Game Notes vs Giants

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets and Vancouver Giants are meeting in game one of a best of seven Western Conference Championship Series. Game two is tomorrow night before the series shifts to Kelowna for games three and four Tuesday and Thursday. These two teams are meeting in the WHL playoffs for the first time since 2005. That season the two teams met in round one with the Rockets winning in six games. These two teams also met in 2003, with the Rockets eliminating the Giants in four straight in round one. This season the Giants beat the Rockets in 5 of the 8 meetings, yet the Rockets won the last three games. Overall the Giants out-scored the Rockets 30-23 in the eight games. The Rockets were 9 for 40 (22.5%) on the power play in the seasonal series while the Giants were 11 for 48 (22.9%) with the extra man.

Round Two Recap: The Rockets eliminated the Tri City Americans in six games in a Western Conference semi final series. The Rockets lost the first two games on the road before winning four straight to advance to the Western Conference final for the fifth time in the last eight seasons. The Rockets out-scored the Americans 27-16. Overall the Rockets were 10 for 29 (34.5%) on the power play while the Americans were 6 for 30 (20%). The home team won five of the six games. Jamie Benn led the Rockets with 4+9=13 in the six games.

Round One Recap: The Rockets eliminated the Kamloops Blazers in four straight games in the opening round. Overall the Rockets out-scored the Blazers 17-8 in the four games. Jamie Benn led the Rockets with ten points in the series (3+7=10), while Cody Almond, Tyson Barrie, and Tyler Myers each had five points apiece. Mark Guggenberger started in all four games, going 4-0-0-0, with a goals against average of 1.91.

Interesting Data: The Rockets have opened the scoring in 6 of the ten games in the playoffs. After opening up the scoring just once in four games against Kamloops in round one, the Rockets were able to open the scoring in five of the six games against Tri City…The Rockets have scored a power play goal in seven of the 10 playoff games…The Rockets are technically 8 and 2 in 10 career playoff games against the Giants…Cody Almond was the Rockets leading scorer against the Giants during the regular season. Almond had 4+5=9 while Colin Long was next on the list with 2+6=8. Jamie Benn had Almond led the team in goals scored against the Giants with 4 each. Mark Guggenberger had a goals against average of 2.66 in four starts…Sixteen power play goals were scored in a second round series with Tri City…The Rockets are now 2 and 0 in overtime in the playoffs. Jamie Benn’s overtime winner in game four of a second round series came on the heels of Cody Almond’s exploits in game three of an opening round series against Kamloops. In the bigger picture, the Rockets have won three straight games in overtime, including Lucas Bloodoff’s game winner against Seattle in an opening round series in 2007…. The Rockets scored ten power play goals against Tri City…The Rockets had 16 even strength goals, and a shorthanded goal against the Am’s.

The Streak Continues: Jamie Benn has 34 career playoff points in just 17 games. Benn has 10+24=34. What’s most impressive is Benn has a point in every playoff game he’s been involved in. Benn is riding a 17 game point streak in the playoffs dating back to last season. Benn has a 10 game point streak in the year’s playoffs, which is tied with Cam Paddock (2003) for the franchise record for most consecutive points in a playoff series. Cody Almond also has a 10 game point streak heading into tonight’s game.

Who’s Hot: Tyson Barrie has 2+6=8 in his last seven games. Tyler Myers has points in eight of ten playoff games. Myers has 4+9=13 over that stretch. Cody Almond has 17 playoff points in ten playoff games after recording just 3 points in 7 playoff games last season. Almond has a 10 game playoff point streak. Almond has scored goals in three of his last five games.