Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Game notes vs. Americans

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Americans are meeting in game three of a best of seven Western Conference semi final series. The series is tied at one win each after the Rockets earned a 3-2 win Saturday night. The Americans won the opener by a 5-3 score. Game four is tomorrow night at Prospera Place before the series shifts back to Kennewick Washington for game five Friday night. If a game six is necessary, it will be played in Kelowna Sunday night. The Rockets and Americans are meeting for the 4th time in the WHL playoffs since the team re-located to Kelowna. Last season the Rockets beat the Americans in a hard fought six game series. The Americans would win the first two games at home before the Rockets would win the next four games to advance to the Western Conference final against Vancouver. The Rockets are playing in the second round courtesy of a seven game series win over Everett in the opening round. The Rockets are making their 18th appearance in the WHL playoffs in 19 seasons as an organization. The only playoff miss was back in 2006-2007.

Scoring by period:
Period: 1 2 3 Total
Rockets: 3 0 3 6
Americans 3 0 4 7

Digging deeper: The Rockets have been out-shot 80-57 in the first two games. The Rockets are 1 for 3 on the power play (33.3%) while the Americans are 1 for 6 (16.7%) with the extra man.

Game two recap: Spencer Main had a goal and an assist leading the Rockets to a 3-2 win Saturday night. Lucas Bloodoff and Brandon McMillan also scored for the Rockets, who were out-shot 37-28. The Rockets were 0 for 1 on the power play while the Americans were 0 for 2. Mark Guggenberger was named the games 1st star.

Game one recap: Two goals in a span of 25 seconds in the third period broke open a 2-2 game, lifting the Tri City Americans to a 5-3 win in game one. Brandon McMillan scored once and added two assists while Geordie Wudrick (1+1=2) and Lucas Bloodoff (1+1=2) also scored in a losing cause. The Rockets were out-shot 43-29. Kelowna was 1 for 2 on the power play while the Americans were 1 for 4 with the extra man.

Who’s Hot, Who’s Not: Lucas Bloodoff is riding a four game goal scoring streak heading into tonight’s game….Brandon McMillan is riding a four game point streak heading into tonight’s game. McMillan has 2+5=7 over that period. McMillan has been held off the score sheet just once in this year's playoffs. McMillan did not pick up a point in game five against Everett….Geordie Wudrick has a three game point streak (2+2=4) heading into game three….Dallas Jackson has a modest three game point streak (0+3=3)….Mitchell Callahan has no points in his last five games and no goals in his last six games…

Game Day Tidbits: The Rockets beat a U.S Division team just five times during the regular season. In this years playoffs the Rockets have already won five times in nine games against a U.S based team…. Geordie Wudrick has nine playoff goals. That leads the WHL in goals scored in the playoffs. In case you are wondering, Jamie Benn had 13 in last years post season….Five players on the Rockets roster have 38 games of WHL playoff experience. Lucas Bloodoff (11+9=20), Brandon McMillan (2+14=16), Tyson Barrie (6+26=32 points), Collin Bowman (1+7=8) and Geordie Wudrick (15+7=22) lead the way…Wudrick’s eight goals in a playoff series against Everett is a franchise record. Jesse Schultz had five goals in a playoff series against Red Deer in the 2003 WHL final…Tyson Barrie led the Rockets offensively in the opening round with 9 points (2+7=9). Barrie had points in five of the seven games in the opening round…McMillan leads the Rockets with a +5 rating in the playoffs….Guggenberger has started six straight playoff games after relieving Adam Brown in game three of the Everett series…Guggenberger is 10 and 4 in 14 home playoff games over his career.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Pretty exciting to have all the team giving a push at the right time....I hope huska keeps the same line -up.. gugs deserves to stay in there until the sky falls on his head.... The 20 year old squad are leading the charge how sweet it is to be a rockets fan in april...See ya alllllll at the game....BE LOUUUUUDDDD AND PROOUUUUUD

WintHawk said...

i question your comment about Owsley not being a puckhandling goaltender, i havn't watched this series so i wouldn't know BUT whenever he was in Portland i thought he was very fluent with the puck, would always stop it behind the net for his d-men and sometimes even make the first breakout pass..Personally, i always thought that was one of his strengths

Regan Bartel said...

I haven't seen it in the first two games, but I will look out for that as it moves along. I've noticed that he wants to freeze the puck quickly though, which seems strange. Usually a non-puck moving goalie is more apt to freeze it. Appreciate your comments though. You would see him far more than I would.

WintHawk said...

I guess you never know, maybe he's playing more conservative because of the playoffs or something. But hey, whatever Owsley/Guggenberger is doing is much better then Carruth! Those first two games in our series was something to watch i tell ya

Regan Bartel said...

That series is interesting. It appears to be bad goaltending on both sides? What's yout take on that series? Bad officiating? It's been pretty good (knock on wood) in the first two games here.

jaz301 said...

I am pumped up for this game. It should be a good one.

Regan I think its to soon to talk about good reffing. Chris Savage is a ref tonight.(We will se how he does.)

Regan Bartel said...

Don't worry about Chris. He calls it tight in the first and seems to disappear as the game goes on. I think he reads the flow of the game quite well.