Mikael Backlund's game winner at the 4 minute mark of overtime lifted the Kelowna Rockets to a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Giants Monday night. The Rockets had to wait before celebrating as the goal was under video review.
The Rockets now face the Calgary Hitmen in the Western Hockey League final. Game one is Friday night in Calgary.
***A late night has me posting my thoughts on the game and series Tuesday morning. ***
22 comments:
Congratulations and good luck in the Finals.
I started listening just in time for overtime. Great call on the winning goal.
Would love to see the replay that awards the goal to Backlund instead of to Tysen Dowzak.
Good Luck Rockets BEAT THE HITMEN
Absolutlely incredible game. The guys deserved it so much.
Regarding the Myers hit. I'm listening to SportsTalk radio right now and they are saying Myers could have....get this...KILLED Schira. Any chance of telling Dan Russell to tell Brooks Ward that he's an absolute joke of a radio personality?
Sure the Myers hit was terrible and the penalty was warranted but to say he could have killed Schira? Good lord, and I thought Dan Russell was a terribly Biased radio guy.....
Hey Regan, even with Evander "Candy" Kane's two goals tonight, did you like him in the series and do you think it will have any effect in the NHL draft? I did not think he was that outstanding.
Hey Regan, Did you like Evander Kane in this series? He did have two goals tonight but did not really stand out in the series, also do you thik this will effect his draft spot?
Regan, what's your evaluation of the Myers hit on Schira? I was in the section where the hit took place and it seemed to me that Schira turned into the hit.
He really got hammered.....hope he's okay.
He has a broken wrist or broken hand plus stitches. On video he did turn the other way just before Myers hit him. Had he gone in the direction he originally planned to take, he would have been ok. That said, Myers should have let up a bit considering Schira was vulnerable.
I agree Jess, especially considering if they awarded the goal to Backlund then it was clearly a high stick.
Fantastic drama and terrific hockey by all the boys. In a very tight series like this the difference was Kel winning the video replay [Van 2 disallowed goals (Bouma, Toigo); Kel 1 disallowed (Almond)], not to mention shots on goal and territorial play.
As a hockey fan and a former whl player it 's hard not to feel for the Van players given the controversial fashion the series winning goal was allowed to stand. From my vantage point in Prospera Place Doerksen looked relieved to make the final announcement to allow the goal to the delight of the Kel fans. Could you imagine them not allowing the goal tonight in ot just as they did in the 2nd period in van? I can't. How can two similar goals which can go either way (Toigo & Backlund) both go in the favour/or against one team. As a selfish hockey fan I think this series deserved a 7th game and for the integrity of the game they should probably still be playing ot right now.
Kel cannot expect the same calls to go their way against Cal as we should remember the league offices are in Cal. What will they do with Meyers? If Van forced a 7th game clearly Meyers would have been suspended as Shira would definitey not be available to play. However, with Kel winning Doerksen is not forced to make that difficult decision and I would expect Mryers to be in the lineup vs. Cal come Fri even though he shouldn't be. The league has proven time and again that they are in the entertaiment business and will not suspend star players such as Benn for his overhead 2 handed slash on the back of Sexsmiths legs.
Cal would be foolish to underestimate Kel. If Kel continues to initiate contact without taking undisciplined penalties against the vaunted Cal pp i belive Kel will dictate the play. Watch how many penalties will be called in this series compared to the Kel-Van series. Cal relies on many pp opportunities not only to generate goal scoring chances but more imortantly to manufacture momentum.
While the Cal d are big they do not make good decisions with the puck when pressured (like most d). Plante and Stone are very underrated behind the much ballyhooed Postma but when time and space are taken away from the trio they tend to stop skating when they have the puck and turnovers will ensue. Kel has the snipers to take advantage of these opportunties.
Kel would be well served to learn from Van and most recently Spoke to continue their stellar tight defensive zone play and capitalize on their chances. Remember how Spoke frustrated the eastern teams (and Sportnet prognosticators) and ruined the Kitchener party with their pro-like defenisive stature and sharp shooting prowess. The only difference being Guggenberger will have to be insulated as he is not the goaltender neither Tokarski or Sexsmith are, but he is proving capable of holding down the fort. I belive in him.
Can't wait for Fri. What do others expect?
By the way Regan, thought you might be interested in knowing that Kristofer Westblom took in tonights game sitting beside me in his old Billets seats. Still bleeds the Red White and Teal that kid!
Darrenlb,
My bet is that Myers is gone for 1game. Watching the game on TV Regan is right, Schira turned at exactly the wrong time. If he had kept going in the direction him and Myers were going he would not have been hurt. That is not to say Meyers should not have let up, he should have done something ??? But when a train is moving its hard to stop. He should still get a game.
