The Tri-City Americans will try to stave off elimination against the Kelowna Rockets in Game 5 of their Western Hockey League series on Friday Night Hockey.
The eighth-seeded Americans are giving the Rockets everything they can handle in a series that has been much closer than their regular season positioning would indicate. Kelowna leads the series 3-1, but the feisty Americans aren’t going down without a fight.
“They’ve had stretches where they’ve outplayed us, no question,” says Tri-City head coach Jim Hiller, who felt his team performed best in a Game 1 loss. “We’ve had stretches where we’ve outplayed them and not just been even with them, but actually outplayed them.
“We’ve played them nose-to-nose so far throughout the series.”
WHAT’S ON THE LINE?
It’s a tired cliché, but no one knows better how difficult the fourth win is to attain in a playoff series than the Rockets. In last year’s post-season, the underdog Seattle Thunderbirds stunned the Rockets by winning the first three. Kelowna eventually reeled off wins in the next four to take the series in seven.
That experience should guard against taking their foot off the gas pedal now with the Americans against the ropes.
“Everybody knows it is always the hardest game to win,” Rockets head coach Ryan Huska says. “Your opponent is going to throw everything at you. We have to play the game with composure.”
As the coach of a young group, Hiller figures if his team can match their previous best efforts in this series, the result will take care of itself. This is somewhat familiar territory for the Americans, who needed a point against juggernaut Portland in the final week of the season to clinch a playoff spot. The Americans got the point in an overtime loss, and will draw from that experience in this must-win.
“That was probably our biggest challenge to date and (Friday) night we’ll be (looking) to top that,” Hiller says.
KEY MATCHUP
Eric Comrie vs. Jordon Cooke
The top two goaltenders from the Western Conference have been every bit as good as advertised. Tri-City’s Comrie is the busier of the two goalies with an average of 42 shots per game from the Rockets. Kelowna’s approach is predicated on keeping Comrie busy, making him fight through screens and battle for rebounds.
Cooke, who was named to the Western Conference’s first all-star team, is the less heralded of the two but a steady cog to the Rockets’ success.
“All the talk seems to always be around Eric, but I think our guy’s been equally as good in this series,” Huska says. “He’s been there for us when we’ve needed him. We know how good Jordon is for us and how important he is. We’re expecting him to be our best player Friday night.”
It’s hard to imagine the Americans without Comrie, since the Winnipeg Jets prospect is the clear backbone to his team. Without him, the Americans likely miss the playoffs but with him have the potential to weaken the knees of even the most powerful contender.
Comrie was named to the Western Conference’s second all-star team, which came as a surprise to many considering his numbers were slightly better than Cooke’s on a less talented team. He’s proving his supporters right in this series, even if it doesn’t mean much to him.
“It doesn’t matter what’s going on on the outside for him,” Hiller explains. “That’s why he’s – at such a young age – done so remarkably well because he’s so focused on himself and just being the best every day himself. Those external things, they make for a good story but I just don’t see that (motivating) him. It doesn’t matter for him; it just matters about being the best.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kelowna: C, Tyson Baillie
Baillie returned from a leg injury just in time for Game 1 of the series. After missing the final month of the regular season, Baillie is finding his game legs in the playoffs and was integral in his team’s 5-3 Game 4 win on Wednesday, setting up two and scoring one. The Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. product has a proven track record in the playoffs.
“He loves to play the game,” Huska says. “Each game that he’s played he’s been doing more for us and we’re pleased with his progress.”
Tri-City: C, Brian Williams
What Williams loses in size, he makes up for in offence. The Americans’ leading scorer is a pure shooter with a hairpin release and a flair for the dramatic.
“He’s a one-on-one type of player and he’s got a great release on his shot,” Hiller says. “He’s not someone that necessarily rips up and down the ice and sauce passing it up and pulling up and finding trailers. He’s someone who’s quick on the puck and when he gets it, he’ll take you on one-on-one. And if he gets himself anywhere near prime scoring area, he’s got a really, really quick release and an accurate shot.”
