Porter gives Rockets a fighting chance

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Goaltender James Porter was great. Thankfully for the Kelowna Rockets the rookie was the best player on the ice. Had that not been the case, at games end, the score would have looked much different than a 3-1 home ice loss. Porter, making his fourth appearance in the last six games, made 45 stops and was named the games 1st star as the Rockets winless streak reached five games. Porter made two 'five alarm saves' against Winterhawks forward Joachim Blichfeld and Skyler MacKenzie in an effort to give his team a chance to stay in this one. Porter's save against MacKenzie translated into an odd man rush the other way where Kyle Topping scored to make it 2-1. While the 18 year-old didn't get an assist on that goal, he was the reason why that scoring chance existed. 
• Look at the photo above. What do you see? I see the Winterhawks with wicked net front presence. What does that mean? Portland has two players almost on top of goaltender James Porter. Not one but two. They aren't making contact with Porter. That would result in a penalty. Of the teams I've seen this season, the Winterhawks do it the best, again, without taking a minor penalty. Look at all three goals they scored last night. Sure, one was an empty netter, but all three came from within five feet...yes five feet of the goal. Keiffer Bellows opening the scoring by shoveling the puck in from the lip of the crease. McKenzie's game winner was batted out of the air from the lip of the crease too. The empty netter was shoveled in from....the crease. Get the common theme here?  For as skilled as the Winterhawks appear to be on paper, the majority of the goals they've scored against the Rockets have been from close range. 
• When a team is winless in five games it is easy to find negatives. What I did like last night was the teams willingness to stand up for one another. Gordie Ballhorn fighting Winterhawks d-man Brendan De Young after his high hit on Jack Cowell was a good sign. I thought Eric Gardiner, who does not fight, tangling with Brad Ginnell was also positive. Playing pissed off and slightly agitated when teams take advantage of you is never a bad sign. If you are a competitive player and hate losing, you should be sour. 
• Is it any wonder that the Rockets are winless in five games and Kole Lind hasn't scored over that same period? They often go hand in hand. The fact remains, you win and lose with your best players. During the five game winless streak, Cal Foote, who a week into the season was leading WHL d-men in scoring, hasn't recorded a point either. Don't get me wrong, both guys are getting chances and are doing good things but the results - offensively - just aren't there.
• When you aren't scoring, greasy goals is the best way to solve the problem. Give me a goal mouth scramble goal to solve the issue. The Rockets have scored just four goals in their last three games. Pretty won't cut it right now. Tick-tack-toe...forget it! Fire the puck every chance you get. If you have the opportunity on a 3 on 1, in a worst case scenario, get a shot on goal. Don't come away empty handed. 
• Before we get too excited over this early season slide, let's remember that the Rockets are playing arguably a power in the WHL four times in less than a week. Portland is in the elite category. Trust me, they are. Can they be beat? Sure they can, but they will beat you more times then you beat them. In the last four games, the Rockets have faced four solid teams. Unfortunately, three of those games have been against the Winterhawks with a fourth game in five night stop in Tri City on Tuesday at the tail end of a road trip. So remember, before you think the ship is taking on water, consider who the opponent is/was at the other end of the ice. For the team's that have games scheduled against the Winterhawks between December 10th and January 10th, feel fortunate. A significant number of their top end talent will likely be competing at the World Junior Hockey Championship. You can pat yourself on the back if you can beat them, then, and shout from the mountain tops that you are world beaters.       
• The Rockets will try to beat the Winterhawks for the first time in the rematch Saturday night. When was the last time the Rockets failed to earn a regulation win against the Hawks in the seasonal series? It was the 2011-2012 campaign when the Rockets were 0-3-1-0.
• Skyler MacKenzie is Canadian right? Let me check. Yep, he is from Sherwood Park. Why is this guy not playing for the WHL against the Russian Selects next month? 11 goals in 10 games. Yikes. If someone goes down with injury between now and those games in early November, McKenzie should be at the top of the list of injury replacements.  
• Talk to you on the radio at 6 pm. Yep, Saturday's we always have another edition of 'The Kelowna Rockets This Week' before the pre-game show at 6:30 pm. Can't get enough junior hockey talk? Heck, tune in kids!!