Saturday, February 22, 2014

First to 100

Photo by Marissa Baecker - Shoot the Breeze Photography 
  • For the first time in franchise history the Kelowna Rockets were able to amass 100 or more points in back-to-back seasons. Ryan Olsen scored the game winner and  Jackson Whistle made 35 saves in a 4-2 win Friday night in Prince George. The win, the Rockets 48th of the season, also earned them 100 points in the standings. The team accumulated 108 points last season.
  • Jackson Whistle doesn't get a star in the building, but for me he was the best player on the visitors side. The 18 year-old made two massive saves on Todd Fiddler and Klarc Wilson in the first period to keep the game scoreless. Whistle then made a huge save on Cougars forward Zach Pochiro in the third period by getting a piece of the puck at the last second and deflecting it wide. After that save was made, Marek Tvrdon would go down and score giving the Rockets a 4-2 lead. Had Pochiro scored, the game would have been tied at three goals apiece.
  • Ryan Olsen found the back of the net for his 27th goal of the season. Snake bitten as of late, Olsen has been in good scoring areas but hasn't had the ability to finish. Last night he out waited Cougars goaltender Adam Beukeboom before going high over his glove hand side.
  • This was a fairly sloppy game to be honest with you. The Rockets played just good enough to win. I thought they gave up way to many quality chances in the game where Whistle had to come up large. I didn't think many forwards had much jump in the game either. Tyrell Goulbourne was the one skater that actually had consistent urgency in his game. I could count just one good hit the Rockets had all night and it came from their leading scorer Myles Bell.
  • Damon Severson earned his 52nd point of the season which matches his career high of 52 points set last season. Riding a personal high 9 game point streak, Severson  also snapped a 9 game goal scoring drought with his 13th of the year.
  • The Rockets set a new franchise record last night with their 25th road win of the season. The previous record for road wins was 24 set back in 2003-2004. With six road games left the team can still break the WHL record for road wins but that means winning five of their last six to break the current mark of 29 set by the Portland Winterhawks last season.   
  • Justin Kirkland snapped a seven game goal scoring drought with his 13th of the season. It will be regarded as his ugliest goal considering his sharp angle shot was stopped by Beukeboom before it went off the skate of Cougars d-man Marc McNulty and into the net.        

2 comments:

g.k said...

Watch it Rockets the Hawks are hot & closing in !! Regan do you think the boys are feeling a bit of pressure with Portland unstoppable lately??

Regan Bartel said...

I don't think they are feeling the pressure. The Rockets are playing solid hockey right now. The Hawks are playing unreal. The Rockets are still in the drivers seat here. Rather be there then the other way around.