Game Day: Rockets face off against conference leading Silvertips
Rockets vs. Tips
Wednesday, January 9th, 2019
Game Time – 7:05 pm
Game Day Preview: The Kelowna Rockets meet the Everett Silvertips for the second of four times this season. Back on November 24th, the Tips earned a 2-1 win. Connor Dewar scored the game-winner with 54 seconds left in regulation time. Kyle Topping had the lone goal, as the Rockets were outshot 42-18. James Porter was terrific and was named the second star. The Rockets make a return visit to Everett on January 18th before closing out the seasonal series February 15th at Prospera Place. The Rockets are coming off a 4-3 loss Saturday to the Kamloops Blazers. Leif Mattson, Nolan Foote and Kyle Topping scored in the setback. The game-winning goal came on a penalty shot with 1:20 remaining in regulation time. Roman Basran was solid in the one-goal loss. After tonight’s game, the Rockets are in Prince George for back-to-back games this weekend before welcoming Moose Jaw a week from tonight at Prospera Place. The Rockets are 13-8-3-1 in 25 games under head coach Adam Foote.
Who’s Hot: Lassi Thomson has 6 assists in his last 8 games…Nolan Foote has points in 8 of his last 12 games. Foote has 5+7=12 over that stretch…Leif Mattson has 9 goals in his last 15 games. The 19-year-old has registered at least one shot on goal in 38 of the teams 39 games this season. Kyle Topping has registered a point in 27 of the teams 39 games this season… The Rockets penalty killing unit is 35 for 40 in their last nine road games…The Rockets have points in 10 of their last 11 home games (8-1-2-0).
Approaching Personal Bests: Liam Kindree is one point shy of the career-high 27 points he put up last season. Kindree has 7+19=26 this season after accumulating 8+19=27 in 50 games a season ago…Nolan Foote has 20 goals this season, one more than his previous career high of 19 goals set in his rookie season.
Broadcasters Notebook: The Rockets are 4-6-0-0 in 10 games against a US Division team this season. Three of the four wins have come against Tri-City with a single victory over Seattle…The team plays 10 more games against US Division rivals with four games against Spokane, three with Everett, two with Portland and a single against Seattle.….The Rockets have played 11-one-goal games at home this season. Last year they played 15-one-goal games at Prospera Place…the team has played in 8-one-goal games on the road….The Rockets have six birthday’s in January which includes Liam Kindree (Jan 2nd), Kris Mallette (Jan 19th – turns 40), Ethan Ernst and Dalton Gally (Jan 26th), Ted Brennan (Jan 28th) and Kaedan Korczak (January 29th)…The Rockets are sending a CHL high three players to the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game next month in Red Deer. Nolan Foote, Lassi Thomson and Kaedan Korczak will attend the game of the top 40 prospects. The game will take place January 23rd…Since going 1-8-0-0 to start the season, the team is 16-10-3-1 in their last 30 games …Leif Mattson has 5-two goal games this season. Four of those five-two goal games have come on the road…The Rockets added 17-year-old forward Alex Swetlikoff to the roster. The Kelowna resident was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a 4th round bantam pick. Swetlikoff was originally drafted in the third round by the Seattle Thunderbirds.…The Rockets are 7-8-2-1 against BC Division teams this season…Five members of the Kelowna Rockets have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s November “Players to Watch’ List. Forward Nolan Foote is an ‘A’ prospect, meaning a first-round candidate. Kaedan Korczak is a ‘B’ prospect which means he is a second or third round candidate. Roman Basran/Lassi Thomson and Alex Swetlikoff are ‘C’ prospects, which means he could be taken in the third to the seventh round…Adam Foote was officially named the new head coach of the Kelowna Rockets on October 23, 2018, replacing Jason Smith.,,The Rockets are 5-9-1-0 when playing the second game of back-to-backs.
Season Highs/Lows:
Most goals scored: 8 @ Victoria October 19/18 (8-2 W)
Most goals allowed: 9 vs. Seattle October 10th, 2018 (9-6 L)
Most shots on net: 45 @ Seattle October 6th, 2018 (4-1 L).
Fewest shots on net: 13 @ Edmonton November 17, 2018 (3-1 L)
Most shots allowed: 50 @ Portland November 10, 2018 (3-0 L)
Fewest shots allowed: 16 vs. Victoria December 7, 2018 (2-0 win)
Last time shut out at home: October 3rd, 2018 vs. Vancouver (5-0 L)
Last time shut out on road: November 10, 2018 @ Portland (3-0 L)
Last shutout at home: December 7, 2018 vs. Victoria (2-0 W – Roman Basran 16 saves)
Most power play goals allowed: 4 vs. Seattle October 10th, 2018 (9-6 L). T-Birds were 4/5 on power play.
Most power play goals scored: 4 @ Victoria October 19, 2018 (8-2 W)
Overtime Games: @ Kamloops (3-2 Loss) December 28, 2018, vs. Saskatoon (5-4 Loss) December 1, 2018, @ Tri City Nov 30, 2018 (3-2 win), @ PG (4-3 Loss) November 14, 2018, vs. PG (4-3 win) October 27, 2018.
Game Notes Compiled by Regan Bartel of AM 1150
