Welcome to Brandon!!

Josh Morrissey at practice in Brandon

• Welcome to Friendly Manitoba!! We've arrived in the land of 'milk and honey' according to Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert. Lambert is from nearby St. Malo, which means his dad and mom and likely a few siblings will be in attendance at one or both games at Westman Place.
• It is great to be here. Twenty other teams can only wish for the chance to compete for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. It is a hard trophy to win. In my opinion the hardest. I still believe it is the greatest prize despite those that feel the Memorial Cup holds that honour. The Memorial Cup is a crap shoot and it is essentially a one game showdown. Hockey turns into football where the best team on that day wins. In the Ed Chynoweth Cup, the best team is decided over a seven game series. If a team can beat another four times, I think that is a pretty good indication of who is better.
• It is raining here. When the Rockets landed Wednesday afternoon at Brandon's 'air field', it was raining fairly significantly. As one local told me, "We need the rain. It has been very dry here. The farmers need it". I have heard that phrase a thousand times growing up in Saskatchewan. We never had enough rain and then when it was raining they would say "we have too much". 
• Rourke Chartier practiced Thursday at Westman Place. Does he ever look good. Can skate. Can shoot. Looked fresh to be honest with you. Will we see him in this series? Oh, the element of surprise.
• A nice vibe around the city for the WHL final. That is why the league must never look away at the smaller market teams. Is Brandon a smaller market? Probably not, but the hype in this city for the junior team is wide spread. Nothing against Edmonton, but isn't it nice that another team in the Eastern Conference can be involved in the championship final? Edmonton and Portland have owned this time of the year for what feels like years. Oh ya, for the Winterhawks it has been four straight appearance in the league final.
• A high five to the Brandon Sun. The local newspaper is all about the Wheat Kings this week and rightfully so. An excellent read in the morning as we have breakfast at the hotel. Who reads the newspaper anymore? I do!! Speaking of media, this series is getting a lot of attention from those in nearby Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Sun is covering this series and I understand a solid TV contingent will also be here. Josh Morrissey is a first round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, so a story on him playing in the WHL Championship is enough to persuade those in the Manitoba capital.
• Like the Canucks, the Kelowna Rockets again have two brother's that could potentially play on the team in the near future. Nolan Foote, the son of ex-NHLer Adam Foote, was drafted in the second round by Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey. The Rockets picked Cal Foote in the second round last summer. The sense is the two will play with the Rockets. This is not a gamble on Frey's behalf. Both are American born players who appear to be committed to the Kelowna Rockets program. Cal attended camp this past fall but has not signed a player contract. My belief is now that both brothers are Rockets property, that will happen.
• The ice at Westman Place is interesting. It reacts the same way outdoor ice would. It is extremely hard and quick but snows up easily. Wayne Pansegrau, Okanagan's version of the 'Ice Whisperer', would suggest that if the ice snows up easily the arena is too cold. If it was melting snow, that is bad news obviously. Pansegrau is an authority on ice after being part of the ice making crew at several NHL outdoor classic games. New logo's on the ice for the WHL final also means new ice has had to form over top of it, which could also factor in it snowing up easily. The more it's skated on, the better it will get.
• Westman Place is an older facility but has a certain old school charm about it. The training staff like the relatively new visitors dressing room (it is the second time we've used it) which allows extra locker room seating for the 'Black Aces'. Who are the 'Black Aces'? They are considered the players that practice with the team but don't play. That would include Tate Coughlin, Jake Morrissey, Jordan Bortsmayer and Cole Lind.   

