=17 in 14 post season games. Merkley also played seven playoff games as a 15 year-old.
• The Rockets met the Americans last year in the opening round. The series went five games. The majority of the games were close, with Eric Comrie making sure of that.
• What will attendance be like when the playoff puck drops Friday at Prospera Place? In game one of last years opening round series with Tri City, 58 hundred fans showed up, but the first two games were part of the regular season package. In game five back in Kelowna in round one, just 4,875 fans showed up. In Tri City is was significantly worse. Just 2,010 showed up to see Eric Comrie (pictured right) make 52 saves in a game three-4-3 win.
• The sellouts in the playoffs last year didn't come until the third round in the Western Conference final against Portland. Game one drew 6,218 with game two getting 6,341. Game five was solid with 6,331 patrons.    
• It will be interesting to see what Justin Kirkland brings to the table when he is healthy. Many people forget that he had 5+5=10 in last years playoffs as a rookie and scored a goal in all three series including two against Portland in the WCF.
• While Jackson Whistle is a first year starter, he has played one playoff game. In the 2013 post season, in game three in Kamloops, Jordon Cooke started but was pulled after giving up three goals on 11 shots. Whistle, in a relief appearance, came into the game but the Blazers won 5-4 in overtime.
• The Rockets were good on home ice last year in the playoffs winning 6 of 8 games. On the road was a different story. After winning a season high 29 times on opposition ice in 2013-2014, they had a 3-3 road record in post season.
• Who was the Kelowna Rockets leading point producer in last years playoffs? Damon Severson had 4+14=18 in 14 games. Nick Merkley was next with 17 points.       
• Why didn't the Rockets make more of series with Portland last season? Goal scoring among the 20 year-old's was non-existent. Ryan Olsen and Marek Tvrdon had 1 goal between them. Myles Bell was hurt in game four of an opening round series against the Americans. 
• The Rockets are meeting the Americans in the playoffs for the third time in the last six seasons. They are meeting in 2015, they met in 2014 and were involved in a five game series in 2010 in which the Americans advanced to the third round in five games. Dan Lambert was a first year assistant coach with the Rockets that season.
• In the 2013 playoffs, seven of the Rockets 11 playoff games were decided in overtime. Last year they played in one overtime game, losing game three of the WCF in Portland.
• How much is Rodney Southam looking forward to this playoff series? Southam was traded by the Americans to the Rockets on November 4th. The Rockets surrendered a 5th round bantam pick this summer for Southam's services.

Rockets close out regular season with spirited effort

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Were they teasing us? We may have seen a glimpse of what the Kelowna Rockets are capable of doing. In the first period of Saturday's 5-2 home ice win over the Vancouver Giants, the Rockets played arguably their best period in over a month. Yes, it was against a Giants team that were eliminated from playoff contention a night earlier, but the Rockets thoroughly dominated play. The passes were quick, crisp and on the tape. The Rockets were first to pucks and came in waves. It all translated into a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes and a sure sign of what level of play this team is capable of preforming at. Cole Martin scored 24 seconds into the game and the home team wouldn't let the visitors off the hook. Goals by Tyrell Goulbourne less than five minutes later and Cole Linaker's career high 14th goal of the season to close out the period almost had the capacity crowd wanting to jump to their feet for a standing ovation at periods end. Again it was the best 20 minutes we've seen from this group in what feels like a long, long time.
• Gage Quinney can play. The 19 year-old had a four assist effort. Playing with Leon Draisaitl and Tyson Baillie, the Las Vegas product managed his first-four point game of his career. Since January 24th, Quinney has points in 20 of his last 27 games. The player no one in these parts knew much about in the Josh Morrissey trade, collected 31 points in 38 regular season games wearing Kelowna Rockets colours.  The suggestion is now he could earn a 20 year-old spot with the team next season. 
• Leon Draisaitl scored twice and added an assist in the win. His one timer in the second period had the type of power you only see at the NHL level. It came and went off his stick in a flash. The 19 year-old played 32 regular season games with the Rockets, collecting 19 goals and 53 points. In his last three games, Draisaitl has eight points (3+5=8). Draisaitl was on the same point total pace from a season ago when he scored 38 goals and collected 105 points in 64 games with the PA Raiders. If you double his games played this season (32 to 64), his goals (19 to 38), and his points (53 to 106), it is just slightly ahead of last years pace.    
• The Rockets swept the seasonal series against the Giants, winning all eight games. Overall, the Rockets have now won 13 straight games against the G-Men.  
• The Rockets end the season with 53 wins. It is the second highest win total in franchise history after the 57 win season a year ago. The team won 26 times on home ice and 27 times on the road.  
• Cole Martin closed out his junior career with a regular season +/- rating of +143. A nice compliment from Leon Draisaitl when he told the media after the game, "He is the best defensive defenceman I have ever played with in my life. You can't beat this guy one on one."  
• The Rockets face the Tri City Americans in the first round of the WHL playoffs. These two teams met one season ago, also in the opening round.  Game one and two are next Friday and Saturday night at Prospera Place with Dillon Dube and Justin Kirkland expected back in the line up after both sat out with injuries in two weekend games against the Giants.
• I really liked the jerseys the Rockets wore last night. The jersey off your back promotion featured the XX logo on the front celebrating 20 years of the organization in the city of Kelowna. 

