Lind leads by example

Carsen Twarynski - Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Kole Lind is clutch. There is no better way to put it. The 19 year-old forward was in on all four goals Wednesday night in the Kelowna Rockets 4-3 overtime win in Lethbridge. Lind, who has arguably one of the best releases in the WHL, set up the opening goal, scored a beauty on the power play, set up the game tying goal with time ticking down and scored the winner on a breakaway in overtime. It was a sensational evening for a player who is so good with the puck. Coaches will get picky about his defensive play, which isn't poor but can always improve, but if you are collecting four points and find the score-sheet on every goal, can you not like what he brings to the table on a nightly basis? Lind is riding a career high 16 game point streak, the fourth longest streak in the WHL this season. By comparison, Reid Gardiner had a 15 game point streak last season from February 10th to March 11th. Tyson Barrie had a 21 game point streak in the 2009-2010 season.
• With the Hurricanes playing their 6th game in 9 nights, it was imperative for the Rockets to dictate the play to the home team early, which they did to a certain degree. Often times passing up shot opportunities for the pretty play, while firing 14 shots on net in the opening period, my feeling was the Hurricanes were able to hang around long enough to make it a game. A game they did make. The second period was even with four goals scored but missed passes all over the ice was the main theme in the second frame. I thought the Rockets played down to the level of the opponent, or maybe I am being just too critical? When you see the team play so well against Victoria, it is hard to accept such a significant drop in play three nights later. 
• What I liked about the Rockets play was the response when the Hurricanes took a 3-2 lead with exactly 6 minutes to play in the game. It was at that point that the Rockets became assertive, forcing the issue in an effort to tie the score. With the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, Kole Lind's centering feed would find Carsen Twarynski at the left face-off circle for a one time snap shot that beat Hurricanes goaltender Reece Klassen to the glove hand. It was Lind's third point of the game and Twarynski's team leading 31st of the season. 
• It only seemed fitting that Lind would score the game winner in overtime. It came after rookie 15 year-old goalie Cole Tisdale made a tremendous blocker save on Hurricanes 20 year-old Brad Morrison in overtime and then Lethbridge goalie Reece Klassen robbed Jack Cowell with a sensational glove hand stop when he had no business in keeping the puck out. Cowell, in tight on Klassen, went to the backhand and the 18 year-old Cloversdale, BC product snagged the puck with his catching glove while stretching out in desperation.
• I thought overage forward Carsen Twarynski was the most proactive player on the ice when it came to delivering hits. He must have had no less than 6 in the game. It was James Hilsendager's crunch on Hurricanes forward Jadon Joseph that really stood out though as the biggest hit in the hockey game. I love Hilsendager's rough and tumble play.     
• Rockets affiliated goaltender Cole Tisdale was granted the start in his own hometown. I am not sure if he was feeling the pressure, but he preformed well under the circumstances. Of the three goals he surrendered, two of them he really had no chance on. The opening goal had Tisdale looking behind the net as the puck squirted out in front before Jadon Joseph buried it to make the score 1-1. That should typically be stopped at this level. Hurricanes leading scorer Jordy Bellerive's snap shot on a two-on-one was wired for the top corner and Igor Merezhko's point shot hit traffic in front before finding its way between the legs of Tisdale to give the Hurricanes their first lead of the game. Tisdale can't be faulted on either of those two. I thought it was a gutsy performance for a goalie who is still wet behind the ears at this level. 
• I find Cal Foote and Gordie Ballhorn, consistently, play a stable game. Never overly flashy, both are smart in staying within their limitations and never being a liability out on the ice. Those two give me what I want game in and game out. 
• The Rockets fired 49 shots towards the Hurricane net, but in my opinion that number was fudged. It just seemed too high for me. The score-sheet says Marek Skvrne had 6 shots on net alone. That would be a career high. Skvrne's best total this season was two shots on goal.
• The Rockets won for the 30th time this season. That is 30 wins in 11 consecutive seasons.
• The Rockets now get set for a game in Medicine Hat Friday night. It will be a match up of divisional leaders. The Rockets lead the BC Division by 5 points over second place Victoria while the Tigers lead the Hurricanes by 6 points in the Central.