Notes, quotes and anecdotes

Rockets and Wheat Kings collide in WHL final -Shoot the Breeze Photography

• The Kelowna Rockets have something in common with the Brandon Wheat Kings and it has nothing to do with both team's successes this season. The Rockets and Wheat Kings were both eliminated in the Memorial Cup in subsequent years by the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires. The Rockets lost 4-1 in the 2009 final to Taylor Hall in Rimouski, Quebec while the Wheat Kings fell victim to Hall again at the 2010 tournament which was hosted in Brandon.
• I am excited to announce former Kelowna Rockets goaltender Kristopher Westblom will join me in the broadcast booth for both games in Brandon. Westblom will essentially be Gord McGarva...ok not as funny. Westblom is now working in the Brandon area as an accountant, finance and project management. The Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan resident just retired from hockey and should provide an interesting perspective. You may remember he was the starting goaltender in four of the five games for the Rockets in the WHL Championship back in 2005.
• Injuries. There are no injuries in the playoffs are there? 
• Name the Wheat Kings defenceman who took out Rockets starting goaltender Derek Yeomans in game one of the 2005 WHL Championship? The answer at the bottom of the page.
• Cole Linaker has never played for a championship. Now, the 19 year-old is getting his first taste of winning the elusive Ed Chynoweth Cup. "I have never been on any winning team. I never did much growing up. I was always on one of the weaker teams", Linaker told me at practice on Tuesday. "I am really excited to be on this team now and being in the position we are in".
• The captain of Ryan Huska's American Hockey League's Adirondack Flames split his duties playing junior hockey in Kelowna and Brandon. Thirty-four year-old Nolan Yonkman played a full three seasons in the Okanagan from 1997-2000 before being traded to the Wheat Kings where he played 51 games in 2000-2001.
• Time change. Is it a factor? It can be. The two hour time difference is small, but the Rockets management recognizes that it would be best to get into Brandon two days in advance of the league final.  BC is two hours behind Manitoba. Make sense?
• The use of Kevlar socks was up for hot debate after an interview I did with Vice President of Hockey for the WHL, Richard Doerksen, on Sunday night. The issue surfaced after Tyrell Goulbourne was cut by a skate of Keegan Iverson in game five of the Western Conference Championship. Doerksen says it is not mandatory for players to wear them, yet the Spokane Chiefs, Edmonton Oil Kings and Regina Pats all do. I think it is fair to say many of the Kelowna Rockets don't and risk injury. The Kevlar socks are supposedly thick, so players don't like the feel of them in the boot of their skate. What happens if the socks that all WHL teams wear over their shin pads had the Kevlar material on the back of them? It may look slightly bulky, but sounds like an easy fix to me? Seeing Goulbourne injured that way was tough to take.
• Small thing, but it really tells me what Leon Draisaitl is all about. The 19 year-old's apparent goal in the second period of game six, which looked tipped in from a pass from line-mate Justin Kirkland, was in fact Kirkland's goal. Draisaitl immediately noted to the officials that the puck indeed went off a defenders stick and past Winterhawks goalie Adin Hill. It did not go off Draisaitl and he wasn't afraid to admit it. The German is all about putting up points and loves earning an assist on a play as much as he does scoring a goal. In the end though, that small gesture showed me he is buying in to the team concept all the way.
• It is slim pickings on the Rockets roster when it comes to Manitoba talent, but the three that do reside from the province are significant. Head Coach Dan Lambert was born in St. Malo, which is three hours East of Brandon. Defenceman Madison Bowey is from Winnipeg. I don't need to explain to you where Winnipeg is do I? Injured forward Tanner Wishnowski, who is cleared for contact, is from Oakbank, Manitoba. Oakbank is just outside of Winnipeg.
• Air travel is a must in this series. Both centres are separated by just under 18 hours of travel - one way. In the QMJHL final between Rimouski and the host Quebec Remparts, it is just a three hour drive. In the OHL, Erie and Oshawa are fairly close in proximity. The driving distance is three hours and 47 minutes.
• I love Rourke Chartier's response when I asked him about attempting to win the WHL Sportsmanlike Player of the Year Award. His answer? "It (playing clean) has always been a part of my game. I've never liked to take penalties. When I was little I used to cry when I got one in novice, so maybe that is where it comes from", Chartier said with a chuckle. The 19 year-old had just 18 penalty minutes in 51 regular season games.
• The answer to the trivia was Steven Later. The 19 year-old, at the time, was the Wheat Kings leading scorer on defense. Later crashed into Derek Yeomans in game one and his season was over. In an emergency, the WHL allowed the Rockets to dress Mike Wall as a back up at the Memorial Cup to Kristopher Westblom. Wall was the Everett Silvertips starting goalie in 2004-2005.

Satisfying series win

• Winning a Western Conference Championship and advancing to the Western Hockey League final is always special. It would be safe to say the Kelowna Rockets series win over an arch playoff nemesis like the Portland Winterhawks may have been the most satisfying of the four the franchise has claimed in the last thirteen seasons. The Winterhawks owned the Rockets in the playoffs....until now. After having their season end at the hands of the U.S Division powerhouse in three of the last four years, sending the WHL's only Oregon based franchise into an early summer was a massive accomplishment. In a game six, 8-4 win Sunday afternoon at the Moda Center, the Rockets returned the favour by winning the conference title in front of 85 hundred screaming fans that have seen their team advance to the league final four consecutive seasons. Instead the Winterhawks dreams of a fifth straight appearance were dashed when the Rockets rallied from a 3-0 deficit to score eight of the next nine goals in the series clinching victory. While it is an early exit for the Winterhawks, the Rockets will play on as they face the Eastern Conference Champion Brandon Wheat Kings in a clash of the top two team's during the regular season.
• This was a strange game considering the Rockets surrendered three goals in the first 13 minutes of action. Starting goaltender Jackson Whistle was replaced for the third time in the playoffs and back up Michael Herringer seamlessly enters the game and leads the team to a series clinching win. Even down 3-0, you could sense the Rockets were in good shape if they stayed the course and stuck to a solid work ethic. Even down by three, the general vibe was the visitors had a chance to pull even. Madison Bowey found the back of the net with a shorthanded goal 12 minutes into the second period to tie the game. At one point they were down 3-0, now it was 3-3. 
• The loss of leading goal scorer Rourke Chartier obviously did something to the psyche of the team. Tyson Baillie, who didn't make a peep in the first three games of the series by his standards, came alive and showed why the 19 year-old is such a great playoff performer. While Baillie was elevating his play, linemate Dillon Dube also took the opportunity with Chartier out to play a more significant role on the team's second line. Dube was lights-out terrific in both game five and six as the 'Golden Jet' (He was born in Golden BC) showed why Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey hit a home run when he picked the left handed shooting speedster 21st overall in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft. Baillie and Dube's strong play in game five and six were possibly one reason why the series didn't go the distance. 
• Gage Quinney was back in the line up in game six after sitting out four games with an upper body injury. The 19 year-old is a significant upgrade to the forward core, promptly collected two assists and was a +3 on the night.
• The line I enjoyed watching the most in this series was Cole Linaker with Chance Braid and Tomas Soustal. This trio was hard to play against because of their size, strength and physicality. All three were exceptional. Braid and Soustal played with increased determination. Linaker was his typical no quit self. 
• Leon. Leon. What more can we say about Leon Draisaitl? The 19 year-old had only one assist in game six, but what a horse in games five and six. Every time Draisaitl was on the ice, it was scary to see how he dominated play. If anyone questioned if Leon Draisaitl cares about winning a WHL title, the big German proved again he wants to win at whatever level he plays at. I thought the only part of his game that suffered was at the face-off dot, but let's be clear, he was massive in a game four win where he won several defensive zone face-offs to preserve a one goal victory. Draisaitl is the best European player this franchise has ever had. I may be going out on a limb, but the Oilers first round draft pick may be one of the best Rockets EVER! Draisaitl can cement that fact with a strong effort in the WHL final against Brandon. I have no doubt Draisaitl will rise to the challenge.
• Madison Bowey had his best game of the series. The 19 year-old was physical ( how about the hit on Winterhawks 20 year-old Myles Koules in the first period?) and scored two big goals to get his team rolling. That is what you expect from your captain. I didn't think Bowey came alive with his best effort until late in the series, so that will have to change against Brandon. The same can be said for Josh Morrissey, who was as quiet as a field mouse in the first three games of the series. Morrissey did step up in overtime in game five where something seemed to clicked. You could see that Morrissey was playing with more pace and was picking his spots to rush with the puck. When he does that, he is strong at both ends of the ice.  
• The series win was gratifying on so many levels. The team exorcised a demon and did it without Rourke Chartier and Tyrell Goulbourne. It was a big win for the rookie coaching staff, who must have been feeling the pressure and still have their feet to the fire to win a WHL championship. Winning three straight games over the Winterhawks, including two on the road, was satisfying for everyone involved. Of the four Western Conference Championships, this one is possibly the most gratifying because of the respected opponent that they were forced to take down. 
• I loved watching head coach Dan Lambert high-fiving his players as they left the Moda Centre ice. 'Lambo' is a players coach and wears his heart on his sleeve. The expression of happiness was so refreshing. 
• The fact that the Rockets rallied back to win in three of the four games was unbelievable. In game one they trailed 2-0 yet won 3-2. In game four they trailed 2-0 and again won 3-2. In game six they trailed 3-0 only to come back and win 8-4. 
• Nic Petan will never play in the WHL again. What a sad thought that is. Petan was a treat to watch. You always hear about generational players making the jump from junior hockey to the NHL. Is Nic Petan a generational player from bantam to major junior? I think he is. His skill set was above average. I am so glad I had a chance to see him for so many years.  The 20 year-old is now the WHL leader in playoff games played - with 88. That is an amazing number!!
• I appreciate all the feedback I received on Twitter over the course of Sunday's broadcast. We had lots of chatter about the game and I appreciate those that listened in. Twitter is a great indicator of how people care about the Rockets and their successes along the way. It is great to be in a city where the team matters and receives front page media attention. I hope the players realize that they are not only playing for their team-mates and families, but they are playing for a city that 15 years ago wasn't exactly known as a 'hockey hungry' centre.   
• The Rockets now prepare to face the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL final. It is the team that they battled all season long in an effort to win home ice advantage if the indeed met in the final. While falling short in their quest for the Scotty Munro trophy, starting on the road shouldn't play much of a factor for a team that is considered to be better on the road than they are at Prospera Place. In the post season, Dan Lambert's crew has been good no matter where the ice surface is situated.