Finally an overtime win

Leon Draisaitl's one timer ties the game at three 

• Need a big goal? Leon Draisaitl is your man. The 19 year-old forward found the back of the net on a 'must score' power play late in the third period to tie the game at three. Draisaitl then went out and assisted on the game winner in overtime in the Kelowna Rockets 4-3 win last night in Vancouver. Draisaitl didn't have a dominant game, much like his teammates, but he came through in the clutch when his team needed him most. At the end of the night, the German forward was in on every goal the Rockets scored with a goal and three assists. It may be the quietest four point effort of his WHL career? But again, with the game on the line Draisaitl didn't cower or fade. The great players elevate or rise to the occasion. The Oilers first round draft pick did just that. 
• Madison Bowey can shoot the puck. If he had any doubters, the 11 thousand fans at Pacific Coliseum last night are now believers. The 19 year-old blasted a hard slap shot from just inside the blue-line on the power play for the game winning goal. The Rockets made it look easy. Rourke Chartier won the draw and got the puck back to Bowey. Bowey allowed Draisaitl to take it, stick handle with it for five seconds before sending it back into Bowey's wheelhouse for the one time blast. The goal took just eleven seconds to generate.
• The good news? The Rockets power play scored three times on five chances. The bad news? The penalty killing unit gave up two power play goals of their own. 
• Did the Rockets dominate this game? Not even close. The Giants had significant territorial time and often had a stronger battle level than the visitors. Vancouver has a horrible time generate offense and so that is where the two teams are separated by a wide margin. 
• I thought the Goulbourne, Merkley, Chartier line really struggled. Usually they make an impact. All three looked out of sync in this game.
• The one positive I can take out of the win was the ability to battle back after surrendering an ugly goal which gave the G-Men a 3-2 third period lead. Goaltender Michael Herringer and defenceman Lucas Johansen got their wires crossed up at the side of the net, the puck squeezed loose from Herringer's glove and 15 year-old Giants rookie forward Dawson Holt got the 'Merry Christmas' gift.   
• The overtime win snapped a five game overtime losing streak for the Rockets. Overtime has not been kind this season for the Western Conference leaders. Kelowna is now 2 and 5 when playing after 60 minutes. 
• The Rockets won for the 27th time on the road, which is the second best total in franchise history behind only the franchise record/WHL record 29 road wins they had last season.
• The team scored four goals last night, with Bowey's game winner being the 300th goal the team has scored this season. It marks only the second time in Kelowna Rockets franchise history the team has manufactured 300 or more goals in back to back seasons. Only the Brandon Wheat Kings have scored more times than the Rockets this season.
• The differential is two. The Rockets trail the Wheat Kings by two points for first place in the WHL standings with one game left to be played for both teams. The Rockets must beat Vancouver again tonight and Brandon must lose in regulation time to visiting Moose Jaw. That is the only way the Rockets can claim their second straight Scotty Munro Trophy.     

