Things That Make Me Go Hmm....

• How concerning is it that no one stepped up and got into the face of Rockets forward Mikael Backlund after his verbal altercation with Americans goaltender Chet Pickard in game five? Backlund scores to make it 4-1, and verbally trash talks with Pickard and continues the assault with some gestures towards the goaltender during the ensuing face-off. Is that not a sign of where we are headed for game six?
• Ryley Grantham saw little ice time in game five. The reason? Likely a lack of foot speed and his inability to create some noise on the fore check. Grantham must initiate body contact to be an effective foot soldier in the playoffs. If he strays off that plan and attempts to play more of a dangler type of game, he is ineffective.
• The Tri City Americans have been accused of diving in this series, and the officials have taken notice. Several of the penalty calls in game five were off-setting minors, which in my books is the safe call. If you are questioning the legitimacy of a penalty that has the opposing player falling down with ease, why not finger both of them to the box. The act of diving simply cheapens the game and the offender should be penalized. The hope is that anyone who falls to the ice, did so because they were legitimately hooked or tripped.
• What makes me most upset about shoddy officiating is when it is done in a manner to keep the game close. When a team has a 2-0 lead, it appears from my vantage point that the officials tend to side with the team that is trailing, and therefore calling questionable penalties against whoever is leading on the scoreboard.
• What's wrong with this picture. Colin Long, the Western Conference nominee for sportsmanlike player of the year, has 14 penalty minutes in the playoffs. Long had 28 penalty minutes in 68 games this season.
• Who holds the Rockets record for most goals in a playoff season? Jesse Schultz had 12 goals during the 2003 playoffs. Tyler Mosienko and Cam Paddock each had 11 goals during the 2003 post season. Randall Gelech had 10 goals in 2004 while Chuck Kobasew had 10 goals in the 2002 playoffs.
• Jamie Benn has a 9 game point streak in this years playoffs heading into game six this afternoon. The longest playoff point streak in Rockets franchise history is 10, held by Cam Paddock during the 2003 post season.
• Benn is just 6 points shy of the franchise playoff record for points in a playoff. Benn has 22 points, six fewer than Jesse Schultz, who had 28 during the 2003 post season. That playoff, Schultz was named the MVP.
• It's at this time of the year that negative talk revolves around who the Rockets will lose following this seasons playoff run. Who cares! Let's celebrate the fact that we are seeing several elite players right before our eyes, and those players are wearing Kelowna Rockets colours. Would you rather have a roster that consisted of marginally skilled players that had no shot at playing pro hockey, or several elite players that have a short career with their junior team, yet put a smile on your face every time you watch them play? I'll take a three year player who marvels you with his skill over a five year player that brought his lunch bucket to every game.