Rockets beat playoff nemesis

The Kelowna Rockets are off to the Western Hockey League final where they will face the Brandon Wheat Kings. Last night, the Rockets earned a 8-4 win, capturing the Western Conference championship in six games.

Tyson Baillie's OT winner

No time for a recap of the Kelowna Rockets win Friday night in game five of the Western Conference championship. Off to Portland which means all I have to offer you is audio from Tyson Baillie's game winner:

Rockets/Winterhawks game notes

Tonight’s Preview: Playing in May is never a bad thing. The Kelowna Rockets and Portland Winterhawks meet tonight in game five of the Western Conference championship series. This best of seven is tied at two wins apiece with the Rockets winning games one and four while the Winterhawks earned victories in game two and three. Following game five tonight, the series heads back to Portland for game six on Sunday (5 P.M). If a seventh and deciding game is necessary, it will be played Tuesday night in Kelowna.

Series Scoring by Period:

                       1     2     3   Total

Rockets         1     8    2      11

Winterhawks 5     6    3      14

Game by Game Scores:

Game one: 3-2 Kelowna      Game three: 7-3 Portland    Game five: ?

Game two: 3-2 Portland       Game four: 3-2 Kelowna     Game six: ?

Broadcasters Notebook: The Winterhawks have opened the scoring in three of the four games…The Rockets have out-shot the Winterhawks in three of the four games…The Rockets best period in the series has been the second where they have scored eight of their 11 goals….Of the 25 goals scored between the two teams in the first four games, 14 have been scored in the middle frame….The Rockets have scored a power play goal in three of the four games, the exception being game one when both teams were 0 for 2….The Rockets are 4 for 13 (31%) on the power play in this series….The Winterhawks are 5 for 20 (25%) in the four games…Easy math shows you the Rockets have been shorthanded seven more times than Portland….In all four games, either the Rockets or Winterhawks have generated over 40 shots on net, but neither team has accomplished the feat in the same game…The Rockets had a series high 46 shots on net in game one.

Hot to Trot: Leon Draisaitl has scored in back-to-back games…Tyson Baillie’s ten game point streak was snapped in game two. Baillie had 7+6=13 over that period…Gage Quinney has goals in four of his last seven playoff games….Nick Merkley had his nine game point streak snapped Tuesday night. Merkley had 1+11=12 over that period....Madison Bowey had his nine game point streak Tuesday night. Bowey had 4+8=12 over that stretch….Leon Draisaitl had his seven game point streak snapped in game two. The 19 year-old had 2+11=13 in those seven games.