Rockets final 'roady' of regular season

Shoot the Breeze Photography

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets enter the final weekend of the regular season with a road date against the Vancouver Giants. The Rockets are 6-0-0-0 in the seasonal series, having won in Vancouver by scores of 5-3, 4-0 and 5-2. Overall in the six games the Rockets have out-scored the G-Men 30-12. These two teams close out the regular season tomorrow night at Prospera Place in Kelowna. The Rockets are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss Wednesday night to the Seattle Thunderbirds. Rourke Chartier and Dillon Dube scored in the setback, the fifth time the team has lost in overtime this season. Jackson Whistle made 21 saves and received third star status. The Rockets were 1/5 on the power play while killing off five of six penalties. The Rockets are 23-8-2-1 since the Christmas break. Overall, the Rockets have points in 20 of their last 25 games (17-5-2-1). The Rockets have three wins in their last eight games (3-3-2-0).

50 Goal Scorers: Rourke Chartier is attempting to join an allusive group. Only seven Tacoma/Kelowna players have hit the 50 goal mark. Four of those seven have hit the benchmark as a member of the Kelowna Rockets. Here are the sharp shooters:

1992-1993: Allan Egeland 56 goals     1995-1996: Robb Gordon 51 goals       2005-2006: Justin Keller: 51 goals                              

1993-1994: John Varga 60 goals         1997-1998: Jason Deleurme 51 goals  

1994-1995: *Vaclav Varada 50 goals   2002-2003: Jesse Schultz 53 goals

Most points in a season: The Rockets have 108 points this season. How does that rate among the highest point totals in club history?

2013-2014: 118    2014:2015: 108    

2002-2003: 109    2004-2005: 106

2012-2013: 108

                             

Sharp Shooters vs. Giants: Nick Merkley has 2+9=11 in the six games against the Giants in the seasonal series. Rourke Chartier has 5+5=10 in five games. Tyrell Goulbourne has a team high six goals and nine points in only five games. Leon Draisaitl has 3+2=5 in only three games against the G-Men. Michael Herringer has played in four of the six games, posting a record of 4-0-0-0 with a goals against average of 1.25 and a save percentage of .952. Jackson Whistle is 2-0-0-0 with a goals against average of 3.50. Giants forward Jackson Houck has 2+4=6 in six games. Payton Lee has played in four of the six games with a 0-4-0-0 record and a goals against average of 5.10.   

This and That: Dillon Dube’s goal Wednesday night was his first in eight games…Madison Bowey is two points shy of his career high 60 points accumulated last season….Bowey has a career high 42 assists this season…Rourke Chartier has 24 more goals than he scored all of last season…Kole Lind, Jordan Borstmayer and Brayden Chizen have joined the team for the remainder of the season. Lind and Borstmayer played for the Saskatoon Midget Contacts. Borstmayer is a third round pick from 2013 while Lind was the second to last player taken in the fourth round that year. Chizen was a 9^th round bantam pick that year…The Rockets are 4 goals shy of 300 this season. The team has scored 300 or more goals only five times in its 20 seasons in Kelowna. The team has scored 300 or more goals in two consecutive seasons…Nick Merkley is the fastest Rockets player to reach 100 career assists. Merkley hit the milestone in 133 career games. The record was held by Shane McColgan, who had 100 career assists in 150 career games…The Rockets have been held to just one goal seven times this season. Kamloops (road), Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (twice – once on road and once at home), Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...The Kelowna Rockets have scored the second most goals on the road (143) in the WHL this season…Justin Kirkland has missed thirteen straight games with a LBI…Josh Morrissey is missing his eighth straight game tonight with a LBI.

Dare to Compare: The Rockets have a record of 51-13-5-1 this season, good for 108 points. After 70 games last season the team was 55-11-0-4, which was good for 114 points. The team has scored 296 goals this season. At the same time last year after 70 games, 299 goals were scored and 174 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 178 goals against.  

Hot to Trot: Nick Merkley has points in five of his last six games. The 17 year-old has 3+5=8 over that stretch….Madison Bowey has points in eight of his last ten games. Bowey has 2+7=9 over that stretch….Leon Draisaitl had his thirteen game point streak snapped last Saturday. The 19 year-old had 9+16=25 over that period. Draisaitl has twenty-nine points (9+20=29) in his last eighteen games.

Three Star Balloting: 

Player:                          1^st Star    2^nd Star   3^rd Star   Total 

Rourke Chartier:              6              7              2            15

Jackson Whistle:             7              5              3            15

Nick Merkley:                   5              3              6            14

Tyson Baillie:                   4              6              3            13

Leon Draisaitl:                 7               2             2            11

Madison Bowey:              3              3              3             9