While the Rockets have 6 goals in their last 20 chances (30%), the team has given up three shorthanded goals in their last 5 games.
Last night against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the Rockets were trying to get into the game trailing 3-0 when veteran defenseman Clayton Barthel made an ill advised pinch at the Hurricanes blueline resulting in a two-on-one which resulted in Carter Bancks scoring to make it 4-0.
Your saying, big deal, the game is out of reach at 4-0?
Not true.
The Rockets rallied with 3 straight goals to make it a 4-3 score before Kris Hogg scored with 5 minutes left in the third to seal the deal.
That shorthanded goal by Bancks, was the game winner.
Ouch!
It's the second time in three games that a shorthanded goal has proved to be deadly for a Rockets team which again is tied with Chilliwack for the final playoff spot in the BC division.
Yes the Bruins used overtime in a 6-5 win in Kamloops on Friday.
Remember last Saturday in Seattle?
Gregg Scott would score the game winner shorthanded in the T-Birds 2-1 win.
Giving up a shorthanded goal has been costly for the Rockets of late, and is a real momentum killer.
Here are some good and bad thoughts from last night's loss, the Rockets 34th setback of the year:The Good:
Cody Almond has come alive without linemate Chris Ray.Almond had 2 goals last night and now has back-to-back two goal games, and has 5 goals in his last 3 games.
Almond now has 33 points, 30 more than a year ago.
The power play was solid, scoring 2 goals in the loss.
The Rockets have scored 2 power play goals in a game, in 3 of their last 4 contests.
Not bad for the worst unit in the W.H.L.
15 year-old defenseman Tyson Barrie earned his first career point on a power play assist in the second period.
Barrie was playing in just his 3rd W.H.L game.
15 year-old Jesse Paradis made his W.H.L debut last night for the Rockets, seeing limited ice time.
Paradis was the Rockets 4th round pick in the 2006 bantam draft.
The Bad:
The Rockets have just 8 shots on goal in the third period in their last three games.
They had just 2 shots on goal against the Hurricanes last night, just 5 in a 4-1 win over Chilliwack on Tuesday and just 1 against Seattle in the third period of last Saturday's loss at the Key Arena.
Torrie Jung allowed a bad goal from Kris Hogg that put the game away in the third period when it looked like the Rockets would get the equalizer.
Jung faced just 2 shots in the third, one of which beat him short-side, blocker-side.
Colin Long had two assists last night but was a -3.
Regan's Ramblings:
I spoke to W.H.L Vice President of Hockey Richard Doerksen at last night's game.
I asked Doerksen about the two referee system this season, and he is pleased the way it has been going.
Doerksen says fans will see the two-referee system used extensively in March in the run-up towards the playoffs.
All playoff games this season will use the 2 referee system.
I also asked him about video replay.
The Ontario Hockey League is using it for all regular season games this season, but Doerksen says it won't be coming to the W.H.L anytime soon.
He said it will be used in the respective conference finals and the league final, but not during the regular season next year.
Doerksen also brought me up to date on the health status of W.H.L Chairman of the Board Ed Chynoweth.
Chynoweth, the Father of Swift Current Broncos Head Coach Dean Chynoweth and Kootenay Ice General Manager Jeff Chynoweth is battling cancer.
I will have that interview with Doerksen tonight on WHL Primetime at 6:30.
The Rockets are off to Chilliwack today to face the Bruins in another playoff-type game at Prospera Centre.
The Rockets desperately need to win this one, yet the team has just 5 wins on the road this season and haven't won on the road in 10 games.
Who was the last team the Rockets beat on the road?
Yep, the Chilliwack Bruins!
To say the Rockets are do is an understatement.
1 comment:
I don't know if I am exactly calling anyone out by pointing out if they were + or minus in a game.
Was it a negative?
Sure.
That why it ended up in the 'Bad' category of the article.
Should Barthel have made that pinch?
Nope.
That was a bad decision for a veteran guy.
The bottom line with Cody and Colin is they are contributing offensively at a time when they are needed the most as you stated.
Both are technically '17' year old hockey players.
That's a huge responsibility for those two this early in their WHL careers.
I feel bad about the loss, because it was just that - a loss.
But they did show some character to come back in this game.
But once again at the end of the night, it was a team they could have beat, but like many times this season they again came up short.
Tonight's game in the 'Wack' isn't big.....it's HUGE!
Love the feedback hocus lopez (I like that name), because good hockey discussion, whether we agree or disagree is good stuff.
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