Sunday, January 25, 2009

5-2 Win Snaps Rockets Four Game Road Losing Streak

  • Mark Guggenberger played his best game in a Rockets uniform. Two huge saves in the first period allowed his team to head into the dressing room with a 3-1 lead. Those two saves were goals that were simply taken away by the veteran goaltender. Guggenberger was a difference maker in the Rockets 5-2 win over the Kamloops Blazers Saturday night, snapping a 4 game winless streak.
  • The win moved the Rockets five points up on the Blazers for 4th place in the Western Conference.
  • Ian Duval had two goals and an assist in the game, yet found himself in the coaches dog house after being at fault on the Blazers first period goal. The overage forward saw limited ice time in the first period after that defensive gaff. Duval came back more determined than ever and was named the games 2nd star.
  • Brandon McMillan was named the games first star, this time playing as a forward. McMillan's efforts gives you the feeling he is best served as a forward, yet he also can be of value as a defenseman if the Rockets need some help defensively.
  • Colin Long was a key in the Rockets success on the power play Saturday night. The Rockets were 3/3 with the extra man with Long scoring a beauty in the 3rd period on a great feed from defenseman Tyler Myers. Long received a pass at the side of the net and while falling, somehow banged the puck past a startled Blazers goaltender Justin LeClerc.
  • It was nice to see seven players involved in the scoring Saturday night. It wasn't just one line that was producing, which has been the case over the last two games.
  • The Rockets were guilty of taking some bad penalties, infractions that simply can't be taken against the top teams in the league. Tyler Myers was hit with a 10 minute misconduct in the second period for mouthing off at the officials. Against a team like Vancouver, losing one of your best defenseman for half a period would be suicide.
  • The game featured three fights, yet it wasn't an overly emotional game. All three tilts were the result of agreements by both players to drop the mitts. Wouldn't it be nice to see a fight where one player got pissed off at another and just started punching without both agreeing to square off?
  • Prior to the game the Blazers recognized the three Rockets players that won gold for Canada at the world juniors. Even the Blazer fans gave those three a standing ovation. A classy display by the Blazers and their fans.
  • Mitchell Callahan didn't play in this one after receiving a one game suspension for an accumulation of 10 minute misconducts.
  • A video of Mark Guggenberger in warm-up. His 'A' game was on display Saturday night in Kamloops.

1 comment:

g.k said...

3 out of a possible 4 pts. Thats acceptable but I thought the Kamloops game would of been the tougher of the two!! A few more games & hopefully it will all come together, then look out!!