Brown Picks Up Pieces in Rockets Win

• Adam Brown made 24 saves in a relief appearance leading the Rockets to a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Everett Silvertips Saturday night. Brown came into the game after starter Mark Guggenberger allowed two goals on just five shots. Guggenberger was yanked after just four minutes of work. It was the second time in four starts that Guggenberger was relieved of his duties after getting pulled in favor of Brown Monday in Portland.
• Brown made two terrific saves in the first period with his team down 2-0. A left pad save kept the game close before a fantastic glove hand save enabled the visitors to find their feet after allowing 15 shots in the opening frame.
• Why is it that Guggenberger has so much success against the top end teams yet struggles against the lesser lights? Conversely Brown seems to step up and play solid against the Red Deer's and Prince George's of this world, yet struggles against the 'big dogs'? It only makes sense to have Brown start Sunday's game against the Bruins before Guggenberger gets the call against top ranked Medicine Hat and Calgary next week.
• Tyler Myers delivered his second straight first star performance with two goals in Saturday's win. It was Myers first career-two goal game of his career. Who was the last Rockets d-man to score two goals in one game? Tyson Barrie had two goals against the Tips in a 8-6 loss to the Tips in Everett in early October.
• Myers snapped a 13 game goal scoring drought Saturday night. Up until last night's two goal effort Myers had just one goal in his last 23 games.
• Myers now has 7 goals, one better than his career high of 6 set last season.
• Myers scored his 6th and 7th goals of the season Saturday night. Strangely enough that matches his height...6'7. Thanks to color analyst Gord McGarva for that odd observation.
• The game featured four of the five goals from defenseman.
• The Rockets 46 shots on goal were one off the teams season high of 47 set against the Tips February 6th in a 2-1 overtime win.
• After being held off the score sheet Friday night in Vancouver, Jamie Benn chipped in with a quiet two assists. Benn played a good portion of the game with line mate Colin Long and eventually Cody Almond. Almond was added to that line after Stepan Novotny started the game on the Rockets #1 unit.
• Over the last two games the Rockets have failed to allow a power play goal. The Rockets are 8 for 8 in penalty kills over the last two nights.
• The victory moved the Rockets to the .500 mark on the road. The Rockets are now 13-13-1-2. The Rockets are one of just four teams in the Western Conference with an above .500 record on the road.
• The win moved the Rockets within four points of Spokane for third place in the Western Conference. The Chiefs lost in overtime to Tri City Saturday night.
• Before the game it was great to meet former Tacoma Rockets play-by-play caller Adam Gordon. Gordon was the original play-by-play voice of the Rockets when the team was based in Tacoma in 1991. Gordon is now doing TV broadcasts for Tips games on a local cable channel.
• I'll admit it was a little awkward at breakfast Saturday morning dining with referee Derek Herman. Herman spent the night at the same hotel in Everett after calling the game between the Giants and Rockets Friday night. Herman made the pit stop before refereeing a game in Tri City Saturday. No Herman did not sit at the same table, nor would he have been invited after making several soft calls in the third period.