Schedule vs Record

The old argument of schedule vs record, has recently been brought up regarding the Kelowna Rockets incredible 30-3-0-2.  Some WHL fans will have you believe that the Kelowna Rockets record is a direct reflection of their first half schedule.

The Rockets first half schedule, some say, has been very light, and to an extent, I can agree.  Don't get me wrong, I do not agree that the record is because of playing weaker teams, what I do agree about is that the first two months of the season, the Rockets were a good 5 games played, behind the next least games played team.  You may look at that and say "Hey, look, they only played one game a week for 4 weeks" but you can ask any player on any team, that if you go that long without game action, it is not good for you.  You are unable to build momentum, you're unable to get a good flow going, streaks seem less streaky, and it's just bad all around, so for the Rockets to be able to do what they have, with the schedule they have gotten, is phenominal.  Let's break down the Kelowna Rockets first half Schedule shall we?

TEAM	Record	Win %	Pts	Times Played
Portland	25-8-2-2	0.73	54	2
Calgary	24-8-2-3	0.716	53	1
Victoria	25-13-0-2	0.65	52	4
Everett	23-11-4-0	0.658	50	2
Seattle	22-10-2-2	0.662	49	2
Swift Current	21-13-1-5	0.6	48	1
Edmonton	23-12-0-1	0.653	47	1	23	66%
Medicine Hat	22-12-3-0	0.635	47	1
Spokane	22-13-0-2	0.622	46	1
Vancouver	19-14-5-2	0.562	45	2
Brandon	20-15-3-0	0.566	43	1
Regina	19-16-2-2	0.538	42	1
Prince Albert	20-16-2-0	0.553	42	1
Kootenay	19-18-2-1	0.512	41	1
Red Deer Tri City	19-17-0-2   17-17-2-2	0.526 0.5	40 38	1 1

Prince George	14-21-2-3	0.412	33	4
Moose Jaw	11-22-3-3	0.359	28	1
Saskatoon	10-27-1-2	0.287	23	1	12	34%
Kamloops	9-25-2-2	0.289	22	5
Lethbridge	7-28-2-3	0.237	19	1

As you can see, 66% of the Kelowna Rockets schedule thus far has been against teams with a .500 record or better, and 43% has been against .600 or better teams, but what others will look at is that 34% of the schedule has been against sub .500 teams, however, what the naysayers don't look at is that against these very sub .500 teams, the Rockets have outscored their opponent 58GF to 24GA.

Now if this Kelowna Rockets team was just gutting out wins against these sub teams, I would agree, they might not be as good as their record indicates, however, the Rockets are dominating these weaker teams by a +34 Goal differential.

The thing that seperates this Kelowna Rockets team from all the others in the league is simply this; Determination and Character.  The amount of times this team has been down by a goal or two with less than 5 minutes remaining in a game just to come around and win the game in the last minute is astounding.  I've seen teams tie a game in the last minute before, and win a game in overtime to boot, but I have rarely, if ever, in my lifetime, seen a team come from a 2 goal deficit with 38 seconds to go in the game, tie it and THEN win in Overtime as the Rockets did in Brandon before the Christmas break.

This team is one of character, depth and tenacity, and that is what sets them apart.  The Rockets have done what they have with only 1 player in the top 40 of league scoring!  To compare, Portland has 5 in that same top 40.

Now this is fun!

Last night the Kelowna Rockets returned back from their Christmas Break, and the effects of the Christmas turkey tryptophan were non-apparent in a 7-1 drubbing of the tryptophan laden Kamloops Blazers.  I have never seen a Rockets roster execute passes the way this one did last night.  The passing was precise the speed was blazing (no pun intended) and the confidence of the players was extremely apparent.

It was the first game in Prospers place for the Rockets since December 7th, a 20 day span, and you could tell Kelowna was giddy with excitement to see this team play live again.  Last night's game marked the first time since March 9th of last years regular season against the very same Kamloops Blazers since the Rockets played in front of a Sellout Crowd, and only the second sellout since the Kelowna Rockets and the goliath Portland Winterhawks clashed at Prospera Place last February.