This and That: Nick Merkley has the same number of points (17) as he did in last year’s WHL playoffs, but in one fewer game…This is the 86^th game of the season for the Rockets this evening. That includes 72 regular season games and now its 14^th playoff game….Tyrell Goulbourne snapped a 10 game goal scoring drought in this year’s playoffs with the game winner in game four….It was Goulbourne’s first goal in 17 playoff games dating back to 2014 when he found the back of the net by scoring in back-to-back games in a second round series against Seattle…Goulbourne has a team high 47 playoff games under his belt…Tyson Baillie hasn’t scored in all four games in this series. Baillie found the back of the net five times in a second round series with Victoria…Madison Bowey has 43 games of playoff experience…The Rockets played in 14 post season games last season …Cole Martin has 43 playoff games on his resume….In total, the Rockets have 526 games of playoff experience in the lineup this evening…Rourke Chartier had 6 goals in 14 games in last year’s playoffs. In this year’s post season, the now 19 year-old (turned 19 April 3^rd) has nine goals in twelve games….Only two Rockets celebrate birthdays in May. Joe Gatenby turns 18 on May 15^th while Nick Merkley blows out the same number of candles on May 23^rd.

Additional Info: The Rockets are back to the Western Conference final for a second consecutive season against the same team that knocked them out in five games one year ago. The Rockets are 10 and 3 in post season with a four game sweep over Tri City in round one and a five game series win over Victoria in round two. For what it’s worth, the Rockets and Winterhawks met four times this season, but hadn’t seen one another since late November prior to the start of the series. The Rockets were 1-1-2-0 in the four games. This is the eighth consecutive appearance in the post season for the Rockets and 19^th time in the franchises 20 year history.

Playoff history vs. Winterhawks: These two teams are meeting for the fourth time ever in the playoffs. In the 2011 post season, the Winterhawks beat the Rockets in a second round series (4 games to 2). In 2012, the Winterhawks swept the Rockets in an opening round series in four straight games. In the 2014 post season, the Winterhawks eliminated the Rockets in the Western Conference final (4 games to 1).

Rockets best vs. Winterhawks: Rourke Chartier had 5+2=7 in the four game seasonal series against Portland. Madison Bowey was 1+3=4 while Nick Merkley chipped in with four assists. It should be noted that Cole Martin had two goals against the Winterhawks. Jackson Whistle played in all four games, posting a goals against average of 2.71 with an impressive save percentage of .928. Chase De Leo (3+1=4), Oliver Bjorkstrand (2+2=4) and Alex Schoenborn (2+2=4) paced Portland in the four games. Adin Hill was 2-0-0-0 with a goals against average of 1.78 and a save percentage of .941. 

Whistle first star in road win

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Jackson Whistle got a vote of confidence Wednesday night from the coaching staff and delivered with a 40 save effort in a 3-2 win over the Portland Winterhawks. Outsiders believed the Rockets may start back up Michael Herringer, who saw an appearance after Whistle was yanked in a game three – 7-3 loss. But the coaches went back to Whistle in game four and it proved to be the right move. Named the game’s first star, the goaltender was steady as the Rockets tied the Western Conference championship series at two wins apiece.
• You had to feel good for Tyrell Goulbourne. The 21 year-old scored the game winner Wednesday night, and did it with determination on a power play during a goal mouth scramble. It was Goulbourne’s first goal of the playoffs after going 12 games without one. Oh, he had his chances all right! The quick skating forward, who looks like he gets launched out of a cannon anytime he races for a loose puck, had two glorious first period chances shorthanded but couldn’t beat Winterhawks goalie Adin Hill.  Goulbourne must have wondered if he would ever score after being robbed by the 18 year-old Hill with a great glove hand save in the second period of a 7-3 loss in game three.
• For the first time in this series the Rockets had an answer after the Winterhawks opened up the scoring. Instead of allowing Portland to create a 2-0 advantage, which has been the common theme in three of the four games in this series, Leon Draisaitl tied the score at one with a nice give and go with linemate Nick Merkley. Draisaitl also assisted on Goulbourne’s game winner as the German played two solid road games after a surprisingly slow start in a pair of home games to open the series. While receiving criticism for his work at the face-off circle where Nic Petan has had his way with the much larger Draisaitl, the 19 year-old came through with several clean face-off wins in the defensive zone late in the game when the Winterhawks were awarded a power play and pulled Hill for the extra attacker.
• The Rockets lockdown mode in the third period has been impressive in this series. In game one and four wins, it is no-high risk hockey with a one goal lead that rarely sees them giving up an odd man rush as the Winterhawks attempt to find the equalizer.
• For the first time in this series the Winterhawks out-shot the Rockets. While surrendered 42 shots against, it didn’t feel like Portland was spending a significant amount of time in the offensive zone. Like the Rockets, the Winterhawks had their chances; non better than Dominic Turgeon’s shot that hit the post and ricocheted wide of the net.  
• Whether it was shot blocking, getting into shooting lanes or winning board battles, it was arguably the team’s best effort in the series in all three areas. I thought Chance Braid, Rodney Southam and Tomas Soustal were extremely hard to play against with Braid having his best game of the playoffs.
• Joe Gatenby doesn’t get the credit he deserves, but the second year d-man is really showing flashes of brilliance. Gatenby has a great work ethic as he battles for pucks and makes simple, smart plays with it. His skating is excellent. Along with Lucas Johansen, those two are making nice strides in this series. Gatenby has more games under his belt obviously, but Johansen is evolving, quietly, into a dependable defenceman. The Rockets d-core is in good shape with the team losing Madison Bowey, Josh Morrissey and Cole Martin at seasons end. Gatenby, Johansen and Devante Stephens, who played as a forward in game four, have the Rockets in a good position on the blue line moving forward.
• The Rockets were without Rourke Chartier, Justin Kirkland and Gage Quinney, which makes the game four win even that much more impressive. It was a clear indication that the team has character and won’t cower at the first sign of adversity. The win creates a series which is now down to a best of three were two of those games will be played at Prospera Place.

