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91ƵHostile environment91Ƶ: Kelowna Rockets face playoff elimination in Prince George

The Rockets are down 3-1 in the series and have been outscored 14-5 in those four games
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The Kelowna Rockets face playoff elimination again in Game 5 in their Western Conference Semi-Final with the Prince George Cougars. (Photo: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

If you91Ƶll forgive the cross-sport reference, it was baseball91Ƶs Yogi Berra who said 91ƵIt ain91Ƶt over 91Ƶtil it91Ƶs over.91Ƶ

Looking at the results it certainly looks over for the Kelowna Rockets in their Western Conference Semi-Final against the Prince George Cougars.

They are down 3-1 in the series and have been outscored 14-5 in those four games.

The Rockets were 6-1-0-1 against the Cougars during the regular season. However, six of those games were decided by one goal and three went to overtime or a shootout.

Back to the playoffs. In Tuesday91Ƶs Game 3 Caden Price nearly potted the go-ahead goal in the final minutes of regulation but hit the post. The Cougars ended it 1:22 into overtime for the 4-3 win.

To paraphrase another baseball great, Frank Robinson, 91ƵClose only counts in horseshoes.91Ƶ

Kelowna will need luck and hard work for tonight91Ƶs (Apr. 19) Game 5 in Prince George to steal a win from the team ranked tops in the country by the Canadian Hockey League.

As Rockets Head Coach Kris Mallette said after Wednesday91Ƶs 2-1 win, that kept them from elimination, they are going into a 91Ƶhostile environment.91Ƶ

91ƵI don91Ƶt think we competed nearly like we did at home,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵOur big boys are going to have to show up, they91Ƶre going to have to lead the way.91Ƶ

Rockets forward Max Graham agrees.

91ƵWe91Ƶre back to Prince George, where their crowd is loud and rowdy. We have to try to feed off that energy a little bit and keep playing the same way we have been and hope for more success.91Ƶ

If Kelowna forces a game six, it will be played on Sunday at Prospera Place with a 2:05 p.m. start.

Tickets would go on sale right after a win in Prince George.

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Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Journalist and broadcaster for three decades.
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