Am I not sure but you sound like the Rockets won the series on the ref's calls ?? I think they won because they are the better team period. They held Van to a minimal numbers of shots, worked harder and basically wore them down. Remember that we beat them in Feb and March during the regular season. Rockets now have to face Calgary, a team we beat this season and will beat again. Go Raockets !!!
Awesome Game!!!!
Any one know when Tickets go on Sale for next week??
Tickets go on sale at 9:30 Wednesday morning.
Congratulations Rockets. That was a well desereved series win.
I can't believe the giants gave up a two goal lead with 4 left to play. It's great to see the depth of this teams offence be the difference.
Congratulations Rockets, and if you continune to play with the same tenacity you can expect similar results against Calgary.
Regan,
How can you suggest that Schira played any part in that hit? Myers not only hit him from behind, he drove his head into the glass at top speed. Even if Schira turned in the slightest, Myers still laid on him one of the dirtiest hits of the year. He deserves to be out for the rest of the playoffs - all four games of 'em.
I won't even get into the high-stick OT "goal". What a dirty win.
It was a hard hit, and regardless of whether Schira went on his original path, more caution is needed by Myers. I agree with you there.
I laugh at Giants fans who praise their goons for running players like Evan Bloodoff, and then when the tables turn and they watch one of their players get wallpapered it's the end of the world.
This is playoff Hockey, grow a pair.
Kelowna Rockets = Giant Killers
Hey Dan....Whose to say the puck even hit Backlund's stick? Surely not the WHL Replay's since the goal was never overturned...Do you have an all knowing type of personality? Whose not to say it hit Backlund's elbow? Should i be called back for High Elbowing? Funny giants fan...
Well, Jared, if it hit anything other than his stick then it would have been intentional redirection as it was obvious that he was trying to get the puck to the net, which would result in an illegal goal. Alas the incorrect call was made, in my opinion, and the series is over.
Congratulations Kelowna, good luck vs Calgary, and see you next year.
Don't even get me started with that game. And the series...
Backlund - No class. Every goal he scores (even in Vancouver), he runs into the boards and screams at the fans. One game in Vancouver, he ran into the boards and bugged little kids. I was sitting the next section over, by the penalty boxes.
Myers hit. He deserves a minimum of a 2 game suspension. Schira absolutely got nailed. Shaw broadcast had the camera on him lying down on the ice, his mask covered in blood (too think his family might have been watching the game on TV, and to see that), and too hear he has a broken wrist. Frig that could/possibly might have wrecked Schira's pro career. Hope he heals up well. And to hear his post game comments "It was unfortunate he got hurt," "I'm glad we got the win." Obviously with that type of hit he was going in for a heavy hit (to injure) and obviously he was "glad" they won. They won by the dirtiest goal ever. He doesn't deserve that gold medal, he gives it a bad name.
The Goal - It should be Dowzak's, not Backlund's. If it counts, then it could not have hit Backlund on his stick or body (Stick - High stick, Body - intentional directing puck into net). Dowzak had to clearly beat Tyson Sexsmith, which I don't think he did.
You certainly have a nice player in Benn (not). Slashing Sexsmith twice. Sexsmith goes down because he's hurt from the dirty plays and your crowd boos him. Wow..... You guys certainly know your hockey.
I feel bad for our overagers (including Schira) and the 19 year olds moving on. Crap way to leave the Dub.
From what I saw, The puck was going for Backlund's head. Backlund put his hands up to protect his face and it hit his fore-arm and boom, it goes in. Good goal
Here is a Comment I just read on the Vancouver sun website. I love it so I had to cut and paste. I was starting to really wonder about the the whiners in Vancouver until I stumbled onto this:
"I have always cheered for the Giants but I have jumped on the Rocket bandwagon after watching them absolutely destroy my Giants! While following the whl this year I saw a mediocre team become a great team. Bruce Hamilton (GM of the Rockets) made some stellar moves at the trade deadline and some of the scouts were talking, at that time, that Kelowna was a team to watch. Friends in Winnipeg spoke to a whl official and off the record told them the Rockets were the team to beat in the whl. Yet more talk from more scouts recently and the feeling is that they may be the best team in the chl. While watching the Giants series I found myself cheering for the Rockets, they hit harder, scored better, and simply outclassed the Giants. I was embarrassed to see the diving by Sexsmith in game 4. I was embarrassed at all the whining Kane did throughout the series (even though it must have been frustrating to be shut down by Myers). I could go on but In short, my respect slowly turned to the Rockets not because they were beating us, but because they have grown in such a short period into a true force in the chl...who saw it coming?...just about everyone in the league. I am a believer in the Rockets, I think they will kick some Hitmen butts, and whl fans around the country will be surprised. Not me"
I get too wound up to respond to such sore losers. I thank the person who posted this.
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