GAME DAY: Rockets kick off 5 game trip in Lethbridge
Rockets @ Hurricanes
Wednesday December 10, 2014
Game Time ‑ 7:00 pm
Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets open a five game Alberta road trip tonight against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Rockets are playing five games in eight nights’ which includes stops in Medicine Hat (Friday), Calgary (Sunday), Edmonton (December 16th) and Red Deer (December 17th). The team only plays back-to-back games once on this road trip with games in Edmonton and then a night later against the Rebels. The Rockets and Hurricanes are meeting for the second time this season. In the last visit to Lethbridge, January 10, 2014, Nick Merkley and Damon Severson each had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win. Jackson Whistle made 33 saves. The Rockets have won 5 straight games against the Hurricanes. The team is 9-1-1 in its last 11 meetings against the Hurricanes dating back to the start of the 2009-2010 campaign. The only regulation loss over that period was February 24/2012 in a 6-2 setback. Cody Chikie Tyson Baillie scored goals in the loss. The Rockets are coming off a 1-0 win over the Prince Albert Raiders Saturday night. Dillon Dube scored the game winning goal. Jackson Whistle made 27 saves for his 4th shutout of the season and 7th of his career. Overall, the Rockets have a record of 4-3-2-0 in their last nine games. The Rockets return home after the Christmas break to host the Kamloops Blazers on December 27th.
Shutout Leaders: Jackson Whistle earned his 7th career shutout Saturday against Prince Albert. Here are the franchise shutout leaders:
1) Kelly Guard: 19
2) Derek Yeomans/Adam Brown: 11 each
3) Kristofer Westblom: 10
4) Jordon Cooke: 9
5) Jackson Whistle: 7
First to 30: Rourke Chartier became the first Kelowna Rockets player to reach 30 goals in under 30 games. Chartier has 31 goals in 28 games after scoring twice on Wednesday. That breaks the old mark of the quickest player to 30 goals, set by Brett McLean, who scored 30 goals in 30 games in the 1997-98 season. Here are other Rockets players to reach 30 goals in a short period of time.
1) Rourke Chartier: 30 goals in 28 games (2014-2015).
2) Brett McLean: 30 goals in 30 games (1997-98).
3) Jamie Benn: 30 goals in 36 games (2008-2009).
4) Jason Deleurme: 30 goals in 36 games (1997-98).
5) Chuck Kobasew: 30 goals in 39 games (2001-2002).
The Saskatoon Sniper: Rourke Chartier had 18+10=28 in the month of November. In 14 games, Chartier scored a goal in 12 of them. The 18 year-old had points in 13 of those 14 games. Chartier had 9 multiple point games in the month. Chartier had 6-3 point games and three-two point games. By comparison, last seasons’ WHL scoring champion Mitch Holmberg had 12+14=26 in November. The only player to record more points over the last five seasons in the month of November is Portland’s Brendan Leipsic. Leipsic had 9+21=30 in November 2012.
Walking wounded:
Tanner Wishnowski: missed 31 games Mitch Wheaton: missed 27 games
Dillon Dube: missed 25 games Dalton Yorke: missed 14 games
Austin Glover: missed 13 games Joe Gatenby: missed 7 games
Justin Kirkland: missed 6 games Jake Morrissey: missed 6 games.
Jesse Lees: missed 3 games Cole Martin: missed 1 game
Total # of games = 134 man games lost to injury. (Unofficial)
World Junior Bound: Congratulations Madison Bowey and Rourke Chartier for being two of 29 players named to Team Canada’s training camp roster for the WJHC. Kelowna Rockets forward Kris Schmidli will participate in the upcoming World Junior’s with Switzerland. Rockets majority owner Bruce Hamilton is a member of Team Canada’s management team.
Bowey on the Blueline: Madison Bowey is 6th all time in Kelowna Rockets d-scoring with 145 career points. Bowey has 49 career goals and 96 career assists = 145 points. Here are the franchise leaders:
1)Tyson Barrie: 228 4)Josh Gorges:152
2)Burt Henderson:186 5) Mike Card:147
3)Damon Severson:167 6) Madison Bowey:145
This and That: Nick Merkley will play in his 100th career game Friday in Medicine Hat…The Rockets have had 12 players play for Canada at World Junior Hockey Championship. Tyler Myers, Luke Schenn (twice), Tyson Barrie, Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Brandon McMillan, Blake Comeau, Chuck Kobasew, Brett McLean, Jamie Benn and Robb Gordon.…Rourke Chartier was named the WHL Player of the month for November…Nick Merkley is rated 22nd by the International Scouting Service for this June’s NHL draft….The Rockets have been held to three goals or less only 8 times this season. (cont)
This and That (cont): Nick Merkley has 16 multiple point games….Rourke Chartier and Nick Merkley have been held off the score-sheet five times this season…In case you are wondering, the Rockets have not been shut-out in 107 consecutive games. The last time the Rockets were held without a goal was March 3, 2013 in a 3-0 loss in Kamloops.
Who’s Hot: Jesse Lees has points in 9 of his last 12 games. Lees has 4+10=14 over that period…Tyson Baillie has six goals in his last 11 games and has points in 9 of his last 14…Over that period, the 19 year-old has (8+7=15)…Rourke Chartier has eight more goals (32) than he had all of last season. Chartier has goals in 16 of his last 19 games….Nick Merkley has 6+19=25 in his last 16 games…Madison Bowey has 93 points in his last 100 regular season games.
Player Movement: The Rockets traded 20 year-old Colton Heffley to the PA Raiders last Tuesday for a 4th round bantam pick. Eighteen year-old Rodney Southam was picked up from the Tri City Americans November 4/20014 for a 5th round bantam pick. Carter Rigby was traded to Swift Current October 10th for a third round bantam pick. Rigby was originally acquired from the Prince George Cougars in September, 2011 for a third round bantam selection.
