Winterhawks use prevent defense to foil comeback bid

Jake Lee

• It's the - 'new normal'. How many times have we heard that phrase over the past 20 months during the COVID-19 pandemic? Likely to nauseum. The term has been increasingly used to refer to changes in human behaviour. Add Portland Winterhawks GM/Head Coach Mike Johnston to that list. What we saw Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Coliseum may be the 'new normal' where they don't beat you with the philosophy of first team to 10, but by nailing down wins by defending. What? No! Ya, I couldn't believe it. Fast forward to the third period. The Winterhawks are up 4-2 over the visiting Kelowna Rockets. Having succeeded over the years with skill and speed, the playoff arch rival went into a defensive shell. With the Rockets fighting tooth and nail to get back in the game, Johnston's team played structurally sound defensive hockey. Nope, they didn't try to get the next one. They protected the house and played prevent defense. I thought it was a swear word in Mike Johnston’s vocabulary. Not anymore. As the Rockets forced the issue while down by two, the Winterhawks, to my amazement, clogged up the neutral zone. With the aid of three consecutive power plays, the Rockets attempted to get pucks through to the net. Johnston’s players were selling out by - do I dare say - blocking shots! They looked like the expansion Everett Silvertips from 2003-2004. Ok, this years team is way more skilled than that, but you get my point. The 'new norm' in the Rose City is protecting the lead with team defense and leaning on the goalie. I thought I'd never see the tactic used by Johnston, but as we mentioned off the top - it is indeed the 'new normal'.
• Another slow start in this one. The Rockets were out-shot 20-5 in the opening period with the Winterhawks chasing starter Colby Knights after scoring 4 goals on 16 shots. While Knight was yanked for the third time in his last four starts, head coach Kris Mallette told me on the post game show that his decision to replace him with Talyn Boyko was more out of getting a response from his team rather than being displeased with the 18 year-old's overall play. I need to mention that Boyko was very good in a relief appearance stopping all 22 shots he faced.
• While down 4-2 heading into the third period, optimism was high that the Rockets could rally. Heck, this group has been a resilient bunch all season, so why doubt them now. Getting back in the game was put on a platter with three straight power plays, yet for the first time this season, or so it felt, that unit picked the wrong time to go quiet. While it created some good looks, the Winterhawks and goalie Lochlan Gordon deserve credit for shutting down the road team. Up until Saturday's loss, the Rockets had manufactured a power play goal in 8 of it's last 9 games.
• It was a rare regulation loss. It was the first time the team has come away without a point in 9 straight games. The last regulation loss was a 7-2 setback in Vancouver on October 29th.
• Winning games in the US Division have not come easy. The Rockets are now winless in 7 straight attempts on American soil. The last win in a US Division building was January 5, 2020 with a 7-2 victory in Tri City. The losing goaltender that night for the Americans was current Rocket Talyn Boyko. 
• Was Jake Lee the diamond in a blockbuster deal between the Rockets and the Seattle Thunderbirds during the WHL bantam draft in 2019? At the time, he was clearly a piece in helping the team in an effort to host the 2020 Memorial Cup, but Dillon Hamaliuk was considered the rock star or the coveted player in that deal. Lee was just 18 at the time. Fast forward to 2021 and Lee has been lights out terrific as a 20 year-old defenceman. I am not sure if he has been given the green light to rush the puck and create in the offensive zone, but Lee has been as dominant as I've seen him in creating scoring chances for himself or his teammates. Lee's career high is 30 points. He should easily match and exceed that mark this season. 
• Not only did the Rockets lose the game, but they also lost head coach Kris Mallette and 16 year-old's Caden Price and Andrew Cristall. The three are participating in Hockey Canada's 'Capital City Challenge' which will be held in Ottawa later this week. Mallette will be the head coach for 'Team Red'. Interestingly, one of Mallette's assistant coaches is Carl Mallette (no relation) of the QMJHL's Victorville Tigres. The tournament starts Friday. In Mallette's absence, assistant coaches Josh McNevin and Quinton Laing will handle the coaching duties.
• We are off to Spokane for a game against the Chiefs on Wednesday. Thankfully this should be the last time I get a cotton swab of the back of my throat in order to prove to Canada Customs that I am indeed healthy and don't have COVID-19!! Starting November 30th, fully vaccinated Canadians taking short trips abroad will no longer need proof of a negative COVID-19 test to return home.