The Portland Winterhawks91裸聊视频� 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 team91裸聊视频檚 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.
91裸聊视频淚t won91裸聊视频檛 be easy, they91裸聊视频檙e fast, high powered offensively and they like to run-and-gun,91裸聊视频� Southam said of the Winterhawks. 91裸聊视频淲e need to stay away from that and play our game, make sure we91裸聊视频檙e responsible two ways.
91裸聊视频淲e like our depth and we feel our top lines match pretty well against theirs. We feel like when we91裸聊视频檙e on our game and playing our systems, we can play with any team in the league.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频楬awks head coach and GM Mike Johnston said while the Rockets91裸聊视频� flaws are few, his team will needs to find those weaknesses and do its utmost to expose them.
91裸聊视频淲e recognize that they have high-end players, they have good speed, they91裸聊视频檙e well-balanced and are very good defensively,91裸聊视频� said Johnston, who returned to the Winterhawks91裸聊视频� helm this season after two years in the NHL.
91裸聊视频淭heir top three or four players are as dangerous as any in the league, they don91裸聊视频檛 have many holes, so our job is to find those holes and take advantage of those the best we can.91裸聊视频�
The clubs met four times during the regular season91裸聊视频攖he last coming back on Jan. 28 in Kelowna91裸聊视频攚ith the Rockets winning three of those.
Both teams have made considerable strides since that last encounter, so Johnston isn91裸聊视频檛 putting too much stock into regular season outcomes.
91裸聊视频淭he key thing for us in this series is to establish our game right way,91裸聊视频� said Johnston. 91裸聊视频淲e played them pretty well the last two games there (in January) and won one of them, so that91裸聊视频檚 positive for us.
91裸聊视频淎t the same time, both teams were missing players, both teams have made progress since then, so I don91裸聊视频檛 think the season series shows us much.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 huge for us, nice to start the series at home and get a chance to put them on their heels,91裸聊视频� said Dube. 91裸聊视频淲e know it91裸聊视频檚 a tough place to play down there (in Portland), so it91裸聊视频檚 important for us to get off to a good start and get the jump on them.91裸聊视频�
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
91裸聊视频� Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets)
WHL Western Conference semifinal
Kelowna Rockets vs Portland Winterhawks
Friday, April 7 91裸聊视频擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 891裸聊视频擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 1191裸聊视频擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1291裸聊视频擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 1491裸聊视频擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. *
Sunday, April 1691裸聊视频擪elowna @ Portland 7:00 p.m. *
Tuesday, April 1891裸聊视频擯ortland @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. *
* If necessary
