Gameday Notes: Prince George at Kelowna

TEAM NOTES PREPARED BY REGAN BARTEL OF AM 1150

• Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets open the month of November with a home date with the visiting Prince George Cougars. The Rockets play 11 games during the month, with seven of those at home. The only four road games are in Spokane (November 9^th), Kamloops (November 11^th), Seattle (November 22^nd) before travelling to Tri-City (November 23^rd). Tonight’s game is the start of three consecutive at Prospera Place, which includes a home date with visiting Victoria Wednesday and Medicine Hat next Saturday. This is the fourth meeting of the season between the Rockets and Cougars. The Rockets are 2-1-0-0, with all three games in Prince George. The Rockets have won by scores of 2-1 and 4-2 before losing 4-1. Nolan Foote has 2+2=4 in three games against the Cougars while Pavel Novak has 2+1=3 in the three games. Roman Basran has played in all three games, posting a goals-against-average 1.68 and a save percentage .946….Liam Kindree and Carson Sass lead the team with +6 ratings.

                                                                                         Tale of The Tape

  Prince George Cougars (4-9-0-1 – 9 points) 4th in B.C. Division | 5th in Western Conference Power Play: 9/60 – 15.0% (18th in WHL) Penalty Kill: 42/53 – 79.3% (13th in WHL) Last Ten: 4-6-0-0 Streak: 1-0-0-0

  Kelowna Rockets (8-4-1-1 – 18 points) T1st in B.C. Division | T1st in Western Conference Power Play: 15/64 – 23.4% (4th in WHL) Penalty Kill: 47/59 – 79.7% (11th in WHL) Last Ten: 6-3-0-1 Streak: 2-0-0-1

• 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 too. 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 6+9=15 in 14 games. Novak has six goals in his last 11 games and has points in seven of his last ten games…Kaedan Korczak has 0+5=5 in his last five games and has points in four of his last five….Liam Kindree has 2+3=5 in his last seven games…Kyle Topping has points in 8 of the 14 games he has played this season…Nolan Foote has 7 goals in his last eight games and has 12 multiple-goal games over his career…Nolan Foote leads the team in shots on goal with 44…Roman Basran has an impressive stat line with a goals-against-average of 2.66 and a save percentage of .912.

• Broadcasters Notebook: Sixteen-year-old rookie Elias Carmichael earned his first career points, two assists Tuesday night in a 4-3 shootout loss in Victoria….….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 later this month. 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…The Rockets are 8-4-1-1 after 14 games this season. The team was 4-10-0-0 after 14 games last season ….Kyle Topping played in his 200^th career WHL game October 4^th in Prince George….Roman Basran has started in 11 of 14 games this season…The Rockets are 3-4-1-1 in 9 attempts against BC Division teams this season, with two wins over Prince George and a victory over the Victoria Royals.

Tickets are on sale at selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050.