Playoff preview?

• Evan Bloodoff is practicing with the team, contact included. The 19 year-old forward underwent knee surgery this fall and appears to be on the mend. If everything goes according to plan, Bloodoff could be back in the lineup in three weeks.
• Tonight's game between the Rockets and Tips could potentially be a playoff preview between these two teams. The Tips are 3rd in the conference while the Rockets are 6th. It translates into a first round meeting if things stay the same.
• These two teams last met in the third round of the playoffs back in 2003. We all remember what happened in that seven game series. The Tips were down 3 games to one only to win the next three games - all by a single goal.
• As pointed out by Roddy in the comments section, these two teams also battled in the 2006 playoffs. The Tips advanced in that series too.
• While the Tips were the heavy underdogs heading into the series in 2003 - the roles would be reversed in 2010.
• Maybe the Tips coaches have the Rockets pegged as a first round opponent. Why? They were sure watching the Rockets closely go through a pre-game skate this morning at Comcast Arena. It's an unwritten rule that you don't watch the other team skate the day of the game. After seeing the Tips coaches watching from the stands, their goes that theory.
• Defenceman Dallas Jackson won't play tonight. Jackson is out with a leg injury. Remember when he hobbled off the ice a couple of games ago?
• Rumours...rumours...rumours. A report of a veteran Rockets player leaving the team are just that - a rumour.