Rockets vs Silvertips – Jan 31 2025
Final Score: Everett – 7 Rockets – 3
The Story: Open in Front
There were a few different ways to frame this one. I considered “5 Minutes Short” and “Get a Save”, but in the end, “Open in Front” felt right—it sums up the game and applies to other recent matchups.
Overall, it was an action-packed game with plenty to get the crowd into it. Corbet had a great tilt, both guys landing solid shots, while Kowalyk went looking for a dance partner—only to find a chirpy little bird that wanted to fly away.
The real story? A brutal five-minute stretch in the second period. Even a Rockets timeout couldn’t stop the bleeding. Everett buried five of their six second-period goals in that span—most while Corbet was in the box. Given how much the team struggled defensively during that stretch, it really speaks to the value he’s been bringing to the back end. Without that collapse, this game would have been much closer.
Was it a Goaltending Issue?
Not really. You might think “Get a Save” meant Pilon had a rough night, but that’s not the full story. Sure, he probably wants two or three of those back, but most were point-blank chances off unguarded Everett sticks right in front. Good teams capitalize on those, and they did. Sometimes you get bailed out by an unreal goalie performance, but that’s not a sustainable way to win. Pilon gave up seven but wasn’t terrible. Just not amazing.
Stay Out of the Box
Discipline has been an issue, and it cost us again tonight. We’ve been spending way too much time in the penalty box, and it’s killing momentum. Petruk is a great example—he can be very effective when he’s engaged physically, but he has to pick his spots. At the very least, he can’t be the only one heading to the box. We can’t keep putting ourselves in bad situations like that.
Stud of the Night: Hiroki Gojsic
Two goals in classic Hiroki fashion—blazing down the wing, making things happen. He was all over it tonight, and it really felt like he was this close to a hat trick. He hasn’t quite taken the step we expected this season, but this game? This was a glimpse of what he can do. More of that, please.
Dud of the Night: Will Sharpe
Relax, he wasn’t bad, just not himself. Since arriving, we’ve seen him be creative, skate well, and drive plays. Tonight? Not so much. The whole team missed a ton of checks, so no single player stood out as the obvious dud, but we’re giving it to Sharpe because we know he’s got a lot more to offer.
Final Thoughts
Tough loss, but a fun one to watch. If they can clean up those defensive lapses and stay out of the box, they’ll give themselves a much better chance to win.
Just for posterity I want it noted that I think this ref has it out for the Rockets. Albinati. I swear every time he refs us it’s a parade to the penalty box and this goes back at least a year. Worth keeping an eye on.
