Desperate Measures=Dominant Performance

• Shoot first, ask questions second. It wouldn't be the motto the RCMP tell their recruits before sending them out into the force, but it was the Rockets only option in a 3-0 victory Thursday night. The Rockets shot from every angle and every area, with the greasy effort producing favorable results. With as skilled a team as the Rockets have, playoff hockey is all about will, not skill.
• Cody Almond was trigger happy, and against an elite team like the Giants, delivering the puck at the net every chance you get is never a bad option. I find it frustrating when the Rockets attempt to make the picture perfect passing play, only to turn the puck over without getting a shot on goal. That rarely happened Thursday night, and the credit has to go to the coaching staff for pointing that out to the players.
• Olivia Newton-John would have been proud. Let's get physical! The Rockets let their body do the talking Thursday night by initiating contact. It was the first time in this series that the home team upped the play in the physical department.
• The best 'greasy goal ' of the night came from Jamie Benn! What? How can Jamie Benn score a greasy goal? Colin Long did all the dirty work in the corner by getting the puck to the front of the net where Benn grabbed it, coddled it, before going to the backhand and beating Sexsmith to make it 3-0. That goal sealed the deal for the home team, tying the series at two wins apiece.
• Mark Guggenberger was as great as his name sounds. Guggenberger was especially sharp in the first period when the Giants fired 8 shots his way. Guggenberger's best save came on a Craig Cunningham shot on the power play that Gugg's snagged with a solid glove hand save.
• Rockets forward Ian Duval's tremendous speed was the difference in breaking away from a Giants defender to open the scoring. Duval, who would like nothing more than a trip to Calgary late next week, picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated hard to the net before beating Sexsmith between the legs.
• Did Colin Long know that the assistant general manager of the Phoenix Coyotes was at Thursday's game? It infact was pointed out to him before the game, and it showed in his best effort of the playoffs. Long was solid, picking up two assists, and was arguably the Rockets hardest working player. But where's the love? Long failed to receive a game star, but we pumped his tires as much as we could in the post game show. I wasn't necessary critical of his play in an earlier posting, but I was wondering what was wrong. Long, as usual, answered the bell with a solid game. Good on him.
• Did you notice that all three goals were scored by older players? Ian Duval (20), Jamie Benn (19) and Lucas Bloodoff (19) all hit the score sheet. Long (19) had two assists.
• Curt Gogol has a pretty decent shot. He used it in the third period and let a lazer beam go towards the Giants net. He didn't score, but caught our attention in the broadcast booth.
• I thought Kyle St. Denis provided some additional jump for the Rockets. In only his second game back from injury, St. Denis used some good outside speed and was another threat that the Giants had to be aware of.
• Tyler Myers received the games second star for his efforts in shutting down Evander Kane. And what a job he did. Myers was in Kane's face all night long. The two were forced off the ice with coincidental minors after a good collision in the corner late the third period.
• Kane does not hesitate when bring his hands or stick high when being checked. In what appeared to be a mid-ice collision with Ryley Grantham, Kane got his stick high, hitting 'Granny' either in the throat or chin. Kane got a minor penalty.
• The officiating in game four was solid. Few questionable calls were made, or borderline penalties that drive you crazy. Emotions were high yet the game was under control. Both Pat Smith and Devin Klein read the game correctly. Nice work.
• The Rockets second period not only resulted in two goals, but 18 shots on net. In the final two periods the home team would allowed just 6 shots on goal. The defensive effort was as good as the offensive upside.
• The 3-0 shutout was the Rockets first playoff shutout since May 6, 2005. Kristofer Westblom and Derek Yeomans shared the shutout in a 3-0 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings in game one of the Western Hockey League final.
• It marked the second time the Giants have been shutout in the playoffs. The Giants suffered a 1-0 loss to Spokane in game four of their Western Conference semi final series.
• The biggest crowd of the playoffs took in Thursday's game. Six thousand 268 were on hand for the 3-0 victory. Let's hope even more show up for game six Monday night.