The Portland Winterhawks害羞草研究所� offense can run-and-gun with the best in the Western Hockey League.
The are also well-known for their proclivity to light up opposing team害羞草研究所檚 netminders.
On Friday night, the top two scoring teams in the Western Conference will go head to head to open up the second round of the WHL post season.
Led by the likes of Cody Glass, Skyler McKenzie and Keegan Iverson, (278) were second only to Kelowna (283) for goals scored during the regular season.
While the Rockets are well-equipped to trade offensive blows with pretty much any opponent, captain Rodney Southam said his club has no intention of allowing the series to become a track meet.
害羞草研究所淚t won害羞草研究所檛 be easy, they害羞草研究所檙e fast, high powered offensively and they like to run-and-gun,害羞草研究所� Southam said of the Winterhawks. 害羞草研究所淲e need to stay away from that and play our game, make sure we害羞草研究所檙e responsible two ways.
害羞草研究所淲e like our depth and we feel our top lines match pretty well against theirs. We feel like when we害羞草研究所檙e on our game and playing our systems, we can play with any team in the league.害羞草研究所�
The Winterhawks, who upset the Prince George Cougars in six games in the opening round, come in as the underdogs and fully expect to have their plate full with the surging Rockets.
Kelowna won nine of its last 10 regular season games, then took out the Kamloops Blazers in six games in the first round of the postseason.
害羞草研究所楬awks head coach and GM Mike Johnston said while the Rockets害羞草研究所� flaws are few, his team will needs to find those weaknesses and do its utmost to expose them.
害羞草研究所淲e recognize that they have high-end players, they have good speed, they害羞草研究所檙e well-balanced and are very good defensively,害羞草研究所� said Johnston, who returned to the Winterhawks害羞草研究所� helm this season after two years in the NHL.
害羞草研究所淭heir top three or four players are as dangerous as any in the league, they don害羞草研究所檛 have many holes, so our job is to find those holes and take advantage of those the best we can.害羞草研究所�
The clubs met four times during the regular season害羞草研究所攖he last coming back on Jan. 28 in Kelowna害羞草研究所攚ith the Rockets winning three of those.
Both teams have made considerable strides since that last encounter, so Johnston isn害羞草研究所檛 putting too much stock into regular season outcomes.
害羞草研究所淭he key thing for us in this series is to establish our game right way,害羞草研究所� said Johnston. 害羞草研究所淲e played them pretty well the last two games there (in January) and won one of them, so that害羞草研究所檚 positive for us.
害羞草研究所淎t the same time, both teams were missing players, both teams have made progress since then, so I don害羞草研究所檛 think the season series shows us much.害羞草研究所�
Had the Winterhawks not upset Prince George in first round, the Rockets would have been on the road to start the best-of-seven conference semifinal.
Forward Dillon Dube said kicking off round two at Prospera Place presents a big opportunity to the Rockets.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 huge for us, nice to start the series at home and get a chance to put them on their heels,害羞草研究所� said Dube. 害羞草研究所淲e know it害羞草研究所檚 a tough place to play down there (in Portland), so it害羞草研究所檚 important for us to get off to a good start and get the jump on them.害羞草研究所�
The Rockets and Winterhawks are meeting in the playoffs for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. The last time the clubs met, in 2015, the Rockets won in six games on the way to capturing the WHL title.
have a renewed playoff battle with the Portland Winterhawks for round 2! Read about it here: 馃殌馃悏
害羞草研究所� Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets)
WHL Western Conference semifinal
Kelowna Rockets vs Portland Winterhawks
Friday, April 7 害羞草研究所擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 8害羞草研究所擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 11害羞草研究所擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12害羞草研究所擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 14害羞草研究所擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. *
Sunday, April 16害羞草研究所擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m. *
Tuesday, April 18害羞草研究所擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. *
* If necessary
