Tonight’s Preview: With only
11 games left in the regular season, the Kelowna Rockets will face the
Vancouver Giants three times. The Rockets make their first visit to Pacific
Coliseum since November 2nd when Rourke Chartier scored twice and
added an assist in a 5-3 win. Following tonight’s game the Rockets make return
visits on March 6th and March 20th. The G-Men are in
Kelowna on March 21st. In the eight game seasonal series the Rockets are
4-0-0-0, having out-scored the Giants 21-10. The Rockets are coming off a 4-2
win Wednesday night over the visiting Victoria Royals. The Rockets erased a two
goal deficit by scoring four unanswered goals in the team’s 47th win
of the season. Chance Braid led the way with a goal and an assist and a fight. This
game against the Giants is the fifth straight against a BC Division rival. The
Rockets host Calgary tomorrow night. The Rockets are 19-5-0-1 since the
Christmas break. Brandon is conversely 21-3-2-0. Overall, the Rockets have
points in 14 of their last 16 games (13-2-0-1).
Closing in on 100: The Kelowna
Rockets enter the weekend with 98 points. The Rockets are trying to earn 100 or
more points for a third consecutive season. A franchise record 118 points was
set last season. The team has hit the 100 point plateau four times. They
accomplished the feat in 2013-2014 (118 pts), 2012-2013 (108 pts), 2004-2005
(104 pts) and in 2002-2003 (109 pts).
A Banner season: The Kelowna
Rockets are BC Division regular season champions. It is the 7th time
the Rockets have won title since its inception in 2001-2002. The Rockets have
claimed three consecutive BC Division banners (2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015)
and have also won the title in 2010-2011, 2004-2005, 2003-2004 and 2002-2003.
While the Rockets have won it 7 times, the Vancouver Giants have earned it five
times.
This and That: Chance
Braid earned the Gordie Howe Hattrick Wednesday night against Victoria. It is
the second time Braid has turned the trick. As a member of the Prince George
Cougars, Braid earned the badge of honour after scoring once and adding an
assist and getting into a fight with Keegan Kanzig when the P.G Cougars beat
the Royals November 28th…..Leon Draisaitl is playing in his 150th
career game tonight….During the Rockets eight game home ice winning streak the
team is 11 for 33 on power play…Of the Rockets four losses on the road this
season, three of them have come in the second of back to back games….Five of
the ten losses this season have been suffered in the second of back to back
games…..Rourke Chartier is 4 goals shy of 50 this season. The last Rockets
player to score 50 goals was Justin Keller during the 2005-2006 season. Keller
scored 51 times that year….During this eight game home ice winning streak, the
Rockets have out-scored the opposition 52-20…Jackson Whistle has missed nine games
after having appendix surgery on February 6th. The Rockets are 7-2-0-0
in those games with Jake Morrissey winning four of the seven games…Riley Stadel
has 2+15=17 in his last 17 games and has a goal and seven assists in his last six
games playing as a forward…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 most goals
on the road (131) in the WHL this season…The Rockets have lost only four times in
regulation time on the road this season. Those four losses came in Victoria, Seattle,
Tri City and Calgary...The Rockets have points in 10 of their last 12 road
games (9-2-0-1)….The Rockets are 53-10-2-1 on opposition ice in the last two
seasons….A win tonight and a loss by Everett will give the Rockets the Western
Conference regular season championship.
200 Point Club: Nineteen
year-old Tyson Baillie recorded his 200th career point against the
Moose Jaw Warriors back on February 14th. Baillie now has 206 points in his
four year career. Ready to join Baillie in the ‘200 Point Club’ is Leon
Draisaitl, who has 198 career points heading into tonight’s game against the Giants.
Josh Morrissey has 196 career points.
Dare to Compare: The Rockets
have a record of 47-10-3-1 this season, good for 98 points. After 61 games last
season the team was 48-9-0-4, which was good for 100 points. The team has
scored 271 goals this season. At the same time last year after 61 games, 260 goals
were scored and 155 goals were given up. This season the team has surrendered 154
goals against.
Hot to Trot: Leon
Draisaitl has a six game point streak (5+10=15)…Tyson Baillie has a nine game
point streak with five goals and 11 assists (5+11=16). Defenceman Josh
Morrissey had an eleven game point streak snapped Wednesday night. Morrissey
had (6+6=12) over that period.…Leon Draisaitl has eighteen points (5+13=18) in
his last nine games.
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