Rockets game notes vs. Tips

Tonight’s Preview: The Rockets and Tips are meeting in game five of a best of seven Western Conference quarter final series. In game one, the Tips were a 5-4 winner in overtime. In game two the Tips won 5-2. In game three the Rockets were a 5-3 victor and then in game four the Rockets used overtime in a 5-4 win. Game six in the series is tomorrow night in Kelowna with a possible game seven Monday night back in Everett. The Rockets are making their 18th appearance in the WHL playoffs in 19 seasons as an organization. The only playoff miss was back in 2006-2007. These two teams are meeting for the third time in the playoffs, with the Tips winning in seven games in 2004 and in six games in 2006. In both series, the Tips did not have home ice advantage, something they have the luxury of this time around. Overall the Tips have outscored the Rockets 17-16 in the first four games.

Scoring by period:
Period: 1 2 3 OT Totals
Rockets: 4 5 6 1 16
Tips: 7 5 4 1 17

Game four recap: Geordie Wudrick scored 46 seconds into double overtime leading the Rockets to a 5-4 win. Wudrick’s goal came on the power play. Wudrick also scored in the opening period as the Rockets erased a two goal deficit. Brett Bulmer, Antoine Corbin and Spencer Main also scored in the victory. Mark Guggenberger made 39 saves in the win. The Rockets were 2 for 3 on the power play while the Tips were 1 for 3.

Game three recap: Geordie Wudrick and Mitchell Callahan each scored twice leading the Rockets to a 5-3 win over the Tips. Brett Bulmer scored the game winner with exactly four minutes left in the third period. Tyson Barrie chipped in with three assists. Mark Guggenberger made 22 of 23 saves in a relief appearance. The Rockets were 2 for 2 on the power play.

Game two recap: Ryan Murray, Shane Harper and Chris Langkow each scored once and added two assists leading the Tips to a 5-2 win Saturday night. Geordie Wudrick scored both goals for the Rockets in the loss. Adam Brown made 26 saves in the setback. The Rockets were 0 for 2 on the power play while the Tips were 2 for 6 with the extra man. Overall the Tips out-shot the Rockets 31-26.

Game one recap: Daniel Iwanski scored the game winner at the 5:18 mark of overtime lifting the Everett Silvertips to a 5-4 win over the Kelowna Rockets. The Rockets erased a two goal deficit and actually had a 4-3 lead late in the game before the Tips tied it. Brett Bulmer, Geordie Wudrick, Collin Bowman and Antoine Corbin scored for the Rockets, while Adam Brown made 46 saves. The Rockets were 1 for 5 on the power play while the Tips were 2 for 3.

Game five success: The Rockets were 2 and 1 in game five situations in last year’s playoffs. The only loss was in game five of the WHL final against Calgary. The Rockets suffered a 6-1 loss.

Game Day Tidbits: The Rockets won four overtime games in last years playoffs…Tyson Barrie (WHL final), Mikael Backlund (Western Conference final), Jamie Benn (Western Conference semi final) and Cody Almond (Western Conference quarter final) scored…Geordie Wudrick has seven playoff goals. That leads the WHL in goals scored in this years playoffs….Brandon McMillan has four assists in this series. McMillan has a point in all four playoff games. If you add his point totals from the regular season, McMillan is riding a 14 game point streak…. Adam Brown has started three of the first four games of the series…Wednesday’s start by Guggenberger was his first WHL playoff start since game six of last years league final….The Tips have opened the scoring in all four games in the series….The home team has won every game in this series…The winning team in all four games has scored five goals….Six players on the Rockets roster have 33 games of WHL playoff experience. Lucas Bloodoff (7+7=14), Brandon McMillan (0+9=9), Tyson Barrie (5+23=28 points), Collin Bowman (1+6=7) and Geordie Wudrick (13+5=18) lead the way…The Rockets are 5 for 12 on the power play in the series 41.7%...Wudrick’s seven goals in a playoff series is a franchise record. Jesse Schultz had five goals in a playoff series against Red Deer in the 2003 WHL final.