#7 plays prominent role

(Photo by Marissa Baecker)

• The number seven played a prominent role in Saturday night's Rockets win over the visiting Red Deer Rebels. Damon Severson, wearing his familiar number seven jersey, scored in the seventh round of the shootout, leading his team to a 4-3 win. Severson's heroics helped the Rockets win in the shootout for the 7th time this season, and if you include his shootout goal, Severson would have seven goals this season after scoring his 6th in regulation time in the come-from-behind victory.

• The Rockets found themselves down 2-0 after 20 minutes despite a solid period. Brett Bulmer was awarded a penalty shot and hit two goal posts but couldn't find the back of the net. Bulmer would be rewarded with two goals in the second period though, before Severson scored late in the third to give the Rockets their first lead of the game.

• The game went into overtime after Rebels d-man Matt Dumba tied the game with 32 seconds left in regulation. A face-off occurred in the Rockets zone after back-to-back icings by Bulmer and Madison Bowey. Bowey's icing came out of desperation to clear the zone while Bulmer's ill advised attempt at scoring his third goal of the game went wide, putting his team in a tough spot. In a one goal game, chipping the puck to centre ice rather than going for the empty net would have been the best option.

• The game winning goal in the shootout will be credited to Severson, but the most controversial play came when Rockets leading scorer Shane McColgan scored after cutting back against the grain with the puck and losing his forward momentum. To the surprise of many, the call on the ice stood after a quick video review. You would think Rebels head coach Jesse Wallin was none to pleased with that call. Despite McColgan's shootout goal, the Rebels still had three chances to win it, but couldn't solve Adam Brown.

• The win snapped a six game winless streak for the Rockets, who hadn't won since a 4-1 road victory in Prince George. The win was the Rockets 25th of the season.