Split On Opposition Ice

• As much as you have to give the Giants credit for tying the series at one, I just didn't like the Rockets intensity/urgency level in game two. Maybe I was just spoiled after game one? What I saw from the visitors in game one was a team playing like it was game seven, not game one. Game two unfortunately was well short of the performance the visitors exhibited less than 24 hours earlier.
• The Rockets allowed the Giants 9 chances on the power play, which is hockey suicide at this time of the year. Many of the penalties were uncalled for fouls, including several high sticking infractions. It again showed me that the Rockets weren't mentally 'locked in' during Sunday's effort.
• I don't have a problem when the officials call Mikael Backlund for tripping a Giants defenseman in overtime, only if a call is also made when Curt Gogol is hit into the corner by defenseman Brent Regner. Neither came close to a scoring chance, yet Backlund gets the gate in overtime on a marginal call while Regner's suspect hit on Gogol is viewed as just that, suspect.
• I liked the game winning goal. Why? It was ugly, and is typical of the way overtime goals are scored in the playoffs. A shot from the point hits a Giants forward parked in front of the net, next thing you know, it's a mad scramble and Casey Pierro -Zabotel deposits the puck past goaltender Mark Guggenberger. The Rockets had a similar chance in overtime, yet a Collin Bowman slap shot from the point is snared out of mid air by Giants goaltender Tyson Sexsmith with no traffic in front.
• The best Rocket? Mikael Backlund showed the most consistent energy over the course of the game. Long, Benn and Almond provided pressure, but were not consistently causing havoc in the attacking zone. Backlund could have been the goat for two penalties taken late in the game, one in the third period and one in overtime, yet his team was able to kill them off.
• It's amazing what the Rockets can accomplish when they put their minds to it. Down 3-1 late in the third, two quick goals and the game has to be decided in overtime.
• The Giants out-shot the Rockets 11-5 in the extra period, thanks largely to two power play chances, but more so out of desperation to get back in the series. While the Rockets wanted game one more than the Giants, and succeeded, the roles were reversed Sunday night.
• You have to love the play of Lance Bouma. The feisty forward has provided energy for the Giants in the first two games of this series and arguably has been the teams most consistent forward. Evander Kane has looked good in spurts, but in my eyes it's been Bouma leading the charge.
• The overtime loss was the Rockets first in this years playoffs. The Rockets were able to win overtime games against Kamloops and Tri City. Cody Almond and Jamie Benn were the hero's in those games.
• The loss snapped the Rockets four game winning streak against the Giants. The Rockets won the last three games during the regular season and game one of this series.
• The loss also means a game five will be played Saturday night in Vancouver. No matter what happens in games three and four in Kelowna, we are headed back to Pacific Coliseum Saturday night.