Game Day: Saturday Night Hockey as Rockets Host Hitmen
February 6, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
Tonight's Preview: The Kelowna Rockets play game three of a four game home stand tonight when they welcome the Calgary Hitmen. This is the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams. The Rockets were a 3-0 winner back on October 24th. The Rockets have had a tough time over the years in beating the Hitmen. In the last 10 meetings between the two teams, the Rockets are 3-7-0-0 including just 1-4-0-0 at Prospera Place dating back five seasons. The Rockets are coming off a 6-3 home ice loss last night to the Spokane Chiefs. The Chiefs had a 3-0 lead after one period and a 6-0 lead after 40 minutes. Calvin Thurkauf, Lucas Johansen and Jonathan Smart, with his first career WHL goal, scored in the final period to make it respectable. Michael Herringer was pulled after giving up four goals on 20 shots and was replaced by rookie Brodan Salmond. Salmond allowed two goals in a relief appearance. The Chiefs were 2 for 3 on the power play. The Rockets were 0 for 2. In the big picture, the Rockets have won 31 of their last 44 games overall and are 20-4-2-0 on home ice and 15-10-1-0 on the road. The Rockets have points in 29 of 38 games (26-9-3-0). The team has won 16 of its last 26 games. The team hosts Seattle Monday afternoon (2 pm) before traveling to Seattle to face the T-Birds on Tuesday.
Number Crunching: The Rockets are 18-2-1-0 when Tyson Baillie scores. The only regulation losses when the 20 year-old finds the back of the net were against Red Deer and Saskatoon.....The Rockets are attempting to become the first team to reach the 50 win plateau in four straight seasons. For that to happen, the team must win 15 of their final 20 games or they can suffer only 5 more regular losses in order to hit the 50 win mark...Did you know rookie Kole Lind has not earned a power play point this season?...Did you know that Devante Stephens and rookie Gordie Ballhorn are the only two Rockets to play in all 52 games this season? The last rookie to play in all 72 games was Zach Franko in 2010-2011....The Rockets have only trailed heading into the third period 14 times this season. They are 2-12-0-0 in those games.... Michael Herringer is making his 15th straight start tonight...Torrie Jung started 19 straight games in 2006-2007...Kevin Swanson started 38 straight games in 1999-2000...The Rockets have scored the first goal in 30 of 52 games this season. When they accomplish that goal, they are an impressive 24-3-3-0...The Rockets have 20 games left in the regular season. Of those 20 games, 10 will be played on home ice. Of those 20 games, 12 are against BC Division rivals...The Rockets have been out-shot in 34 of 52 games this season...The Rockets are the only team in the WHL without a 20 or 19 year-old defenceman and only one of four teams without an average defenceman.
This and That: The Rockets lost 8 games in regulation time at Prospera Place last season...The Rockets have failed to score a power play goal in four games....The Rockets added 17 year-old goaltender Brody Salmond for the remainder of the season. Salmond was the Rockets 10th round bantam pick in the 2010 WHL draft and was playing this season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Camrose Kodiaks. Salmond is the son of Hockey Canada's Scott Salmond. Scott Salmond had a brief stint with the Kelowna Spartans in 1990-91...The Rockets are rated this week as the 6th best team in the CHL Top 10 rankings. Last week they were also rated 7th ...Four of the team's next 7 games are on home ice. The only road games over that stretch are in Seattle next Tuesday, in Prince George for back-to-back games February 12th and 13th and in Vancouver on February 20th...The Rockets play 13 games in 25 nights in the month of February...Only one birthday to celebrate in February. Tomas Soustal turns 19 on February 15th... The Kelowna Rockets named 19 year-old Rodney Southam as the franchises 22nd captain on January 25th. Southam was acquired in November, 2014 from the Tri City Americans for a 5th round bantam draft pick.
Who's Hot: Calvin Thurkauf has points in 10 of his last 14 games. The rookie has 5+10 over that period...Rourke Chartier has points in 11 of his last 16 games. Over that period, the 19 year-old has 9+9...Chartier has 96 career goals and 95 career assists...Dillon Dube has 20 goals this season which is a career high....Dube has 6+7 in his last 16 games... Nick Merkley has 6+13 in his last 14 games...Tyson Baillie has 5+4=9 in his last 11 games....Tyson Baillie has points in 31 of his last 40 games and has been held off the score-sheet 13 times this season...Justin Kirkland has points in 6 of his last 11 games. Kirkland has 7+5 over that period.
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Western Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2016
- Hitmen lose to Rockets - Calgary Hitmen
- Tips Take Down T-Birds - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Kelowna wins in Shootout - Kelowna Rockets
- Blazers Lose 4-0 At Home - Kamloops Blazers
- Wheat Kings Slam Tigers - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Rockets Come Back and Beat Calgary 3-2 in a Shootout - Kelowna Rockets
- Winterhawks Fall 3-1 to Victoria Saturday - Portland Winterhawks
- Goals Still A Struggle Against Broncos - Saskatoon Blades
- Spacek with the Winner; Rebels Edge Moose Jaw 4-3 in OT - Red Deer Rebels
- Regina wins over Cougars - Regina Pats
- Oil Kings Blank Blazers 4-0 - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Fans Elect Barnes, Whitney, Tucker, Keith, Ronning as Five of Top 50 WHL Players of All-Time - WHL
- Game Day: Saturday Night Hockey as Rockets Host Hitmen - Kelowna Rockets
- Game Notes: Broncos Battle Blades - Swift Current Broncos
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Saturday, February 6 at Kelowna - Calgary Hitmen
- Late Push Falls Short in 4-3 Loss - Kamloops Blazers
- Wheat Kings Bounce Cougars - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Game 54: February 6 vs. Brandon - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Everett wins over Blazers - Everett Silvertips
- Royals Clip Americans in Shootout - Victoria Royals
- Hitmen Edge Giants in OT - Vancouver Giants
- Americans Fall to Royals in Shootout - Tri-City Americans
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