The Portland Winterhawks香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淚t won香蕉视频直播檛 be easy, they香蕉视频直播檙e fast, high powered offensively and they like to run-and-gun,香蕉视频直播� Southam said of the Winterhawks. 香蕉视频直播淲e need to stay away from that and play our game, make sure we香蕉视频直播檙e responsible two ways.
香蕉视频直播淲e like our depth and we feel our top lines match pretty well against theirs. We feel like when we香蕉视频直播檙e on our game and playing our systems, we can play with any team in the league.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播楬awks head coach and GM Mike Johnston said while the Rockets香蕉视频直播� flaws are few, his team will needs to find those weaknesses and do its utmost to expose them.
香蕉视频直播淲e recognize that they have high-end players, they have good speed, they香蕉视频直播檙e well-balanced and are very good defensively,香蕉视频直播� said Johnston, who returned to the Winterhawks香蕉视频直播� helm this season after two years in the NHL.
香蕉视频直播淭heir top three or four players are as dangerous as any in the league, they don香蕉视频直播檛 have many holes, so our job is to find those holes and take advantage of those the best we can.香蕉视频直播�
The clubs met four times during the regular season香蕉视频直播攖he last coming back on Jan. 28 in Kelowna香蕉视频直播攚ith the Rockets winning three of those.
Both teams have made considerable strides since that last encounter, so Johnston isn香蕉视频直播檛 putting too much stock into regular season outcomes.
香蕉视频直播淭he key thing for us in this series is to establish our game right way,香蕉视频直播� said Johnston. 香蕉视频直播淲e played them pretty well the last two games there (in January) and won one of them, so that香蕉视频直播檚 positive for us.
香蕉视频直播淎t the same time, both teams were missing players, both teams have made progress since then, so I don香蕉视频直播檛 think the season series shows us much.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 huge for us, nice to start the series at home and get a chance to put them on their heels,香蕉视频直播� said Dube. 香蕉视频直播淲e know it香蕉视频直播檚 a tough place to play down there (in Portland), so it香蕉视频直播檚 important for us to get off to a good start and get the jump on them.香蕉视频直播�
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
香蕉视频直播� Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets)
WHL Western Conference semifinal
Kelowna Rockets vs Portland Winterhawks
Friday, April 7 香蕉视频直播擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 8香蕉视频直播擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 11香蕉视频直播擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12香蕉视频直播擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 14香蕉视频直播擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. *
Sunday, April 16香蕉视频直播擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m. *
Tuesday, April 18香蕉视频直播擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. *
* If necessary
