Game Day: Rockets set for final Hat Trick Wednesday game
Rockets vs. Chiefs
Wednesday, March 13th, 2019
Game Time – 7:05 pm
Game Day Preview: Welcome to the last week of the regular season! The Kelowna Rockets play their second to last home game of the regular season tonight against the visiting Spokane Chiefs. The Rockets are 1-2-0-0 in the opening three games of the four game set, with a 4-3 shootout victory on February 22nd. The team also lost by scores of 4-0 (February 1st) and 5-4 (February 6th). Leif Mattson has 1+5=6 against the Chiefs while Alex Swetlikoff has 3+1=4. Nolan Foote has two goals in the three games. James Porter has appeared in all three games posting a goals against average of 2.84. Roman Basran has played in two of the games, posting a goals against average of 6.42. The Rockets power play is running at 30.8% with 4 goals in 13 chances. The Rockets are coming off back-to-back losses to the Kamloops Blazers Friday (2-1 SOL) and Saturday (2-1 regulation loss). Nolan Foote and Kyle Topping scored goals in those two losses. Following this game, the Rockets close out the final week of the regular season with a home-and-home series with the Vancouver Giants to wrap up the 68 games regular season schedule. Overall, the Rockets are 11-14-3-2 in 30 games since the Christmas break. The Rockets are 23-21-5-2 in 50 games under head coach Adam Foote.
Race for third place: The Rockets and Blazers are separated by just two points. The Rockets have 3 games left in the regular season. They host Spokane and finishing off against Vancouver (twice). The Blazers have 3 games left in the regular season. They face Victoria tonight and back-to-back games this weekend against the Prince George Cougars.
Who’s Hot: Liam Kindree has points in 5 of his last 8 games. Kindree has 0+5=5 over that period…Kyle Topping has 5+16=21 in his last 21 games…Leif Mattson has 5+10=15 in his last 15 games….Alex Swetlikoff has 5+5=10 in his last 14 games….Nolan Foote has 13+7=20 in his last 21 games….Lassi Thomson has 8+5=13 in his last 21 games …The Rockets have points in 17 of their last 25 home games (13-8-4-0). Mark Liwiski has 7+2=9 in his last 15 games…Shael Higson has 1+6=7 in his last 12 games…Nolan Foote has a shot on goal all but one game this season.
Broadcasters Notebook: Mark Liwiski serves game three of a three game suspension this evening. Liwiski was suspended for a hit against the Portland Winterhawks forward Seth Jarvis….Lassi Thomson’s 17 goals are one shy of the franchise record for goals by a European d-man. Tomas Slovak holds the record (18 goals) in 2002-2003….The Rockets are 7-10-2-0 in 19 games against a US Division team this season. Three of the 7 wins have come against Tri City with one victory over Spokane, Everett, Seattle and Portland….The Rockets have played 21-one goal games at home this season. Last year they played 15-one goal games at Prospera Place…The team has played in 11-one goal games on the road…The Rockets are 12-16-2-2 against BC Division teams this season…..Adam Foote was officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October 23, 2018 replacing Jason Smith.,.The Rockets are 10-14-2-0 when playing the second game of back-to-backs.
Season Highs/Lows:
Most goals scored: 8 @ Victoria October 19/18 (8-2 W)
Most goals allowed: 9 vs. Seattle October 10th, 2018 (9-6 L)
Most shots on net: 45 @ Seattle October 6th, 2018 (4-1 L).
Fewest shots on net: 13 @ Edmonton November 17, 2018 (3-1 L)
Most shots allowed: 50 @ Portland November 10, 2018 (3-0 L)
Fewest shots allowed: 16 vs. Victoria December 7, 2018 (2-0 win)
Last time shut out at home: October 3rd, 2018 vs. Vancouver (5-0 L)
Last time shut out on road: February 1, 2019 @ Spokane (4-0 L)
Last shutout at home: February 23, 2019 vs. Blazers (2-0 W – Roman Basran 18 saves)
Last shutout on the road: January 18, 2019 @ Everett (2-0 W – James Porter 40 saves)
Most power play goals allowed: 4 vs. Seattle October 10th, 2018 (9-6 L). T-Birds were 4/5 on power play.
Most power play goals scored: 4 @ Victoria October 19, 2018 (8-2 W)
Overtime Games (8): vs. Portland (2-1 L) March 2/2019, vs. Kamloops (2-1 W) February 2, 2019, vs. Seattle (3-2 Loss) January 30, 2019, @ Kamloops (3-2 Loss) December 28, 2018, vs. Saskatoon (5-4 Loss) December 1, 2018, @ Tri City Nov 30, 2018 (3-2 win), @ PG (4-3 Loss) November 14, 2018, vs. PG (4-3 win) October 27, 2018.
Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150
