Look to Hitmen for hope

• It's a rainy day in Portland, but that hasn't dampened the spirits of the Kelowna Rockets heading into game five of their playoff series with the Hawks. The Rockets have dropped the last three games but two of those three could have gone either way. Again, it comes down to eliminating mistakes and scoring on key chances. It's just the way it is.
  
• I love Kevin Constantine's comment to the media when he was the head coach of the San Jose Sharks years ago. The quote that stands out is, "will beats skill". How true that is. If the Rockets want to win game five bad enough, more than the Hawks do, they can send this series back to Kelowna for game six on Sunday. All 18 skaters must play a factor in the game. In the playoffs, despite what some would believe because of some great individual efforts by the Hawks, it's teams that succeed in the post season not one or two players carrying the bulk of the load.
• Being down three games to one in a playoff series is never a good position to be in. But in saying that, ask the Calgary Hitmen how they got out of a similar situation in 2010. In an opening round series against Moose Jaw, the Hitmen found themselves in a huge hole. Yet, the Hitmen found a way to work themselves out of that predicament and eventually won the series in seven games. So to say it can't be done would be foolish. But to look at the big picture of winning three straight games against a quality team like Portland is daunting. So let's all say it together...."you have to take it one game at a time".
  
• A big, and I mean big crowd is expected at the Rose Garden tonight. Perfect! A big crowd means a tremendous atmosphere in the building. It should be rock'n. In my opinion this plays into the Rockets hands as much as it does the Hawks. The Rockets players love playing in the Rose Garden and the big crowd doesn't intimidate, it only motivates them.
• Hawks forward Brad Ross is back in the lineup tonight after serving a three game suspension for a hit on Rockets forward Zach Franko in game one. Franko suffered a broken nose and likely a concussion in the hit. Franko won't play tonight, and if the truth be known, he didn't even make the trip down to Portland.
• I've been told league disciplinarian Richard Doerksen will be at the game tonight in Portland. I will try to track him down for an interview in one of our intermissions.