One 'Hill' of a night

Adin Hill named 1st star in star studded effort

• Leather larceny. The phrase often describes a fantastic play by an athlete with the use of his glove. It is most often used in baseball, but on Tuesday night it would best describe Portland Winterhawks goaltender Adin Hill and his quick glove hand. The 18 year-old robbed Tyrell Goulbourne of a sure goal in the early stages of the second period with his team holding a 1-0 lead. That save proved to be massive, as the Winterhawks would go down the ice less than 40 seconds later and score to make it 2-0. If Goulbourne scores, it is a 1-1 game and the visitors are back in it. The 21 year-old Goulbourne attempted to take his frustration out on the Winterhawks after missing the golden scoring chance by taking a run at a defenceman. Goulbourne was back in the penalty box where his team would surrender a power play goal and the score was quickly 3-0. 
• Penalties were clearly the downfall for the Rockets. They allowed the Winterhawks eight power play chances including two - 5 on 3's. Portland promptly scored four times with the extra man in the lopsided 7-3 score. But as ugly as the score may look at games end, it was a lot tighter than the four goal differential. It was only a 3-1 Winterhawks lead with 6:09 left to play in the second period when a blown assignment at the Rockets blue line allowed Alex Schoenborn to score on a breakaway to make the score 4-1.
• Not taking anything away from Hill, but the Rockets had little to no puck luck early in the game. In a second period, where they fired 23 shots on net, several glorious chances were missed, including Cole Linaker missing the far post on a power play chance.    
• The third period saw the Winterhawks out-score the Rockets 3-2, but by then the game was over with frustration playing a major factor in the 44 minutes handed out to a team that traditionally is disciplined. Cole Linaker and Riley Stadel were able to find the back of the net in the third as the Rockets ended the night with 44 shots on goal. 
• Jackson Whistle was pulled from the game after surrendering the Winterhawks fourth goal. I think the 'yank' had more to do with the failure to come up with a big save, something Hill did numerous times prior to Whistle's departure. Of the four goals the 19 year-old surrendered, none would be considered soft. But, at this time of the year a big save is needed and unfortunately Whistle couldn't provide that for his team. For the third time in this years playoffs, Michael Herringer came into the game off the bench and made 19 saves in a relief effort. While Herringer surrendered three goals himself, two of those came while the Rockets were getting into penalty trouble because of frustration. Two of those three goals came on Winterhawks power plays.
• Who starts in goal for the Rockets in game four? Herringer has not started a WHL playoff game ever. You could have said the same for Hill prior to the 2015 playoffs began. It will be a tough choice for the coaching staff, who don't want to give up on their number one goaltender, but winning game four is crucial to regain momentum lost after back-to-back losses. 
• Despite a 7-3 loss in game three, the series is still only 2-1 in favour of Portland. A strong effort by the Rockets in game four is pivotal to take pressure off them when the series returns to Kelowna for a game five on Friday night. Is it a must win situation for the Rockets on Wednesday? I believe it is. It would be awfully tough to come back from being down 3-1 where you are then forced into winning three straight games. 
• What needs to happen in game four for the Rockets to succeed? The first goal of the game would be a start. Getting down 2-0 in three straight games puts them at a massive disadvantage. Early power play success is another must. In game three, the Rockets were on the power play just 9 minutes into the game but generated just a single shot on Hill. The other thing that needs to change is discipline. That is a no brainer. If that results in the team having to temper the amount of physical force they want to play with against the Winterhawks, so be it.  They took just ten penalty minutes in game one and two and won 3-2 and lost 3-2. Clearly, staying composed and playing to their strength will give them a far greater chance of succeeding.

An off day in Portland well spent

Never a bad day in Portland

• What a beautiful day in Portland. Sunny skies and warm temperature that hit 27 degrees welcomed the Kelowna Rockets on an off day in the Western Conference final. The team elected to leave for the Oregon city on Sunday, making the 8 and a half hour bus trip before getting the travel buzz out of their heads a full 48 hours before game three begins. The team had a quick workout at Memorial Coliseum in the afternoon before enjoying the rest of the day.
• I always like talking/interviewing Josh Morrissey. The 20 year-old is so well spoken. I liked his comment about his play in the first two games of this series, where frankly, we haven't seen him play at the optimum level. "Overall, as a team, we didn't have our best games, but we are going to step up and get our best game going over the next couple of night's".  
• It was nice to see forward Tanner Wishnowski wearing a different coloured uniform at practice in Portland today. The 18 year-old has been wearing a yellow jersey which means he wasn't taking contact. The blue jersey he was wearing today means he is good to take a bump or two. It has been a long road for the former Okanagan Rockets forward, who has missed the entire season with an upper body injury.
• This series is made for Tyrell Goulbourne. The 21 year-old, on the final leg of his junior hockey career, can skate. This is a skating man's series. Goulbourne is not slow afoot. The Edmonton product is do for a goal, having been unable to find the back of the net in this years playoffs. I suspect he makes an impact in game three tomorrow. A goal would be nice but being hard to play against would be equally as affective.
• Gage Quinney's father Keith will be watching game three of this playoff series. Keith Quinney flew in from Las Vegas on Monday. Gage tells me his father has never seen him play at WHL game in person. Keith Quinney is a former teammate of head coach Dan Lambert's. 
• In game three in last years Western Conference final in Portland, the Winterhawks earned a 4-3 overtime win. That essentially turned the series in the Winterhawks favour after the team's split the first two games in Kelowna. Taylor Leier scored the game winning goal. Jordon Cooke was named the third star as he was peppered with 65 shots.
• Much like the Vancouver Canucks crashing to earth is good business for the Kelowna Rockets come playoff time, the same can be said for the demise of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. The Portland Winterhawks become more of a focal point if the Trail Blazers season comes to an end in late April. 
• The last time the Rockets played at Moda Center, Jackson Whistle was named the second star with a 36 save performance in a 3-2 overtime loss.
• Rookie Devante Stephens should like the Moda Center. The 17 year-old scored his first career goal in that building on November 1st. It would be a long wait for his next one - 33 games in fact. 

