No points, few goals and no finger nails

• No points. No problem. Five goals in three games though? I'm a bit surprised at that statistic. As for the lack of wins, lets remember that two of the three games the Rockets have played this season were against arguably one of the best teams in the conference. Both games were one goal losses. The lack of finish around the net puzzles me, especially from the veteran players like Geordie Wudrick and Cody Chikie. These two have to gobble up huge minutes and need to be difference makes as 19 and 20 year-old's. Sure, life will be much easier when Tyson Barrie and Shane McColgan return, but outside of their performances in the pre-season, neither has exploded out of the gates in the first three games. Clearly time is on their side. The two will provide us with some terrific hockey over the next 69 games.
  
• One player who should have two goals already this season is rookie Colton Sissons. Sissons has failed to score on two-two on one situations. On opening night he was shutdown on a great feed from Mitchell Callahan. Then on Friday, again a nice pass this time from Spencer Main had Sissons failing to get the puck past Americans goaltender Drew Owsley. The good news about Sissons play is the fact he is creating quality chances and is finding himself in good scoring areas.
  
• When was the last time the Rockets failed to earn a point in their first three regular season games? It was the start of the 2006-2007 season when the team lost games to Chilliwack, Tri City and Everett. The Rockets would lose a 4th straight game to Portland before earning a 5-4 win in overtime in their 5th game of the season against Kamloops. The Rockets were 1-6-0-1 in their first eight regular season games that year.
  
• What is one of the best statistics in hockey? Who scores the first goal of the game. Often overlooked, this statistic tells me who has the character when the workload is at its greatest. Opening up the scoring when two teams are neck-and-neck with one another is never easy. Scoring the 6th goal in a 6-1 blowout has never impressed me much. It pads the stats when the team that's taking it on the chin is waving the surrender flag.
• Americans assistant coach Brent Bilodeau won't be making many road trips with the Tri City Americans this season. Bilodeau is a part-time coach, meaning the majority of his duties and expertise will be used while the team is on home ice.
  
• Stepan Novotny is off to a terrific start. The Swift Current Broncos forward has five goals and seven points in four games. But we've seen this act before. Novotny got off to a tremendous start with the Rockets last season (6+3=9 in his first four games ) before cooling off with six goals in 16 games. It will be interesting to see if he levels off or is able to be more consistent in his 20 year-old season. My guess is Novotny will be near or at the top of the Broncos leader board this season.
  
• The player the Rockets acquired in the trade for Novotny - Geordie Wudrick - is conversely off to a slow start this season. The same held true last season though, when Wudrick had 6 goals in his first 25 regular season games with the Broncos. Wudrick appeared to find his game following a deal to the Rockets.
• Tri City Americans beat writer Annie Fowler has a life. I have never attended an Americans home game without hearing Fowler tapping away on her computer keys with those 'nails of steel'. But on Friday night at the Toyota Center, Fowler wasn't in her usual perch. It was unusually quiet in the broadcast booth. I was told Fowler was attended her sons football game, and good on her. Supportive mom first, hard working media type second. It shows me Fowler has her priorities straight. I am sure the world didn't end as a result of her absence, especially just three home games into the season. You can bet she will be there the next time I visit in January.
• After experiencing back-to-back games where the one referee system has been used, I am still a huge fan. I've tried to accept the two man system, but one man calling the shots on the ice is just right! Their is room for error obviously, but isn't that what sport is? It's all about one team making an error and the other team taking advantage. If the one referee misses a call, so be it. He's human. I tend to have more patience with the one referee because its tough to manage everything on the ice. I find if two officials are out there, calls shouldn't be missed because my expectations are higher.