To me, it's insane that this club isn't bringing in a full house every single night with a 30-3-0-2 record.  I guarentee you that if any other club in the WHL posts that kind of record, the arena is packed, and the loudest in the league.  Sadly, that is not the case with the Rockets.  The arena is rarely sold out, and some sort of hush has engulfed the arena like none other I have ever seen in sports.  This Kelowna Rockets team has without a doubt the best record not only the club itself has ever seen at this point, but a record, at this point of the season, a WHL team has ever seen it it's history.  You will not be able to show me a team that at the 35 game mark has had a record at or better than 30-3-0-2 at the 35 game mark of the season.  In comparison, the Powerhouse Portland Winterhawks from last year, who finished the season at 57-12-1-2, had a record of 29-5-1-0 last year, that is 59 points, compared to Kelowna's 60 at the same point of the schedule, and the Winterhawks were drawing record crowds.

The point I am trying to make with this blog post is that the city of Kelowna needs to get excited about this team before the season is over and this amazing thing they have going is nowhere to be seen but the record books, because they are breaking records at this clip, if not league ones, then the club ones they have already broken.  Last year, the Rockets amazing 23 game winning streak was stopped by the Portland Winterhawks.  Mark my words, the 'Hawks will not be stopping this hurtleing Rocket this time around, they will only act as a sound barrier as this Rocket breaks it multiple times in the upcoming week.

Damon Severson cut by Team Canada

Team Canada is one of the most difficult teams to crack on any given day, but when the selection is made, and your name is in the mix with a maximum of 3 cuts to be made, you feel pretty good about your chances going forward.  That is, how I'm sure, Damon Severson felt going into the Team Canada camp for this years World Junior Championships.  The defensemen on this edition of Team Canada is quite star studded with the likes of Matthew Dumba, Derek Pouliot and Griffen Reinhart, so for Damon Severson to have been able to make this team, would have taken something extraordinary.  Sadly, the extraordinary did not happen, as Severson had no points in a 4-2 win in Canada's Pre-competition game against Finland.  I personally think Damon Severson is a far superior choice for the team instead of Chris Bigras of the Owen Sound Attack.

All you have to do is look at the numbers.  Damon Severson, in 27 games, has 9-19 for 28 Points, compared to Bigras who is 3-8 for 11 Points in 29 games.  Perhaps Bigras is there for his defensive game, however that theory is crushed by his +/- of -4 in those 29 games, compared to Severson's, +17.

We will never fully understand the choice to cut Damon Severson over Chris Bigras for this tournament, and I suppose we never will.

Greatest start in Rockets History

The 2012/2013 edition of the Kelowna Rockets went into the record books on many occasions last year.  The two most noteworthy records made were the recording of a franchise high 52 victories, and being only the second club in Western Hockey League history to come back from a 0-3 deficit in a playoff series when they streaked back to defeat the Seattle Thunderbirds with 4 straight wins and the series in 7.

It seems, that the 2013/14 Rockets weren't done yet.  The Rockets started exactly where they left off; Winning.  The club, and the WHL as a whole, are currently on their Christmas break, and the Rockets are leading them all, with a league best, and franchise best season start record of 28-3-0-2, good for 58 points and a winning percentage of .879, which is tops in the entire Canadian Hockey League.  With a quick glance at the standings in the Ontario League and the Quebec League, you'll find the Eerie Otters with 59 points, and a win percentage of .843 (Eerie has played 2 more games than the Rockets) and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada league the Q with 53 points and a win Percentage of .757.

So the argument can be made, are the Kelowna Rockets the class of the CHL this year.  Some may say yes, some may say no, but here is my take on it.  It's extremely difficult to compare any two teams between leagues, because certain leagues are better known for different aspects of the game.  For example, the QMJHL is known for their very fast and offensive style of game, and is known for their production of highly offensive forwards and goaltenders.  The Ontario Hockey League doesn't have to contend with the travel that either the QMJHL or WHL have to, so less of a "bus legs" effect on long road trips, and the WHL is known for their superior defencemen.  So my answer to are the Kelowna Rockets the class of the CHL this year, is a resounding "I Don't Know".

When you see a first half record of 28-3-0-2 it's easy to puff your chest up and rejoice to the world at how great and unstoppable your favorite team is, but you have to take into account that the Rockets have been extremely lucky on the injury front, knock on wood, and this amazing season can deteriorate at the drop of a hat with injuries etc.  