Winterhawks more determined in one goal win

• Determination will beat skill in the playoffs almost every time. It will win out every time if it is coming from the entire line up. That is exactly what we saw in the Portland Winterhawks 3-2 win Saturday night at Prospera Place. The Winterhawks, as a group, had a higher compete level and it was clearly evident in the one goal game. Nic Petan wasn't great. Oliver Bjorkstrand wasn't riding on his white horse to save the day. They didn't need too. While both elite players were good, the team-mates that surrounded them did whatever they had to do to make a contribution. The Rockets, like we've seen in this years playoffs, looked content with playing the easy game after earning a 3-2 victory in game one. Outside of roughly six players, the compete from the home team wasn't what it needs to be at this time of the year. Rourke Chartier, Nick Merkley, Dillon Dube and Cole Linaker were the best forwards. In a seven game series against the defending Western Conference champs, that won't get it done. Now the series is tied at one win apiece with the next two games down in Portland. The first team to win three will be off to the WHL final.
• We always talk about teams learning to win and teams knowing how to win. The Portland Winterhawks know how to win. They know that at the end of the day skill won't win for them. You can't have a bunch of grinders on your team who can't score, but if the compete level is high, or higher than an opponent, most if not every time you will win. I think anyone will admit, man for man, the Rockets have more skill than the Winterhawks. But that means little if those skilled players aren't willing to pay the price. Clearly, Portland's best players are willing to do that. The Rockets elite players have to take a similiar mindset. 
• Clearly Josh Morrissey and Leon Draisaitl have not looked like themselves in the first two games of this series. Neither player has looked emotionally invested. The Rockets mortgaged some of there future for Draisaitl and Morrissey in the hopes that both would step up in a series of this magnitude. They were expected to lead the team with a consistent effort and show why they are coveted first round prospects for the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets. Neither player has made an impact in this series yet, and my belief is that will change. 
• For a second straight game the Winterhawks opened the scoring. The Rockets also had to rally from a two goal deficit for a second straight game with back-to-back power play goals. Nic Petan would score the winner with a Denis Savard 'spin-o-rama' move at the right face-off circle that saw the puck find it's way past a startled Jackson Whistle. The Rockets, try as they might, couldn't find the equalizing goal in the final period. It was tough to do considering so many players on the roster just didn't play at the same compete level the Winterhawks were performing at. In the end, you can't have Rourke Chartier and Nick Merkley playing the entire period in order to tie the score. But when those two are your best forwards on that particular night, head coach Dan Lambert has no choice but to send them over the boards to give his team the best chance of winning.
• As good as a move as Petan made on the game winning goal, it still needs to be stopped. It beats Whistle to the short side when he is deep in his net. Will it make the highlight reel? Without question. Petan makes the move with good speed and the backhand attempt on goal comes with a lot of velocity on it.  But should it be stopped. Probably.
• The line of Tyson Baillie, Leon Draisaitl and Justin Kirkland were extremely quiet in this game. Frankly that can't happen. I honestly can't remember them creating a scoring chance? That line, specifically Draisaitl and Baillie were instrumental in series wins over Tri City and Victoria. But the pace of the game has increased substantially in this series and both players have had a hard time keeping up.  
• The Rockets 'ship' isn't about to capsize. The series is tied at one win apiece and clearly we have not seen the best from them. But things need to change in a hurry with the next two games down at the Moda Center in Portland. Between now and Tuesday night a switch will have to go off or the Rockets will indeed be bailing water.

