Gameday Notes: Kelowna at Spokane

TEAM NOTES PREPARED BY REGAN BARTEL OF AM 1150

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets are in Spokane for the first time this season tonight.  Kelowna opened their season with a 4-3 victory over the Chiefs on September 21, Dillon Hamaliuk had four points including the game-winner at the buzzer in extra time. They’re coming off a 8-3 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers last night. Leif Mattson scored twice for the Rockets while Kobe Mohr, Alex Swetlikoff and Michael Farren also found the back of the net. The Rocket are 4-0-0-0 against US Division teams this season.

                                                                           TALE OF THE TAPE

 Player Move: The Rockets solidified the goaltending situation, sending 19 year-old James Porter to the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL. Porter was beat out for the backup job by 18 year-old Cole Schwebius. Porter played in 72 regular season games with the Rockets but was a healthy scratch for all 15 games this season.

 Sign here please: Dillon Hamaliuk signed an entry level contract with the San Jose Sharks October 25^th. Hamaliuk was chosen in the 2^nd round by the Sharks in June’s NHL Draft. The 19 year-old joins Nolan Foote, who was signed by Tampa Bay back on June 25^th.

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  Nolan Named Captain: Nolan Foote was named the 25^th captain in franchise history (Tacoma+Kelowna) October 18th. Foote joins brother Cal, who captained the Rockets during the 2017-2018 season. Both are first-round selections of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rockets selected Foote in the second round, 42^nd overall in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. This is Foote’s fourth and likely final season in the WHL.

Who’s Hot: Forward Pavel Novak has 10 goals in his last 14 games and has points in 10 of his last 13 games…Alex Swetlikoff has goals in back-to-back-to-back games… Nolan Foote has 8 goals in his last 11 games and has 12 multiple goal games over his career…Nolan Foote leads the team in shots on goal with 53….Ethan Ernst has 1+3=4 in his last 6 games.

 Broadcasters Notebook: Equipment Manager Chaydyn Johnson is a member of the off-ice staff for the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge in Medicine Hat and Swift Current, November 2^nd to 9^th. Johnson is behind the bench of Team Red ….Nolan Foote, Dillon Hamaliuk and Kaedan Korczak have been named to Team WHL for the upcoming Canada-Russia Series next week. Those three will compete in two games against the touring Russian Selects in games in Prince Albert and Saskatoon…Pavel Novak is a ‘C’ prospect for next June’s NHL Draft. Those rankings released by NHL Central Scouting. A ‘C’ prospect is regarded as a player selected between the 5^th and 7th round. The 2020 NHL Entry Draft will be held in Montreal….Roman Basran has started in 13 of 16 games this season.

You can listen to the game on AM 1150, watch on WHL Live or follow the Rockets Twitter for live updates.