The Kelowna Rockets finished with a 53-13-5-1 record and second overall to the Brandon Wheat Kings, who finished with two more points. Both squads had the same 53 wins, but Brandon gained two more points for overtime and shootout losses.
Last year the Rockets finished with a club record 57-11-0-4 season, tying the WHL record for wins on the road and winning the 2014 Scotty Munro Trophy as the WHL regular season champions. The worry early on was where the goal scoring would come and goaltending was a question mark with names like Damon Severson, Myles Bell and Jordan Cooke moving on. A new head coach at the helm with Ryan Huska moving to the pros added more reason to doubt a repeat of the 2013 - 2014 season.
The Rockets started the new season off on a tear with ten straight wins right out of the gate. They were ranked in the #2 spot for CHL teams for most of the year. Two players, Madison Bowey and the newly acquired Josh Morrissey won gold at the World Junior Championships along with Bruce Hamilton who was part of the management team of Team Canada.
We take you on a photo journey of the season on the eve of the new season or to some the Season that Matters. You can click on the navigation below to get the 72 game recap, follow links to each story or expand to full screen.
By KelownaNow
Two more banners to the roof and a victory to kick off the season https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/sports/news/Sports/14/09/20/Jackson_Whistle_Backstops_Rockets_to_Dominating_6_1_Win_Over_Blazers
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Colton Heffley, Tyson Baillie & Justin Kirkland each with a pair in 7-2 win.
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Madison Bowey back from NHL camp played his first game against the PG Cougars. He was named first star in the 8-2.win making it 3-0-0-0 for the Rockets.
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The two roommates teamed up for a total of 3 goals & 5 assists in 7-5 win. Bowey had career high 5 points in the game.
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The Rockets won their 5th game in a row but lost Mitch Wheaton for the season due injury.
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Chartier & Merkly team up to defeat Seattle 6-4. Merkley had 4 assists in the game.
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Rigby scored twice & added one assist in 4-0 win over Swift Current. He was traded to the Broncos right after. Whistle got his first shutout of the season.
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Last minute heroics by Bowey, Kirkland and Baillie keep Rockets record spotless in 7th win in a row.
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Jake Morrissey starting in his second WHL game was the named the game's first star for his stellar performance, a 3-2 win over the Chiefs.
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In their debut they put put up 8 points in the 6-4 win over Kamloops and improving their record to a still spotless 9-0-0-0.
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The franchise record for the Kelowna Rockets is now set at 10 wins after the Tri-City Americans handed the Kelowna Rockets their first defeat of the year.
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The rematch with the Americans was a 4-0 win for the Rockets. Goulbourne with 2 goals was named the game's first star.
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Jackson Whistle puts in first star performance in Rockets win over the Wheat Kings. This is the only match between the two clubs for the regular season. Brandon finished the year 2 points ahead of the Rockets.
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Whistle records 3rd shutout of season doubling his WHL totals.
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Chartier scores #13 & #14 in Rockets #14 win of the season. Rockets now 14-1-1-0.
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128 Penalty minutes later it proved the Rockets could adapt to any style of hockey. Riley Stadel with one of the fighting majors being escorted off the ice.
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Nick Merkley & Rourke Chartier scored 3 of the 4 goals in 4-2 win over Chiefs.
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The Rockets had two firsts in 5-0 win over Giants, Goulbourne with the his first ever hat trick and new acquired goaltender Michael Herringer with his first ever shutout.
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Special teams the factor in 4-3 win over Chiefs.
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Jake Morrissey recorded the win for the Rockets, stopping 34 of 36 shots.
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Tyson Baillie scored two goals in his return to the team from the Subway Super Series, while Kris Schmidli and Rodney Southam each added third period insurance markers to ice the victory for the Rockets. Chartier had the other two.
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Tyson Baillie was the only Rocket to be recognized for a star, getting second star for his two goal performance. The Rockets record now stands at 20-1-2-0.
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Jesse Lees scored a pair and was named the game's first star in 5-3 win over Royals.
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The Rockets were outshot 52 to 26, out scored 4-3, allowed two goals while killing penalties, and were unsuccessful in their five chances. Rockets record falls to 21-1-3-0.
