Ugly Never Looked So Good

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For the Kelowna Rockets', Saturday night's 1-0 win in Vancouver was pleasing to the eye. Let me clarify that. The game five win wasn't exactly a masterpiece, but at the end of the night beating the Giants in back-to-back games was gratifying. The victory gives the Rockets a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference final heading into game six Monday night at Prospera Place.
• It marked only the second time this season that the Giants have lost back-to-back games.
• The game featured some early fireworks with two fights, yet neither tilt ignited a spark nor took momentum away from the opponent. The two teams settled down and played a fatigued looking opening period with Rockets tough guy Ryley Grantham opening the scoring at the 18:25 mark with a chip shot that beat Giants goaltender Tyson Sexsmith over the shoulder. It was Grantham's 3rd of the playoffs, and first game winning playoff goal of his career.
• The key in the win was a 5 on 3 power play the Rockets were able to kill off in the third period. Brandon McMillan is sent off for hooking, and while trying to kill the penalty, Tyler Myers was sent off for shooting the puck over the glass. During the 5 on 3, the Rockets recorded seven blocked shots and got some timely saves from Mark Guggenberger. And when the Giants weren't fighting Rockets defenders away for a quality chance on goal, they were fighting the puck themselves. Both Evander Kane and Casey Pierro-Zabotel missed glorious chances to score, but either had the puck roll off their stick or they shot the puck wide of the net. Kane had such a good chance at the side of the net to tie the game that he lifted the puck directly into the waiting catching glove of the Rockets veteran netminder.
• Isn't it ironic that the Giants failed to score on a 5 on 3 in game five, a situation eerily similar in game three when the Rockets were granted the same convenience, failed to score, and lost the game 3-2.
• Guggenberger has now recorded back-to-back shutouts, and has not allowed a goal in 121 minutes and 8 seconds. Lance Bouma scored at the 18:52 mark of the third period in game three.
• The Giants were shutout in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2004 season. The Giants failed to score a goal September 28/04 against Kootenay (2-0) and were shutout by Seattle Oct 10/04 (3-0).
• AM-1150 had a time clock on Tyler Myers. Myers played 27 minutes and 45 seconds. No wonder he was named the games first star.
• The Rockets have opened the scoring in four of the five games in this series.
• Another well called game by Chris Savage and Derek Herman. Both were solid. Again the key to their performance was not being whistle happy. What I liked about both referee's was their communications skills with the players and coaches and the calm, controlled way they call the game. No dramatics were required. Even when the Giants scored on a goal that apparently was kicked in, both veteran officials took their time before reviewing the goal with the use of video replay. After discussing the call with all four parties on the ice ( two referee's and two linesman) the conclusion on the ice was that the puck was kicked in. To make sure the on-ice call was correct, video replay was used. Video showed that the on-ice officials were bang on.
• For the second straight game neither team was able to score a power play goal. This series is simply being won playing even strength, a far contrast to what the Rockets faced in a second round series with Tri City where the power play played a huge factor.
• Former Vancouver Giants forward Kenndal McArdle made a stop in the broadcast location for a intermission interview. McArdle had 11 goals in the playoffs with the Giants in 2007.
• Tommy Thompson, the head scout of the Minnesota Wild took in Saturday's game. I spoke to Thompson about the recent signing of Rockets forward Cody Almond. Thompson had high praise for Almond's efforts in game four. While he failed to hit the score sheet, Thompson liked Almond's work ethic.
• For the first time in this series I noticed Calgary Hitmen personnel scouting the two teams. The Rockets wouldn't have given them much information to work with, as they looked anything but the team that dominated the Giants in a game four 3-0 win. But as stated before, a wins a win.