Rockets rally in second period in one goal win

Tim Swanky Photograph

• It isn't how you start a hockey game. Often times it is how you finish that results in a victory. The Kelowna Rockets opened a best of seven Western Conference championship series with the Portland Winterhawks last night with a 3-2 home ice win. The game didn't start well for the Rockets, who allowed the first goal just 35 seconds into the opening period. Despite trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes, they fought back with three unanswered second period goals in the teams sixth straight win on home ice in the 2015 playoffs. Game two goes tonight at Prospera Place with games three and four back in Portland next Tuesday and Wednesday night.
• The Rockets looked like a team that hadn't played in a week. Off since last Friday after a 7-3 win over Victoria to wrap up a second round playoff series, the home team came out of the gates slowly and made two significant errors which cost them goals. A turnover at the blue line allowed Oliver Bjorkstrand to blow one past Jackson Whistle before some fans even reached their seats. Winterhawks d-man Adam Henry then easily moved around Rockets captain Madison Bowey to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. At that point it looked like the home team was in a heap of trouble, which they were. The second period though, was a different story.
• Now the Rockets too had their chances in the opening period, but either made a bad decision with the puck or had no puck luck at all. Leon Draisaitl on a goal mouth scramble hit the goal post and Justin Kirkland, in a grade 'A' scoring area, had Winterhawks goalie Adin Hill at his mercy but elected to make a back door pass to Draisaitl which didn't create a shot on net.  
• Again, as the game went along the Rockets found their game. Nick Merkley's pass to Madison Bowey for a shorthanded goal early in the second period was the turning point. With Josh Morrissey in the penalty box after taking a late first period penalty, a Portland goal on the power play may have been enough to allow the Winterhawks to walk away with a game one win. Instead, Bowey found the back of the net for the teams fourth shorthanded goal of the playoffs and it was a one goal game. Only 46 seconds later, Justin Kirkland would make good on his gaffe in the first period by scoring a nice individual goal by cutting wide on a Winterhawks d-man and then out-waiting Hill to the forehand. Rourke Chartier would score the game winner when he out-raced a d-man to a puck inside the Portland zone and then fired it off the crossbar. The puck eventually hit Hill's skate and just trickled over the goal line for the Rockets first lead of the game.
• Despite giving up a goal 35 seconds into the game, I thought it was a pretty solid game for Jackson Whistle. The veteran goaltender, like his team, appeared to get better as the game went along. That said, the 19 year-old was hardly tested in the final period where the Rockets surrendered only seven shots against. The attention to detail defensively in the dying minutes with a one goal lead was impressive. Even with the goaltender pulled, the Winterhawks really never had a dangerous scoring chance on goal.
• What kind of night was it for Leon Draisaitl? An uneventful one by his standards. Not only did he hit the post in the first period, but with Hill pulled for the extra attacker, the 19 year-old had a wide open net and fired the puck from the Winterhawks side of centre ice and missed the net. It wasn't a great night for Draisaitl, who was most noticeable at the face-off circle. I thought he and Josh Morrissey had just average games for two players that usually make major impacts over the course of 60 minutes. Quiet and steady may best explain their efforts in game one.
• While there was concern earlier in the week about a possible small crowd for game one, just over 58 hundred fans, two hundred shy of a sell out, took in the game. They were loud and chanted 'We Want a Ref' which quickly turned to 'Go Rockets Go' in the third period. Those in attendance were treated to a great game that saw little in the way of whistles and was completed in just two hours and thirteen minutes.
• The best Winterhawk? Adam Henry was really good on the back end for Portland but I still thought Chase De Leo was the best forward. I thought he showed a lot of jump and created some good scoring chances. Alex Schoenborn also had a good game as he was involved physically all night long.
• I thought Dillon Dube had a strong game for the Rockets. A healthy scratch in game five of a second round series with Victoria, the 16 year-old skated hard and made some nice plays in the offensive zone. To make room for Dube on the roster, the Rockets scratched Riley Stadel.

Enough talk'n...let's play!

 

Tonight’s Preview: The Kelowna Rockets are back to the Western Conference final for a second consecutive season against the same team that knocked them out in five games one year ago. The Rockets are 9 and 1 in post season with a four game sweep over Tri City in round one and a five game series win over Victoria in round two. For what it’s worth, the Rockets and Winterhawks met four times this season, but haven’t seen one another since late November. The Rockets were 1-1-2-0 in the four games. This is the eighth consecutive appearance in the post season for the Rockets and 19^th time in the franchises 20 year history. Since the Christmas break the Rockets are 33-8-3-1 (including playoffs). Overall, the team has won 10 of its last 11 games (9 playoffs and last two regular season games).

Playoff history vs. Winterhawks: These two teams are meeting for the fourth time ever in the playoffs. In the 2011 post season, the Winterhawks beat the Rockets in a second round series (4 games to 2). In 2012, the Winterhawks swept the Rockets in an opening round series in four straight games. In the 2014 post season, the Winterhawks eliminated the Rockets in the Western Conference final (4 games to 1).

Rockets best vs. Winterhawks: Rourke Chartier had 5+2=7 in the four game seasonal series against Portland. Madison Bowey was 1+3=4 while Nick Merkley chipped in with four assists. It should be noted that Cole Martin had two goals against the Winterhawks. Jackson Whistle played in all four games, posting a goals against average of 2.71 with an impressive save percentage of .928. Chase De Leo (3+1=4), Oliver Bjorkstrand (2+2=4) and Alex Schoenborn (2+2=4) paced Portland in the four games. Adin Hill was 2-0-0-0 with a goals against average of 1.78 and a save percentage of .941.

Playoff Tidbits: The Rockets have been to overtime three times in this year’s playoffs. The Rockets are 2-1. The Winterhawks have also played in three overtime playoff games and are 3-0….This series features the top two scoring teams in the Western Conference. The Rockets scored 305 goals while the Winterhawks found the back of the net 287 times…Tomas Soustal has 4 goals in 9 playoff games. It took the 17 year-old 22 regular season games to score his 4^th career goal…Dan Lambert was part of a Swift Current Broncos championship team in 1989 that played in a minimum 12 playoff games to earn the WHL championship. Lambert and the Broncos swept every series, including the WHL final against Portland in four games... Lambert had 28 points (9+19=28) in those 12 playoff games…The Rockets best record in the playoffs was in the 2002-2003 campaign when the team won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a record of 16 and 3.

Hot to Trot: Tyson Baillie has a point in every playoff game. Baillie is riding a nine game point streak with 7+5=12 over that period…Gage Quinney has goals in four of his last six playoff games….Nick Merkley is riding a seven game point streak. Merkley has 1+8=9 over that period....Madison Bowey has points in seven straight games. Bowey has 3+7=10 over that stretch….Leon Draisaitl has a six game point streak in this year’s playoffs. The 19 year-old has 2+10=12 in those six games…Joe Gatenby leads the Rockets with a +8 rating in the playoffs. Tomas Soustal has goals in four of his last seven playoff games and scored three times in a second round series with the Victoria Royals.

