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| Shoot the Breeze Photography |
Tonight’s Preview: The
Kelowna Rockets wrap up a three game home stand tonight against the visiting
Kamloops Blazers. This is the eighth of ten meetings this season. The Rockets
are 7-0-0-0 in the seasonal series, having out-scored the Blazers 34-17. The
Rockets are 28-11-3-0 against their BC Division rivals in the last five
seasons. Oddly, the Rockets are better in Kamloops than on home ice over that
period with 15 wins in their last 20 appearances at Interior Savings Centre.
Tyson Baillie leads the Rockets in the seasonal series with 6+8=14 while Nick
Merkley has 2+10=12. Rourke Chartier also has six goals in the seven games.
Here is a look at the seasonal series scores:
September
20: 6-1 W January 2: 6-4 W February 7: 5-2 W March 14: ?
October
15: 6-4 W January 9: 2-1 OTW Tonight?
December
27: 4-2 W February 6: 5-3 W March 13th: ?
The
Rockets are coming off a 6-0 shutout win over the Moose Jaw Warriors Leon
Draisaitl and Tyson Baillie each scored twice and added two assists in the win.
Jake Morrissey earned his first career shutout with a 28 save performance.
Following tonight’s game the Rockets are in Victoria for back-to-back games
this weekend. The Rockets are 16-4-0-1 since the Christmas break. Nine of the
team’s 12 games in February are against BC Division rivals. Overall, the
Rockets have points in eleven of their last twelve games (10-1-0-1).
200 Point Club: Nineteen
year-old Tyson Baillie recorded his 200th career point Saturday
against the Moose Jaw Warriors. Baillie’s four points now gives him 202 in his
four year career. Ready to join Baillie in the ‘200 Point Club’ is Josh Morrissey,
who has 192 career points. Leon Draisaitl has 190 career points heading into
tonight’s game against the Blazers.
Dare to Compare: The Rockets
have a record of 44-9-3-1 this season, good for 92 points. After 57 games last
season the team was 45-8-0-4, which was good for 94 points. The team has scored
251 goals this season. At the same time last year after 57 games, 246 goals
were scored and 148 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 141
goals against.
Hot to Trot: Rourke
Chartier has goals in four of his last seven games. Gage Quinney has points in
five of his last seven games. The 19 year-old had four goals and four assists (4+4=8)
over that period. Tyson Baillie has a five game point streak with four goals
and eight assists (4+8=12). Defenceman Josh Morrissey has an eight game point
streak with (3+5=8)…Leon Draisaitl has ten points (2+8=10) in his last five
games. In the 17 games Draisaitl has played, the 19 year-old has been held off
the score-sheet four times.
Another 40 win season:
The
Kelowna Rockets earned their 40th win of the season Saturday in
Kamloops. It marked the 11th time in franchise history that this has
happened. Here is the breakdown of 40 win seasons:
2014-2015:
44 wins and counting
2013-2014:
57 wins 2004-2005: 45 wins
2012-2013:
52 wins 2003-2004: 47 wins
2010-2011:
43 wins 2002-2003: 51 wins
2008-2009:
47 wins 1994-1995: 43 wins (Tacoma)
2005-2006:
46 wins 1992-1993: 45 wins (Tacoma)
This and That: Crazy
stat of the week. Forward Gage Quinney has taken one penalty this season. The
19 year-old hasn’t taken a minor penalty in 45 consecutive games…During this six
game home ice winning streak, the Rockets have out-scored the opposition 37-14…Jackson
Whistle has missed five games after having appendix surgery on February 6th.
The Rockets are 4-1-0-0 in those games with Jake Morrissey winning three of the
four games…Rourke Chartier has points in 11 of his last 13 games…Riley Stadel
has 1+12=13 in his last 13 games and has four assists in his last two games
playing as a forward…Stadel has 35 career points, the exact same career high
the 18 year-old registered last season….Madison Bowey has 1+6=7 in his last
five games….Justin Kirkland has points in nine of his last eleven games…The
Rockets have been held to just one goal five times this season. Seattle (road),
Edmonton (road), Calgary (road) 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 goals on the road (126) in the WHL this
season…The Rockets have lost only three times in regulation time on the road
this season. Those three losses came in Seattle, Tri City and Calgary...The
Rockets have points in 9 of their last 10 road games (8-1-0-1)….The Rockets are
52-10-2-1 on opposition ice in the last two seasons….The Tri City Herald ‘Best
of the West’ poll was released this week. Bruce Hamilton was named the top
executive. Madison Bowey was voted as having hardest shot. Tyrell Goulbourne
was named the toughest player. Nick Merkley was named the best pro prospect.
Rourke Chartier was named the most improved player. The winners were voted upon
by coaches, players and media from across the Western Conference…Matt Needham
has 1+5=6 in seven games to lead all Blazers in the seasonal series against the
Rockets. Cole Ully is next with four goals and five points in the seven games…Leon
Draisaitl is the WHL POW. The 19 year-old had 2+7=9 in four games last week…The
CHL announced that Kelowna will host a Subway Super Series game on November 9/15.
Kelowna last hosted a game in 2009.
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