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The Rockets went 1 for 4 on the powerplay, Portland went 2 for 5, Kelowna outshot Portland 37-32 and lost the game 4-3 and now have a 21-2-3-0 record.
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Chartier takes over goal scoring lead in the whole CHL. His 28th would stand as the game winner and he would also be awarded the game's first star.
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The Regina Pats defeated the Kelowna Rockets 3-1 on Saturday night at Prospera Place in Kelowna, handing the Rockets its third straight defeat at home. Chartier has the lone goal.
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The Kelowna Rockets halted their three game home losing skid with a "are you tough enough to play hockey" 5-1 win over the Saskatoon Blades.
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Chase Witala had four points and Prince George netminder Ty Edmonds was stellar in the Prince George net, especially in the third period when Kelowna outshot the Cougars 16-4 but could not tie the game.
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Only Dillon Dube scored in the 1-0 game over Prince Albert.
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The Rockets downed the Hurricanes 4-3 with Nick Merkley scoring the game winner.
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Quinney, along with Josh Morrissey were acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders. Kelowna traded Austin Glover and Jesse Lees in return for them.
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The Kelowna Rockets fell to the Calgary Hitmen 4-1 in Calgary, marking their first loss of a five game WHL Central Division road trip. Justin Kirkland assisted in Dube's goal. The Rockets only managed 18 shots in the game.
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Scoring for the Rockets was Justin Kirkland, Cole Linaker, Rodney Southam and newcomer Gage Quinney. Rockets improved to 27-5-3-0 on the season
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Kelowna beat Red Deer 6-3 and improved their record to 28-5-3-0 and went 4-1-0-0 on the road trip.
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Rourke Chartier returned to the Rockets lineup after attending the World Juniors selection camp and made his presence felt in front of a sellout crowd at Prospera Place.
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The Rockets outshot the Prince George Cougars 48-20, but could not get enough rubber past the game's first star Ty Edmonds.
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Merkley had a pair, and was named the game's first star, Baillie with two as well, Cole Linaker and Quinney with the singles.
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Kelowna got roughed up a bit last night in Kamloops but on this night, Rockets were more than willing to answer the bell. The second fight of the game ended with a man advantage for Kelowna as Aaron Macklin got the extra two for instigating.
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Leon Draisaitl made an immediate impact with the Kelowna Rockets scoring the game winner and adding one assist in the Rockets 4-2 win over the Vancouver Giants.
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The Kelowna Rockets needed seven shooters to defeat the Kamloops Blazers 2-1 in a shoot-out. The win improved the Rockets record to a WHL-best 33-6-3-0 on the season.
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Prior to the game Rockets players Madison Bowey and Josh Morrissey were honoured alongside Bruce Hamilton as the trio returned with gold medals as part of Team Canada's entry at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championships. Now that's a pair of D.
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The Kelowna Rockets were firing on all cylinders in their 7-1 dumping of the Tri-City Americans.
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Rockets dominate early, but Seattle capitalizes on opportunites and wins game 5-2.
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The Kelowna Rockets played the first of two games in the weekend double header Friday night against the Everett Silvertips. The Tips are hot on the heels of the first place WHL team being only four wins back making the four points oh so important.
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Tyrell Goulbourne led the GMC line with five points, two goals and three assists, Nick Merkley with two goals and one assist and Rourke Chartier with one goal and two assists.
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Bowey the best player on the ice for the Rockets on the night was given the fourth spot in the shoot-out after no goals from the first three Rockets and four Rebel shooters. Bowey would win the game for the Rockets putting his shot past the best player on the ice for the Rebels, Rylan Toth. Shooting ahead of Bowey was Leon Draisaitl, Nick Merkley and Dillon Dube.
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Leon Draisaitl had a bit of a homecoming, playing in Rexall Place, the home of the Edmonton Oilers in the Oil Kings vs the Rockets contest on Wednesday night. The Rockets lost 2-1 in the shootout.
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The WHL leading Kelowna Rockets doubled up on the cellar dwelling Lethbridge Hurricanes by a score of 6-3. The Rockets record now stands at 38-8-3-1 on the season.