This and That: Since relocating from Tacoma to Kelowna for the start of the 1995-96 season, 212 playoff games have been played with the team based in the Okanagan….In last year’s WCF, the Rockets won game one 5-4 before losing four straight games including a crucial 4-3 overtime loss in game three in Portland….Last year’s third round series opened on April 18^th, a full six days before tonight’s opening game….Josh Morrissey is the WHL Player of the Week. Morrissey had 2+3=5 in a game five series victory over Victoria last Friday to capture the second round playoff series in five games…Nick Merkley has been rated as the 23^rd best player in North America for June’s NHL draft. NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings. Devante Stephens was rated 116^th while Joe Gatenby was 174^th …The Rockets have opened the scoring in seven of the nine games in this year’s playoffs…Madison Bowey turned 20 on Wednesday…The Rockets won the most road games of any team in the WHL (27)…Nick Merkley and Cole Linaker were the only two players to play in all 72 regular season games this season… The Rockets were held to just one goal seven times this season. Kamloops (road), Seattle (road), Edmonton (road), Calgary (twice – once on road and once at home), Regina (home) and Prince Albert (home) have turned the trick against the highest scoring team in the Western Conference...Justin Kirkland returned to the lineup last Friday after missing 23 straight games with a LBI…Tyrell Goulbourne has a team high 41 playoff games under his belt…Madison Bowey has 39 games of playoff experience…The Rockets played in 14 post season games last season …Cole Martin has 38 playoff games on his resume….In total, the Rockets have 450 games of playoff experience in the lineup this evening…Rourke Chartier had 6 goals in 14 games in last year’s playoffs. In this year’s post season, the now 19 year-old (turned 19 April 3^rd) has six goals in nine games. 

Notes, quotes and anecdotes

Leon Draisaitl is ready to face-off against Oliver Bjorkstrand

• This series features six players taken in the 2013 NHL draft. Josh Morrissey was selected 13th overall by Winnipeg while Nic Petan was taken in the second round, also by the Jets. Madison Bowey was a second round pick of the Washington Capitals while Tyrell Goulbourne (Philadelphia) and Oliver Bjorkstrand (Columbus) were third round selections. Mitch Wheaton was taken in the fifth round by Detroit. Can you name the three players taken in the 2013 draft that are no longer playing with the Rockets or Winterhawks? The answer at the bottom of this posting.
• Jackson Whistle will start in goal when the puck drops between the Kelowna Rockets and Portland Winterhawks Friday night. The suggestion that he wouldn't is ridiculous. The 19 year-old has been pulled twice in this years playoffs, but only once when his team was actually trailing on the scoreboard. Whistle has three playoff shutouts and has a 2.35 goals against average in seven appearances. I asked Whistle how being pulled in a game affects his psyche. "Even bad things are sometimes good things to learn from". That is an awfully mature answer for a goalie who is getting his first taste of being a number one goaltender in the playoffs.  
• Leon Draisaitl against Oliver Bjorkstrand. It is a marquee matchup against arguably two of the top European born players in the entire Canadian Hockey League. Draisaitl leads the Rockets in playoff scoring with 15 points in nine games while Bjorkstrand has 18 points in eleven playoff games with the Winterhawks. I asked Draisaitl if he is looking forward to the showdown? "At the end of the day it is about the team winning. It's not about Draisaitl against Bjorkstrand, it is about Kelowna against Portland. I think that is the most important thing about it." Draisaitl is averaging 1.7 points per game in this years playoffs while Bjorkstrand is averaging 1.6 point per game.
• Jackson Whistle and Nic Petan are former teammates. They won a gold medal with Team BC at the 2011 Canadian Winter Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Portland head coach Jamie Kompon has the bragging rights of saying he has played with Gretzky. Keith Gretzky that is. Kompon played with Wayne's younger brother in the East Coast Hockey League in 1990-91.        
• A quick high five to the Kelowna Rockets video staff for the great work they do on the team website. The video interviews from the coach and players after the games are excellent. What other team offers that to it's fans in the WHL? Calgary and Seattle are the two that come to mind. In other words, few if any take the time to do it. Kevin Parnell and Britt Prendergast receive credit for the hard work behind the scenes. 
• One played for the Kelowna Rockets. The other saw time with the Portland Winterhawks. Now Mikael Backlund and Tyler Wotherspoon are teammates with the NHL's Calgary Flames. Backlund was a member of the Rockets in 2009 while Wotherspoon played four seasons with the Winterhawks from 2009-2013. Both are WHL champions. As mentioned, Backlund won it in 2009 while Wotherspoon captured the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2013.          
• Leon Draisaitl would love to play with Connor McDavid. That could become a reality after the Edmonton Oilers won the NHL lottery last weekend to draft the highly coveted forward. Draisaitl, who is attempting to focus on helping the Kelowna Rockets win a WHL championships, admits he is trying to block out the notion that the Oilers may trade his rights to another team in an effort to acquire help on defense or in goal. "In this business you never know what is going to happen. One day there could be a blockbuster trade, so that could be in the back of anyone's head." It has been suggested that the Oilers will look to address their defensive needs by trading one of their top - young players on their roster or a top prospect.
• Kelowna Rockets assistant coach Kris Mallette and Winterhawks head coach Jamie Kompon were both born in Ontario. Mallette is from North Bay while Kompon was born in Thunder Bay.     
• Portland defenceman Adam Henry is familiar with the Rockets. The 20 year-old was a member of the Seattle Thunderbirds, who were swept by the Rockets in the second round of the 2014 playoffs.
• The three players taken in the 2013 NHL draft that no longer play with the Rockets and Winterhawks are Seth Jones (1st round - Nashville), Myles Bell (NJ - 6th round) and Brendan Burke (Phoenix - 6th round).