Quick thoughts before game four

• Tips captain Zack Dailey hit the nail on the head when he spoke to reporters after last nights game. The 20 year-old said his team was too cute with the puck and were outworked by the Rockets. I am paraphrasing here, but you get the message. The Tips turned over the puck numerous times in game three, something that was essentially invisible in the first two games down in Everett. I expect a charged up Tips team tonight. They would like nothing more than to send this series back to Comcast Arena with a chance to wrap up the series on home ice.
• This will be the best game of the series. The Rockets have momentum and want to tie this series at two. A win tonight means we are playing hockey at Prospera Place on Saturday. A Rockets victory turns this into a best of three series.
• What I liked most about the Rockets efforts last night was their ability to deflect or re-direct pucks towards the Tips net. Kent Simpson and Thomas Heemskerk are just too good to beat them on clean shots. Sure, it happens, but the Rockets were able to get sticks down and deflect pucks from point shots. Even when Simpson made the save on a deflection, he was off balance and was unable to recover for the rebound.
• It wouldn't surprise me if Thomas Heemskerk was back in goal for the Tips tonight. I though the 19 year-old wasn't at the top of his game in the opener, so the change in goal for game two seemed possible. I just thought last night, Kent Simpson didn't play to his strengths. He's wasn't awful, don't get me wrong, but something wasn't right there. Heemskerk has the distinction of winning both games in Kelowna during the regular season. Does than matter at this time of the year?
• Let me say one thing about Mark Guggenberger. He is a lot more mentally tough than many people had thought. It was likely a tough pill to swallow for him to see limited playing time down the stretch and then ride the pine in the first three games of this playoff series. The veteran goaltender could have gone into a sulk and played the 'woe-as-me' card. If he did, he kept it to himself, as not be a distraction to the team. When he got his chance to play, in a relief appearance for Adam Brown last night, he sparkled.
• One more thing about Guggenberger. When he's on, he's on. Gugg's can be an elite goaltender when he challenges shooters, is confident, and spreads out to make his body look like a house. When Guggenberger plays big, opposing shooters often times try to fire it through the small holes he creates. That's my explanation as to why so many posts are hit when he is in goal. He covers so much of the net that pin point accuracy is needed to get one by him. The only goal he gave up was a 5 on 3 power play goal in the first period that he had no chance on.
• How much is Radko Gudas missed on the Tips defensive core? I thought we saw that in the third period where that extra physical dimension and puck moving d-man was missed. For the first time in this series Ryan Murray was playing more minutes in his own end of the ice, which made him less effective in the offensive zone.
• The Rockets have been out-scored 5-1 in the first period in this series. I would like to see the home team have the lead after 20 minutes and see how the Tips react. Battling back after trailing in the first period isn't easy, and the Rockets have had to do it three times.
• Brett Bulmer. Should we be surprised he has two goals in this series? The 17 year-old rookie forward is going to be a stud. His goal scoring in the playoffs is only helping his cause in this summers NHL draft. Scouts are indeed noticing.