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A bit of a reunion for the World Junior champions, Madison Bowey, Josh Morrissey and Sam Rienhart of the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook as the Rockets matched up with the Ice for their only meeting of the regular season.
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The Kelowna Rockets managed to hang onto a win over the Kamloops Blazers. The Blazers took the Rockets to the wire pressuring for the tying goal late in the third until Justin Kirkland guided the empty netter in to seal the Rockets 5-3 win over their closest rivals by distance.
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Rockets forward Rourke Chartier added a power play goal as they went on to win their 41st game of the season 5-2 over the Blazers. That makes it the 43rd goal for Chartier keeping him tied with Cole Sanford of the Medicine Hat Tigers.
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Jake Morrissey playing is his second consecutive start earned the win making the Rockets record 42-8-3-1 on the season. This is the first time in the younger Morrissey's WHL career to get back to back starts.
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The Rockets outshot the Tbirds 32-27 and went 0-6 on the man advantage. Kozun was named the game's first star, Barzal with a goal and an assist was the second star, and Nick Merkley third star.
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Cole Martin scored a pair while Leon Draisaitl and Madison Bowey each had three assists. Nick Merkley chipped in with a pair of helpers.
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Rookie netminder Jake Morrissey earned his first career WHL shutout stopping all 28 shots he faced in the win as the Rockets improved to a WHL-best 44-9-3-1 on the season.
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A pair of Rookies had big nights for the Rockets, Lucas Johansen with his first WHL goal and Tomas Soustal with first star honours, scoring twice and adding two assists. Kelowna defeated Kamloops 11-4.
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Driasaitl with 43 seconds left in the game scored the game winner from the side of the net after receiving a pass from Riley Stadel. Driasaitl was in on every goal of the game and that gives him 16 points (3+13) in his last seven games.
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A tough third period for the Kelowna Rockets resulted in a 5-2 loss against the Royals in Victoria.
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The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Victoria Royals by a score of 4-2 in a come from behind win. This was the third game in a row for the two clubs. The Rockets split the weekend series with the Royals making this game the rubber match.
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The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Vancouver Giants 4-0 in Michael Herringer's second career WHL shutout, both of the them against the Giants. The first one on November 8th at Prospera Place and this one in Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum. Herringer made 29 saves for the win and improved the Rockets record to 48-10-3-1 on the season.
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Jackson Whistle returned to the Rockets net after missing ten games due to appendix surgery and suffered the loss as Kelowna outshot Calgary 31-24.
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This was the final meeting between the two top clubs in the Western Conference and their first loss to the Silvertips in the four regular season meetings which now sits at 3-0-0-1 for the Rockets. Previous wins were a 5-4 OT win, 5-3 and a blowout 9-3 win.
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The Kelowna Rockets shook off a slow start in the first and a 1-0 deficit to win their 50th game of the season by a score of 5-2 improving the season record to 50-11-4-1.
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Despite outshooting the Royals 47 to 26 the Kelowna Rockets lost by a score of 6-3.
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The Kamloops Blazers ended two years of Kelowna Rockets domination by defeating the visiting Rockets 5-1 in Kamloops.
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Rourke Chartier made his return to the lineup after missing eight games due to injury and made an immediate impact scoring 1:07 in on a wrap around.
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In the second period, Rourke Chartier scored his 48th of the season 1:27 in by jamming one between the post and Seattle netminder Logan Flodell.
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Rourke Chartier finished two goals back of the 50 goal mark and third overall for goal scoring in the WHL and 13th overall in points. Missing 14 games due to injury and being away for World Juniors camp factored in.
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Driasaitl factored into all four goals on the night and was named the game's second star. The first star was given the the Holt and third star went to Tyson Baillie who had one goal and one assist.
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The Kelowna Rockets held their annual awards show at the Kelowna Community Theatre on Sunday afternoon, the day after completing their regular season with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Giants. The team finished with a 53-13-5-1 record and second overall to the Brandon Wheat Kings, who finished with two more points. Both squads had the same 53 wins, but Brandon gained two more points for overtime and shootout losses.
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