Rockets advance to second round

• For the third straight season the Kelowna Rockets are off to the Western Conference semi finals. Shane McColgan scored twice and added an assist as the Rockets eliminated the Prince George Cougars in four games with a 4-2 win Wednesday night at CN Centre. Zak Stebner and Damon Severson, both with their second goals of the series, also scored for the Rockets who will open the second round on the road.
• McColgan ended the series with 10 points in just four games. McColgan (3+7=10) now leads the WHL playoff points parade.
• It was a much improved effort by the Rockets after what we witnessed in game three. The defensive core played a low risk game yet still generated two of the four goals in the victory.
  
• I don't want to be negative, but don't fool yourself into believing that the Rockets performance in all four games against the Cougars would be good enough to beat a second round opponent. It won't be good enough. Trust me, if the Rockets play to a similar level in round two like they did against Prince George, they will suffer the same fate the Cougars did.
  
• Again the Cougars played game four without Brett Connolly. It was learned after the game that Connolly suffered a grade two separated shoulder. Connolly was hurt early in game one. You have to wonder how close the series would have been with a healthy Connolly in the Cougars lineup. My guess is we would be playing game five Friday night at Prospera Place.
  
• The Cougars didn't dress forward Charles Inglis in game four after he too suffered a shoulder injury. I am not sure if the injury occurred the night prior or if he was hampered by it throughout the series? If it was hurt prior to last night's game, it's interesting that a veteran player would elect to sit out a game where his team needed him the most.
  
• It will be interesting to see how the Rockets react to having Evan Bloodoff back in the lineup in the second round now that his four game suspension is over. The 20 year-old will only complement Geordie Wudrick and Colton Sissons, who were relatively quiet in the series after making some noise prior to Bloodoff's suspension.
• A classy gesture on behalf of Cougars GM Dallas Thompson who sent me a congratulatory text message on the series win.
  
• Special thanks to Colour Analyst Gord McGarva for joining me in Prince George over the last couple of days. McGarva elected to take the drive with me up north over a trip to Arizona for the spring break. McGarva played a huge role in our post game show coverage by getting reaction from the Rockets dressing room.