Malc
04-14-2011, 01:42 PM
By Doyle Potenteau
Statistically, the Kelowna Rockets did a good job of limiting Ryan Johansen to just one point on Wednesday night. But what a point it was.
Sprung free on a breakaway late in the third period, Johansen made a statement by snapping home a five-hole insurance goal for Portland, as the Winterhawks staved off a Rockets comeback in a 4-2 victory at Prospera Place. With the win, the Winterhawks now have a 3-1 stranglehold lead in this best-of-seven series, and they can advance to the third round with a win in Game 5 on Friday night at home.
"I saw their defenceman pinch up and Nino (Niederreiter) made a great pass to me," Johansen said of his goal, which sapped the wind from Kelowna‘s comeback sails. "Then I got my feet going and (the shot) happened to squeeze through. It was a big one for us."
Yes, it was.
Trailing 3-1 midway through the final frame of this hard-hitting and well-played game, Kelowna drew to within one at 12:46 when Brett Bulmer cut through Portland‘s zone, then snapped home a top-shelf wrister. The goal gave Kelowna life, and the Rockets began pressing. Johansen, though, noticed a break in Kelowna‘s defence four minutes later and cut up ice, which is when Niederreiter noticed him and sprung his linemate with a perfect breakaway pass. A quick shot later, and Kelowna‘s fans began filing out of the building, knowing what the outcome would be.
The assist was Niederreiter‘s third of the night. For Johansen, it was his seventh point in his last three games, having recorded a hat trick in Sunday‘s 6-3 win and three assists in Tuesday‘s 5-4 victory in Game 3.
"I thought we played really hard tonight," said Rockets forward Evan Bloodoff. "They just capitalized on our mistakes... and we really have to limit our turnovers and we have to be more disciplined, because they‘re really good on the power play. It‘s hard being down 3-1, but it‘s not over, and we‘re gonna try to get that game in Portland."
Ty Rattie and Taylor Peters, with goals midway through the the first period, plus Joe Morrow, with a power-play slapshot early in the third, also scored for Portland. Shane McColgan, with his eighth post-season goal, accounted for Kelowna‘s other marker.
Adam Brown turned aside 35 shots for the Rockets, while Mac Carruth made 24 saves for Portland, which outshot Kelowna 39-26.
"It was a tight-checking game; there really wasn‘t a lot of room on the ice," said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska. "They found a way to score goals tonight and we weren‘t able to do that. But I did think it was a physical game, and I thought our guys competed. In the end, we couldn‘t find a way to get the goal that we needed."
ICE CHIPS: Games scratches - Kelowna: LW Zach Franko (head), C Gal Koren, RW Jason Siebert (wrist), C Andreas Stene and C Max Adolph (head). Portland: D Josh Hanson, D Brett Ponich (knee), C Chase De Leo, LW Oliver Gabriel (shoulder), LW Brad Ross (3rd game of 3-game suspension), LW Taylor Leier and C Jason Trott.
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=348737
Statistically, the Kelowna Rockets did a good job of limiting Ryan Johansen to just one point on Wednesday night. But what a point it was.
Sprung free on a breakaway late in the third period, Johansen made a statement by snapping home a five-hole insurance goal for Portland, as the Winterhawks staved off a Rockets comeback in a 4-2 victory at Prospera Place. With the win, the Winterhawks now have a 3-1 stranglehold lead in this best-of-seven series, and they can advance to the third round with a win in Game 5 on Friday night at home.
"I saw their defenceman pinch up and Nino (Niederreiter) made a great pass to me," Johansen said of his goal, which sapped the wind from Kelowna‘s comeback sails. "Then I got my feet going and (the shot) happened to squeeze through. It was a big one for us."
Yes, it was.
Trailing 3-1 midway through the final frame of this hard-hitting and well-played game, Kelowna drew to within one at 12:46 when Brett Bulmer cut through Portland‘s zone, then snapped home a top-shelf wrister. The goal gave Kelowna life, and the Rockets began pressing. Johansen, though, noticed a break in Kelowna‘s defence four minutes later and cut up ice, which is when Niederreiter noticed him and sprung his linemate with a perfect breakaway pass. A quick shot later, and Kelowna‘s fans began filing out of the building, knowing what the outcome would be.
The assist was Niederreiter‘s third of the night. For Johansen, it was his seventh point in his last three games, having recorded a hat trick in Sunday‘s 6-3 win and three assists in Tuesday‘s 5-4 victory in Game 3.
"I thought we played really hard tonight," said Rockets forward Evan Bloodoff. "They just capitalized on our mistakes... and we really have to limit our turnovers and we have to be more disciplined, because they‘re really good on the power play. It‘s hard being down 3-1, but it‘s not over, and we‘re gonna try to get that game in Portland."
Ty Rattie and Taylor Peters, with goals midway through the the first period, plus Joe Morrow, with a power-play slapshot early in the third, also scored for Portland. Shane McColgan, with his eighth post-season goal, accounted for Kelowna‘s other marker.
Adam Brown turned aside 35 shots for the Rockets, while Mac Carruth made 24 saves for Portland, which outshot Kelowna 39-26.
"It was a tight-checking game; there really wasn‘t a lot of room on the ice," said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska. "They found a way to score goals tonight and we weren‘t able to do that. But I did think it was a physical game, and I thought our guys competed. In the end, we couldn‘t find a way to get the goal that we needed."
ICE CHIPS: Games scratches - Kelowna: LW Zach Franko (head), C Gal Koren, RW Jason Siebert (wrist), C Andreas Stene and C Max Adolph (head). Portland: D Josh Hanson, D Brett Ponich (knee), C Chase De Leo, LW Oliver Gabriel (shoulder), LW Brad Ross (3rd game of 3-game suspension), LW Taylor Leier and C Jason Trott.
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=348737