Monday, March 18, 2013

Rockets lose MVP for start of playoffs

The Kelowna Rockets will open the playoffs without their captain and most valuable player. Colton Sissons (pictured to the right during Sunday's awards ceremony) has been sidelined with an upper body injury suffered in the second last game of the regular season against the Vancouver Giants. Sissons had a career high 28 goals this season in arguably his final year in a Rockets uniform. Sissons admits it will be tough to watch his team during the best time of the year.
"We are going to need guys to step up and fill that void of leadership. I am going to be around obviously, so I will have an impact in the dressing room on our guys. We need everyone to step up here and take it to a new level.
Leading scorer Myles Bell agrees.
"We played without him in December when he was hurt and everyone stepped up. Having him out makes everyone better because everyone plays harder to fill those shoes".
Sissons missed 10 games with an upper body injury in December and the Rockets managed 8 wins in 10 games.

6 comments:

g.k said...

Regan I'm very disappointed to hear this, as I posted earlier there was no need for him or our other top players to play this weekend, I know for a fact that Portland rested there key guys, because the games meant nothing & they still won them convincingly. I feel bad for Colton & the rest of the players as both his injuries this season have come at crucial times, the World Juniors & now likely the whole post season. Anyways good luck Rockets, win the whole thing for your captain & MVP.

Regan Bartel said...

Colton plays only one way...hard. It is unfortunate. But again, we have been preaching the virtues of this teams depth. Franko and Olsen are two players that really need to step up when it comes to scoring. It is their time as 19 and 18 year-old's to 'bring it' in the playoffs.

Unknown said...

The last two games between Seattle and Portland were not that convincing. I watched the Friday game on television and was at the Saturday game. Portland sat Jones on Friday and Rattie on Saturday. Carruth didn't play either game, it sounded like he got dinged up a little the previous weekend.

The Friday game was very close until Portland scored a SH goal and then shortly after took advantage of a two minute five on three to get two more goalsearly in the third period. Saturday the T-birds came back from two goals down twice to get into OT and a shootout before losing. And lets face it Portland still has a awful lot of talent even when they rest players. They had three 100+ point guys in the lineup Friday and two on Saturday.

I think this will be a pretty good series, Seattle is scoring again and all but 4 of their players have been even or better players in March. It may not sound like much but most of the team is minus 20+ for the year. The last game in Kelowna sounded like a pretty good game on the radio and the two games in Seattle were very competitive. I can't wait to tune in Friday and Saturday.

For full disclosure I picked Kelowna in 6 on your poll, but I'm really hoping for the upset :)

Regan Bartel said...

Thanks for stopping by Marc. Hope to receive some input from you as the series rolls along. All are welcome on this blog if we all play fair in the 'sand box'.

MG said...

I too think the Rockets should have sat their top players. Bell got a heck of a "charlie horse" on Saturday ( at least that is what it looked liked) and was quite upset on the bench. All these bumps and bruises accumulate and take a toll. Resting Bell and Sissons would not have hurt but then again this is armchair coaching at its finest isn't it ?

daryl said...

Sixteen wins to get to the big show even with Colton in the line-up is a very tall order. Portland appears poised to be very, very tough and I'll be surprised if they lose 4 games all playoffs. Hopefully the boy's will try to "win it for Colton" but in the end the Hawks will likely prevail. I hope I'm wrong... I hope Franco gets to play with Bell as they had good chemistry earlier in the year. Seattle will be tough as they have been playing their best hockey of the year as of late. Baillie can step up and play Sissons style on the ice but Colton will be missed big time for sure. Here's hoping for a Cinderella run... Go Rocket's Go!!