GAME DAY: Rockets-Blazers Meet in Kelowna
Rockets vs. Blazers
Monday December 28, 2015
Game Time ‑ 7:05 pm
Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets open the second half of the season tonight when they welcome the Kamloops Blazers. This is the team’s first home date in eight games after playing seven consecutive (4-3-0-0) away from Prospera Place. The Rockets are coming off a 2-1 win last night in Kamloops. Kole Lind (1+1=2) and Tyson Baillie (1+0=1) scored, snapping the Rockets two game losing streak. Jackson Whistle was strong in goal with a 25 save performance. The Rockets are 4-0-0-0 against the Blazers in the seasonal series, but three of the four wins have been decided by a single goal. After this game against the Blazers, the Rockets won’t see them for another 27 games when they collide on March 4th. The Rockets have won 21 of their last 28 games overall (21-6-0-1) and are 12-2-0-0 on home ice and 14-7-1-0 on the road. Overall; the Rockets have points in 18 of 22 games (17-4-1-0). Overall, the team has won 7 of its last 10 games.
Home Ice Success: The Rockets are riding an eight game home ice winning streak. The team’s last loss at Prospera Place was October 30th against the Prince George Cougars (2-1 L). In seven of those eight games, the team has scored four or more goals. In those eight home ice wins, the team has allowed three or more goals only once when beat Lethbridge 5-3.
Oh Canada! Rourke Chartier is in Finland representing Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. The Rockets have been well represented at the World Juniors. Madison Bowey, Josh Morrissey and GM Bruce Hamilton came home with a gold medal last year from the prestigious tournament. Other notable players from the Rockets that have played for Canada include: Jamie Benn, Tyler Myers, Brandon McMillan, Tyson Barrie, Luke Schenn, Blake Comeau, Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Chuck Kobasew, Brett McLean and Robb Gordon. Chartier is the 14th player from the Rockets to play for Team Canada.
Whistle Racking Up Winning Record: Twenty year-old Jackson Whistle is going after his 87th career win in a Kelowna Rockets uniform this evening. Here are the franchise leaders:
1) Adam Brown: 107 wins
2) Jordan Cooke: 92 wins
3) Jackson Whistle: 86 wins
4) Kelly Guard: 83 wins
This and That: 22 of the team’s final 36 games are on home ice…Tyson Baillie is playing in career game #296 this evening….Jackson Whistle played in five of the six games on the Eastern Division road trip. The only game he did not start was a 6-3 victory in Swift Current….Tyson Baillie’s hat-trick December 15th in Swift Current was the first of his WHL career in his 291st career game…The Rockets are rated as the 5th best team in the country after being ranked 4th best for four consecutive weeks in the CHL Top 10 rankings….Tomas Soustal is playing for the Czech Republic at the World Junior Hockey Championships.…Calvin Thurkauf is representing Switzerland at the World Junior’s….Three members of the Rockets have been rated by NHL Central Scouting. Lucas Johansen and Dillon Dube are rated as ‘B’ prospects for June’s draft in Buffalo. Tomas Soustal, who was not selected last year, is ranked as a ‘C’ prospect…Rookie Gordie Ballhorn leads the Rockets with a +18 ratings….Nine of Justin Kirkland’s 12 goals have been scored on the road this season….Jackson Whistle has started 24 of the last 30 games…The Rockets receive relief from the schedule maker when they play 9 of 10 at home from January 19th to February 8th….Cole Linaker has 96 career points…Lucas Johansen is playing in career game #99 tonight vs. Blazers.
Who’s Hot: Tyson Baillie has points in 23 of his last 26 games……Justin Kirkland has points in 9 of his last 15 games. Kirkland has 4+12=16 over that period…Cole Linaker has points in 7 of his last 14 games. Linaker has 4+5=9 over that stretch…Dillon Dube has 12+16=28 in his last 22 games.
Man Games Lost to Injury/Illness/Suspension: 76 games
Jackson Whistle: 3 games Rourke Chartier: 19 games Tanner Wishnowski – 8 game
Nick Merkley: 3 gam Jonathan Smart: 13 games Riley Stadel – 14 games
Dillon Dube – 2 game suspension Tomas Soustal – 2 games Rodney Southam – 3 games LBI
Dillon Dube – 5 games UBI Lucas Johansen 3 games
Rockets Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored: 8 @ Portland November 7/15 (8-5 W)
Most Goals Allowed: 7 @ Rd Deer (7-4 Loss) October 3/15.
Most Power Play Chances: 9 @ Blazers September 26/15
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 3 @ Portland November 6/2015 (5-4 win 3 for 3), @ Prince George October 17/15 (6-2 W)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 2 @ Oil Kings October 2/15 (5-3 w)
Most Shots Taken: 59 vs. Kootenay December 2/15 (4-1 W)
Fewest Shots Taken: 15 @ Victoria November 28/15 (5-1 loss)
Most Shot Allowed: 44 @ Blazers September 26/15
Fewest Shots Allowed: 19 vs. Kootenay December 2/15 (4-1 W).
Last shutout: Jackson Whistle 27 saves in 1-0 win in Moose Jaw (Dec 16/15), Jackson Whistle 26 saves in a 3-0 win vs. Calgary Hitmen (October 24/15)
Last time shut-out: October 16/15 (3-0 Loss in Prince George), October 9/15 (3-0 L at home to Victoria Royals – Coleman Vollrath 26 saves)
Shootout Game Winning Goals: Nick Merkley vs. Giants (2-1 W November 11/15)
OT Game Winning Goal: 0
Most Points by one player: Tyson Baillie (2+3=5) @ Prince George October 17/15
Hat tricks: Tyson Baillie @ Swift Current December 12/15 (6-3 W), Rourke Chartier
vs. BC: 10-5-0-0 vs. US: 5-0-1-0 vs. Central: 9-1-0-0 vs. East: 3-3-0-0
Roster Stats:
Player total: 24
Year by Year Breakdown:
20’s – 3 Linaker, Baillie, Whistle
19’s – 5 Chartier, Stadel, Southam, Kirkland, Herringer
18’s – 9 Johansen, Merkley, Gatenby, Soustal, Stephens, Wishnowski, Coughlin, Thurkauf, Ballhorn
17’s – 6 Dube, Danny Gatenby, Lind, Borstmayer, Chizen, Foote,
16’s – 1 Smart
Month Games Record Home Road
September: 3 2-1-0-0 1-0-0-0 1-1-0-0
October: 12 9-4-0-0 4-2-0-0 5-2-0-0
November: 11 9-1-1-0 4-0-0-0 5-1-1-0
December: 12 7-3-0-0 3-0-0-0 4-3-0-0
January: 12 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
February: 13 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
March: 9 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
How the Rockets were built:
1st Rd: Merkley, Chartier, Dube
2nd Rd: Foote, Gatenby
3rd Rd: Baillie, Stadel, Borstmayer
4th Rd: Lind
5th Rd: Kirkland
6th Rd: Linaker, Johansen
9th Rd: Chizen
Listed: Ballhorn, Coughlin, Stephens, Wishnowski, Danny Gatenby
Trade: Whistle, Herringer, Southam
CHL Import Draft: Thurkauf, Soustal
Game notes compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150
