 |
| www.shootthebreeze.ca |
Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets
close out a three game in three night weekend and will play their 4th
game in 5 nights against the Spokane Chiefs. This is the 4th and
final meeting of the season between these two teams, with the Chiefs winning in
overtime on all three occasions. The scores in the seasonal series have been
5-4, 3-2 and 2-1. The Rockets lost in Spokane (December 2nd) by a
2-1 score. In the big picture, the Rockets are 4-1-2-0 in their last 6 visits
to the Spokane Arena. The Rockets are coming off a 5-3 loss last night in
Seattle. The loss snapped a three game winning streak. The team has 9 wins
in the last 12 games (9-2-1-0) while earning a point in 7 of their last 8 games
(6-1-1-0). Following tonight’s game, the Rockets host Prince George Wednesday
night. The Rockets have scored 47 goals in their last 8 games (5.9 goals per
game).
Lind among franchise
leaders: Kole
Lind has the 3rd most points by a 17 year-old in Kelowna Rockets
franchise history. Lind has 77 points, which is two shy of Brett McLean (79)
and 12 shy of matching the 90 points that franchise leader Nick Merkley put up
in his 17 year-old season in 2014-2015.
European Influence: Calvin Thurkauf has
57 points this season, the 5th most from a European born player in
one season wearing Kelowna Rockets colours. The franchise leader is Tomas
Slovak (86 in 2002-2003), followed by Vaclav Varada (85 in 1995-96). The third
most points in one season put up by a European born player in one season is Jan
Fadrny (77 in 2000-2001). Tomas Oravec (65 in 2000-2001) rounds out the top
four.
Better with age: Kole Lind has
28+48=77 so far this season. That is 35 points more than the 41 he put up this
season….Devante Stephens has 10+18=28 this season. That is 17 more points than in
a disappointing sophomore campaign. Stephens is a career +55. Only Nick Merkley
has a better career +/- with a +80 rating.
That’s a fact Jack: The Rockets have
played 33rd road this season, with three more stops in Spokane,
Everett and Vancouver…The Rockets
are trying to win 20+ road games for the 5th straight season. The
last time they failed to hit 20 wins was in 2011-2012 when they won 15 games
away from Prospera Place…Carsen
Twarynski earned his 100th career point Friday with 1+2=3 in a 8-2
victory in Kamloops….Calvin Thurkauf
earned his 100th career point Wednesday night with an assist …The Rockets have lost their last 4
overtime games…Brodan Salmond was
named the WHL and CHL Goaltender of the Week ending February 12th
after back-to-back shutouts against the Vancouver Giants … The 56 shots the
Rockets put up against the Vancouver Giants February 10th were a
season high….The 15 shots the team surrendered February 22nd against the
Edmonton Oil Kings was a season low….Reid Gardiner has 21 points (9+12=21) in
18 games as a member of the Kelowna Rockets.…The Rockets have generated 30 or
more shots in 22 of their last 23 games…The Rockets have surrendered 5 or more
goals 13 times this season. The teams’ record, not surprisingly, is 0-11-2-0.
Hot as a pistol: Calvin Thurkauf has
points in 17 of his last 20 games. Thurkauf has 13+13=26 over that stretch.
Kole Lind has points in 12 of his last 16 with 8+16=24 over that period. Nick
Merkley has points in 11 of his last 14 games with 10+13=23 over that span. Cal
Foote has points in 10 of his last 15 games with 1+10=11. Reid Gardiner has points
in 12 of his last 13 games with 7+9=16 over that stretch.
Broadcasters Bits: Kole Lind was the
WHL Player of the Week ending February 9th. Lind had 3+5=8 in three
games to earn the honour…In the Rockets last 12 losses (regulation or overtime
loss) the opposition has opened the scoring…The Rockets are 12-6-2-0 since the
trade deadline….The Rockets have scored 12 shorthanded goals this season, two
more than all of last season … …Calvin Thurkauf was named the WHL Player of the
Week December 7th to 11th …The Rockets were 8-3-2-0 in
December...The Rockets were 6-4-0-0 in 10 games in November after going 8-4-0-0
in 12 games in October…The Rockets are the only team in the WHL that has failed
to surrender a shorthanded goal against this season…The Rockets are 15-12-0-0
against BC based teams this season…Michael
Herringer has started in 40 of the last 52 games…The Rockets are 9-3-3-0
against U.S Division teams this season.
Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150
No comments:
Post a Comment