Quick thoughts from the road

• Scoring a power play goal in overtime isn't as rare as you may think. The Rockets scored two power play goals in overtime in last years playoffs. Jamie Benn scored in OT, on the power play, against Tri City in round two and Tyson Barrie scored in OT, on the pp, in game six against Calgary in the WHL final.
• Is sixteen year-old rookie defenceman Ryan Murray a possible Tip captain down the road? I asked that question to GM Doug Soetaert. Soetaert was non committal. "We will just take it day-to-day".
• Soetaert agreed that Murray is a special player. "I have never seen a sixteen year-old come into this league, I might be wrong, but has played in your top pairing as a 16 year-old, runs a power play, kills penalties and plays five on five. If he didn't have a late birthday it's been suggested he could be a top ten pick in this summers NHL draft."
• Did you see the Sutter sighting last night? The Director of Player Personnel for the Calgary Flames took in Wednesday's game. Duane Sutter was riding side saddle with brother Gary, who makes Kelowna his year round home.
• Tips forward Shane Harper must know how to prepare for games. Why? Harper has scored the opening goal in two of the four games in this series, and has scored three of his four goals in the series in the opening period. Harper led the WHL in scoring the first goal of the game, by opening the scoring 15 times during the regular season.
• Because of a quick turnaround between games five and six, I won't be posting a recap following Friday's game in Everett. Game six is just 24 hours later in Kelowna. I am not traveling with the team in the playoffs, so driving late at night and an early morning return to Kelowna doesn't make it possible.
• The 'Habscheid Hex' has reached 11 seasons. Since the dismisal of head coach Marc Habscheid, the Kamloops Blazers have not advanced past the first round since 1999, the year Habscheid led the team to the WHL final.