Missed chances bite Rockets

• 0 for 9. That statistic alone was the main reason why the Kelowna Rockets were unable to pull out a point in their first visit to Portland this season. The Rockets failed to score on nine power play chances in a 4-2 loss Friday night to the Portland Winterhawks.
• This was a 2-1 hockey game in favour of the Hawks with about five minutes left to go in the third period. The Hawks would score two quick goals for their 11th win of the season. Cody Chikie scored twice for the Rockets, with his second of the game coming with just three seconds left in regulation time. The loss drops the Rockets record to 4 and 9.These two teams meet again Saturday night in Portland.

• The Rockets are now 2 for 29 on the power play in their last five games. That's a success rate of 7%.
• The Rockets energy level was much improved from what we witnessed Tuesday in a 3-1 home ice loss to Brandon. It was nice to see a workman like approach from more than just a handful of players. On this night, only a handful of players struggled.
  
• The Rockets had three tremendous chances in the third period to tie the game. Mackenzie Johnston rings one off the post while Mitchell Callahan somehow chops one over the net with the puck on his stick and nothing but a wide open cage. Geordie Wudrick also had a glorious chance, but shot the puck high and wide of the goal.
• Missed chances on the power play in the third period (three chances in a span of 7 minutes) in a one goal game came back to bite the Rockets. Moments after the Rockets power play expires, Hawks forward Brad Ross sneaks behind rookie defenseman Damon Severson and scores to make it 3-1. Lights out. Game over.
  
• Don't slag Severson though. The 16 year-old is out on the ice in a one goal game with five minutes left in regulation time against one of the best teams in the league. What does that say about his ability? I was watching Severson and comparing him with 16 year-old Portland rear guard Derrick Pouliot. Pouliot is a first round bantam pick. Severson was a 9th rounder. In Friday's game, Severson was equally as good, if not better, than his 16 year-old counterpart.
  
• Nino Niederreiter was back in a Winterhawks jersey Friday night. Playing with Ryan Johansen and Brad Ross, he looked a little out of sinc as he made the transition back to major junior hockey. Who would have thought the 18 year-old would get into a fight in his first game back? Niederreiter tangled with Rockets forward Spencer Main in a second period tilt after Rockets defenseman Mackenzie Johnston was checked heavily into the end boards. Main will likely be able to say someday when Niederreiter is making some noise at the NHL level, "I fought that guy".
• The game took two hours and 42 minutes to complete. A piece of plexi-glass at Memorial Coliseum was partially to blame. It popped out twice, once in the first period and again in the third. In the first instance, the two teams were sent to the dressing room with 50 seconds left. After cleaning the ice, the teams returned to play out the period before beginning the second frame.