Rockets vs. Cougars– Feb 7, 2025
Rockets vs. Americans– Feb 8, 2025
Final Score:
Cougars 3 – Rockets 2
Americans 4 – Rockets 2
The Story: A Solid Effort but Expected Results
Two playoff-bound teams rolled into town, and we pushed both to the limit.
For whatever reason, we seem to have the Cougars’ number—our last home win was against them, and we nearly pulled off another upset. Against the Americans, we had a real shot at forcing overtime with the goalie pulled, but we came up just short.
That’s notable, because outside of the Cougars game, our 6-on-5 play has been brutal. It’s getting harder to justify pulling the goalie, even though we all know it’s technically the right move.
Stud of the Night: Levi Benson
All season, we’ve wondered if Benson’s skill could overcome his size at this level. We’ve seen flashes, but he’s struggled to piece it all together.
He’s been buried in the bottom six, which doesn’t suit his skill set, but over these last two games, he played the kind of game that makes him effective:
- Relentless forechecking – He’s never going to run guys through the boards, but he’s quick, shifty, and has great stick skills, making him a nightmare for defenders trying to break out.
- Elusiveness with the puck – He’s not a physical presence, so he has to rely on elite skating and hands to maintain possession, and that was on full display. He created some great chances.
And to top it off, the hockey gods rewarded him when two Cougars collided, giving him a breakaway that he buried beautifully.
That’s why Benson is our Stud of the Night.
Dud of the Night(s): Powerplay Zone Entry
Holy smokes, this has been painful.
- We break out.
- We gain the blue line.
- We immediately lose the puck and have to start over.
Rinse and repeat.
It’s so bad that we can’t even evaluate the actual power-play units because we rarely get set up in the zone. I’d love to suggest changes, but honestly? We need more data, and we’re not getting any without cleaner entries.
Final Thoughts
These were two tough teams, and we made them earn it.
As much as we’d all love to see a win, what’s more important right now is progress. The players have to be frustrated—no one steps on the ice thinking they can’t win—but the results will come.
And now we get Seattle and Kamloops, two teams lurking in the basement with us. The fantasy GM in me wants to lose those games (hello, draft lottery), but the fan in me wants to shove those losses so far down their throats they shit pucks for a week.
Oh, and one last thing—we miss Rocky. Come back, you glorious trash panda.
