Things that make me go hmm...

• Congratulations to Marc Habscheid for leading his Chilliwack Bruins to a playoff birth this season. I will admit, I predicted Habscheid's team would miss post season play and Seattle would be playoff bound. I was wrong. Whether 'Haber' ever forgives me for this blunder is still in question. If the truth be known, I have a pretty good relationship with the Bruins bench boss and he sent me a friendly barb when he heard my prediction. I may have to buy him dinner for the mishap. I can hear him saying it now, "That will never happen".
• The play-by-play voice of the Vancouver Giants is on the move. Morley Scott has been named the new play-by-play man of the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos. Congrats Morley.
• I spoke to Tyler Halliday before his final game in a Prince George Cougars uniform Saturday night. I wanted to wish Halliday the best in his future, whether it be in hockey or school. Playing your final game in junior hockey with no hope of the playoffs can't be a good feeling. I will have to admit It was nice to see him score against his old team in his final game in junior hockey.
• Burt Henderson. Have you ever heard of him? I hadn't until I was informed that he indeed is the Rockets all-time franchise leader in points by a defenceman. Henderson played a couple of seasons in Tacoma before the Rockets re-located to Kelowna in 1995. Henderson had 186 career points, which is 16 more than Tyson Barrie. Barrie is indeed the highest scoring d-man since the team came to Kelowna, but Henderson is the franchise leader.
• Did you know the Rockets received the third most power play chances of any team in the WHL this season? The Rockets had 364 chances. Only Calgary (372) and Tri City (368) had more.
• The question on the minds of Rockets fans is who to cheer for in the Western Conference playoff series between Kamloops and Vancouver. Rockets fans don't like either team. As one fan told me at last night's awards banquet, it would be nice to see the Blazers punted from the first round of the playoffs for a 10th straight season. My belief is the Blazers will give the Giants all they can handle.
• The Blazers have not gotten past the first round of the playoffs since 1999. That season the team went all the way to the WHL finals with Marc Habscheid at the helm. Habscheid was relieved of his duties that summer. The struggles in Kamloops are being called "the Habschied curse".
• The Rockets will start game one on the road Friday night in Everett. The Rockets are no strangers to winning game one on the road in the playoffs. Last season they beat the Giants in Vancouver 4-2 in game one of a Western Conference Semi Final Series before earning a 3-1 win in Calgary in game one of the WHL final. The Rockets also earned a win in game one of the Memorial Cup in Rimouski. Will the pattern continue Friday?
• When was the last time the Rockets started an opening round playoff series on the road? The Rockets were in Seattle for game one during the 2008 playoffs. The Rockets won that game 3-2.
• In the 2006 playoff series with Everett, the Rockets had home ice advantage. Oddly enough they lost the first two games at home before losing game three in Everett. Maybe home ice advantage is overrated?
• The ugly stat. The Rockets were 0 and 3 in Everett in the playoffs in 2006, yet were 2 and 1 in 2004. The one loss in Everett in 04 came in overtime when John Dahl scored.
• Dan Russell's Sports Talk will feature a round table discussion with the four BC Division broadcasters, who's team's made the playoffs. That segment will likely be aired on Thursday night. You can catch it on AM 1150. Sports Talk is heard on http://www.am1150.ca/ seven days a week from 9 pm until midnight.
• Pumped in crowd noise is not necessary at Comcast Arena. I don't think the video monitor even has to encourage the fans to make noise. A low roof and roudy fans make that building a wild place to witness a game. Who pumps in crowd noise any way? It's unheard of in the WHL!
• I'm interested to see how many hockey fans show up for Friday nights opener in Everett. Traditionally opening round crowds are always on the smallish side. In last years playoffs against the Tri City Americans, just 3 thousand 114 Tip fans showed up for the first of just two playoff games. Two night's later a better crowd of 41 hundred took in the game. Both are small by Tips standards.
• If you are having a coffee in downtown Kelowna today and the guy next too you looks like Chris Osgood, it probably is. The Detroit Red Wings flew into Kelowna late last night and are spending an off day in Kelowna. The Wings will conduct two practices Wednesday and Thursday before heading off to Edmonton to face the Oilers on Friday.