Power outage on power play

• The Kelowna Rockets power play proved to be their worst enemy last night in a 6-4 loss to the Red Deer Rebels. The Rockets were rewarded with four straight second period power play chances, yet failed to score, as they dropped their overall record to 5-11-1-1. What made matters worse is they also allowed a shorthanded goal as the Rebels broke open a 1-1 game with three unanswered goals in the second period.
• Where is the urgency on the Rebels shorthanded goal? Brown makes a save on a sharp angle shot and Rebels defenceman Alex Petrovic wins a race to a loose puck and awkwardly puts it into the net to make it 4-1. If the Rockets defender, even in the least bit, gets back to check Petrovic, the goal doesn't happen.
  
• A great start for the the Rockets, who scored less than two minutes into the game thanks to a power play goal from Madison Bowey and physical play from throughout the line up. With 15 shots on goal, the Rockets were doing all the right things in order to have success. Unfortunately that game plan was railroaded after two penalties which gave the visitors a 5 on 3 at the midway point of the second period. The Rebels would score to make it a 3-1 game.
• The Rockets found themselves down 4-1 heading into the third period but rallied with three goals, including Shane McColgan's marker to make it a one goal game. The Rockets surrender a goal just 1:48 minutes later and the Rebels regain the two goal edge.
• A tough night for goaltender Adam Brown. In this game the Rebels were better in that area. Rebound control was an issue and timely saves were few and far between. Rebels netminder Patrik Bartosak, like his team, seemed to get better as the game went on.
• Playing on a line with Brett Bulmer, Cody Chikie and Colton Sissons broke out of significant goal scoring slumps. Chikie snapped a seven game goal scoring drought. Sissons also scored in the third period for only his second in ten games.
• Bulmer ended the game with three assists.
  
• I still see to much individualistic play by the forwards, specifically in the neutral zone, but that may be the result of the defenseman's inability to get the puck into the forwards hands. How many passes from the d-men are landing in the skates of the forwards?
• It was nice to see Carter Rigby back in the line up after missing seven games with an upper body injury. Rigby played well considering the length of time he was out. He also provided us with the best quote of the night when he was asked if some players on his team accept losing. "If you accept losing, get the hell out of the league", Rigby said emphatically on our AM 1150 post game show. Loved the quote and the fire in his eyes when asked. That's the competitive spirit I like to see. Does the question need to be asked? I think so. The response is what I hoped to hear.
• The Rebels didn't play the 'vanilla' game I anticipated. They played with good pace after what I am sure the coaching staff would suggest was a terrible opening period. While looking over- matched after 20 minutes, the Rebels picked up their skill game and turned up their work ethic by out-shooting the Rockets 9-0 in the first half of the second period.
  
• Mathew Dumba didn't disappoint. The 17 year-old Rebels d-man was steady, but not spectacular. What he does well is make hard plays with the puck. He wasn't guilty of over playing pucks or making soft passes. When Dumba rims the puck to get the puck out of the zone, he does it with urgency and rifles it so the defending team has no chance of keeping it inside the zone. He is not without his flaws, but what young player is?