Goulbourne skates and punches his way to victory

Tyrell Goulbourne - Shoot the Breeze Photography

• My sense is Tyrell Goulbourne doesn't realize how much of an impact he can make both with his gloves on and off. When he eventually does, look out! Goulbourne scored twice and added an assist in the Kelowna Rockets 7-3 win Monday afternoon over the Seattle Thunderbirds snapping a two game home ice winless streak (0-1-0-1). Goulbourne was named the games first star in the teams' 44th win of the season.  
• The 19 year-old forward again showed off his tremendous speed by shocking Seattle Thunderbirds defenceman Shea Theodore. Theodore was beaten twice by Goulbourne, who skated wide on the first round Anaheim Ducks draftee and scored once and was denied a second time on a backhand attempt. Theodore, who is arguably one of the best skating defenceman in the Western Conference, will have a greater appreciation for Goulbourne's outright speed after his second goal was scored shorthanded. Theodore again tried to track down the Edmonton product but simply couldn't catch him.
• Rockets Head Coach Ryan Huska put it perfectly when looking at Goulbourne's three point game. "People don't like it when he is on the ice because he is such a tough, tough kid. Our challenge is to try to find a way to get him to do it consistently. There are certain nights when you don't notice him on the ice and that should never be the case. He has such a great ability to change the complexion of a game and not just with his fists".         
• It was a much cleaner game for the Rockets in their own zone. The breakout was much smoother as the d-core played a simpler but affective game. I thought it was a telling sign when veteran defenceman Damon Severson made a second period chip off the boards when the puck was just inside his own blue line. Small play yes, but a smart play that simply allowed the Rockets to get out of trouble. I know the nice long passes that Severson delivers on the tape of waiting forwards is impressive, but those smart plays when in trouble makes me believe that the d-core, and even the best of the d-core, are learning and progressing is small ways. 
• I know many are still questioning the trade that saw Zach Franko shipped to Kootenay and Marek Tvrdon brought in from Vancouver, but is the 20 year-old slowing coming into form with his new team? I thought again Tvrdon made some nice plays and could have had a few goals, outside of the one he scored from a sharp angle in the second period. Tvrdon has a little more fight in his game while battling for loose pucks and does such a great job when he has possession of it. 
• I didn't like the Rockets again giving up three-third period goals but I like the fact that they were able to find the back of the net themselves in the final period. Two of the three goals the T-Birds scored were from long range, so those are obviously much more difficult to defend. 
• How did you like Goulbourne's fight with 6'6 T-Birds defenceman Jared Hauf?  Another impressive tilt against a much larger player. Hauf took more than a few and didn't go down against Goulbourne, who was swinging with will with a hay maker left.         
• The Rockets hit no less than five posts in the game.
• Madison Bowey had two assists giving him 100 career points in his WHL career.
• Damon Severson is riding a five game point streak with 6 assists. Severson's longest point streak is 8 games.
• The win could be a costly one for the Rockets, who lost second leading point producer Tyson Baillie to a lower body injury. Baillie went what appeared to be knee-to-knee with Seattle d-man Jared Hauff in the second period. Baillie did not return.
• The Rockets concluded a five game home stand with a record of 3-1-0-1. That is 7 out of possible 10 points. The only regulation loss came in a 6-4 loss to Victoria when the Royals scored three times in the third period.
• Up next is a date with the Spokane Chiefs, in Spokane Wednesday night.