Game notes vs. Americans

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets face a familiar opponent when they face-off against the Tri City Americans tonight. These two teams met in last season’s second round of the WHL playoffs, with the Americans winning in five games. In fact, these two teams also met in the 2009 playoffs with the Rockets winning in six games in the Western Conference semi finals. They again met in the 2004 post season, with the Rockets winning in six games. Tonight’s meeting is the first of four games between the two teams this season and first of two games in the next three nights. The Rockets are in Kennewick Friday night. Last season these two teams met four times, with the Americans winning all four games. Overall the Rockets were out-scored 20-5.

Tamed by Tri City: Outside of the post season, the Rockets have had little success against the Americans over the years. Tri City is 16-4-0-0 in the last five seasons in 20 meetings between the two teams. The lack of success is especially evident at the Toyota Center, where the Rockets have lost six straight road games. The last regular season win for the Rockets in Kennewick was February 25/2006 in a 4-3 victory. Justin Keller scored twice in the win. The game featured eight players that have now played at least one game in the NHL, including Americans goaltender Carey Price.

Opening Night Jitters: The Rockets opened the 2010-2011 regular season Saturday night with a 6-2 loss to the Prince George Cougars. Brett Bulmer and Zach Franko scored for the Rockets in a losing cause, before a crowd of 6,178. Adam Brown took the loss in goal, allowing six goals on 34 shots. Rookie Jordan Cooke made a brief appearance in relief, making five stops. The Rockets were 1 for 4 on the power play.

This and That: The Kelowna Rockets are wearing pink jerseys, pink skate laces and pink hockey tape on their sticks tonight in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Fans are also asked to wear pink to the game and place bids on the jerseys the players are wearing which will be auctioned off after the game. All the proceeds will go towards the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation….The Rockets lost to the Americans in five games in last season’s second round playoff series. Three of the five games were decided by a single goal. The Rockets only win of the series was in game two in Kennewick in a 3-2 victory. Tri City wrapped up the series with a 4-3 win in overtime in game five. The Rockets had a 3-1 lead with just over 8 minutes left in the third period before the Americans stormed back to win it. Kruise Reddick scored the game winner in extra time….Defenceman Kevin Smith earned his first career point in a Rockets uniform with an assist on Brett Bulmer’s power play goal in the first period Saturday night…..Zach Franko earned his first career goal in Saturday’s loss. Franko scored 24 goals with the Winnipeg South Blues (MJHL) last season….. The Rockets franchise is playing its 1370^th regular season game tonight. The team has 697 regular season wins….The Rockets return six of their top seven point getters from last season. They include Tyson Barrie, Shane McColgan, Mitchell Callahan, Brett Bulmer, Geordie Wudrick and Cody Chikie….The Rockets were 35-31-0-6 last season and beat the Everett Silvertips in seven games in the opening round…Rockets head coach Ryan Huska is a member of the coaching staff for this years entry at the World Junior Hockey Championships. Defenseman Tyson Barrie attended Team Canada’s summer camp…Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton in July…Ryan Huska is coaching in his 218^th career game tonight. Huska has 120 victories as a head coach with the hockey club…The Rockets were 5 and 1 during the pre-season with two wins over Vancouver and Chilliwack before splitting a pair of games with Kamloops. Jason Seibert, Max Adolph, Zach Franko and Colton Sissons tied for the goal scoring lead with three each…The Rockets re-assigned 16 year-old forward Colton Heffley to the Swift Current Midget Legionarries on Monday….Rookie defenceman Damon Severson is the youngest player on the Rockets roster this season. Severson turned 16 on August 7^th. D-man Brendon Wall is the oldest, having turned 20 on February 26^th. ..Last season the Rockets didn’t win their first game of the season until beating Kamloops 5-0 in game number four. Up to that point, the Rockets were 0-2-1-0.

Who’s Back: The Rockets are led by last seasons MVP Tyson Barrie. Barrie, the league’s top defenseman, was also the teams leading scorer last season. Barrie is joined by veteran 20 year-old forward Geordie Wudrick and Evan Bloodoff. Adam Brown, now 19, is the starting goaltender. Brown was the #1 goaltender at the start of last season while overager Mark Guggenberger was recovering from a sports hernia. Western Conference rookie of the year nominee Shane McColgan also returns this season.