My words of advice to the Rockets faithful, be happy for your team, be excited for the team and the rest of the season, but stay level headed and modest.

Kelowna Rockets ranked #2 in the BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings.

A lot of people tell you that the BMO CHL Top 10 rankings are a complete joke, and misleading to what is really happening around the league, and for the most part, I agree.  The standings don't take into account travel, roster depletion, or schedule, it is solely, for the most part, based off season records.

This week, the Kelowna Rockets jumped from #3 spot in the CHL to #2.  This can be seen as fantastic and rubbish at the same time.  It's amazing that the club moved up a spot, but lame that it wasn't to #1 after sweeping an eastern division trip that saw the team play 6 games in 8 nights.  It's difficult to win all 6 games of an eastern road trip by itself, but with only 2 rest days and over 3000 kilometers traveled on the Iron Lung, is almost completely unheard of.

So yes, I am happy the Rockets moved up a spot in the Top 10, but am head over heels ecstatic about it, shouting from the hills that the club is Memorial Cup bound?  Not even a little bit.

Welcome to Hashtag Rockets

I've never written a blog before.  This is a brand new adventure for me, and I am hoping you will take the time to read my blog, and take my opinions as just that, opinions.  I have been a season ticket holder of the Kelowna Rockets for over a decade now, and even to this day, every game day, I still get that giddy excitement that I did as a child.  There are some amazing organizations in the Western Hockey League, but the Kelowna Rockets are bar none, near the top in regards to class and product.

My love for the game of hockey and the Kelowna Rockets began in 1997, when the Kelowna Rockets were still fairly new to the Kelowna sporting scene.  Having moved from Tacoma in 1995, the Rockets played in a very small arena that sat just over 2600 people.  My first Kelowna Rockets game was when I was 11 years old, the Kelowna Rockets were playing the Kamloops Blazers in the final game of the season, and I remember this game vividly.  The puck dropped to start the game and within the first minute, Rory McDade, a product of New Westminster, was carrying the puck across the center red line with his head down and Kamloops Micki DuPont sent McDade flying head over heels nearly 4 feet off the ice surface and I turn to my father and say to him, "He went flying!  That must be why they are called the Rockets!" I said emphatically.  The Kelowna Rockets went on to lose that game against the Blazers, and I knew instantly that I loved this game, because I was practically in tears because they lost.  Kelowna that year would go on to play the Spokane Chiefs in the first round, which I convinced my father to take me to game 6 of.  The Rockets were shut out that game, and again, I left the arena devistated.

It was another 5 years of going to random games here and there until I made a deal with my parents in high school.  I was never really all that great at mathematics in school, so my parents gave me an incentive to study hard and do well.  If I improved my math grades, I would get Season Tickets for the next Kelowna Rockets season.  I went from a C student in math to an A that year.

My first Kelowna Rockets game in Skyreach Place (Now Prospera Place) was exhilerating.  The Kelowna Rockets vs Prince George Cougars.  This game had everything, from goals, to scraps, and OVERTIME!  My first game as a season ticket holder and I get to see my first live OVERTIME?!  Man am I ever going to enjoy this season!  The Rockets ended up winning the game 4-3 on a Joe Suderman goal with assists to Seth Leonard and Tyler Mosienko.  

The magic of my first season as a Seasons Ticket Holder didn't stop there.  I watched so many fantastic players come through Skyreach Place, such as Jay Bouwmeester with Medicine Hat, Brent Seabrook with Lethbridge, Dion Phaneuf with Red Deer and Ryan Getzlaf of Calgary, to name just a few of the talented individuals in the WHL that year.  

The best part of this season though, was the fact that in my first year of holding season tickets, was the first year that the Kelowna Rockets, in the history of the club, made it past the first round of the playoffs, sweeping the Kamloops Blazers in the first round and dispatching the Spokane Chiefs in 6 games, to meet the Kootenay Ice in round three.  It was the most amazing experience of my life to see how electric the arena was in a 3rd round matchup, however, the Kootenay Ice were simply far too superior, and squandered the Rockets chances at going any further in 5 games.  Thus began my addiction to the Kelowna Rockets and the WHL.