Rockets, Ams a coin flip

On paper, the first round WHL playoff series between the Kelowna Rockets and Tri-City Americans is too close to call.

And, while games are still played on ice and not paper, the similarities between the two teams are eerily similar.

Case in point:

• Season series: each team had one regulation time and one overtime win
• All four games were decided by one goal
• Power play: Tri-City 4 for 15, Rockets 4 for 17
• Overall, both power plays were in the top third in the league while penalty killing was middle of the pack.
• Both teams have three players with 30 or more goals and two players with 80 or more points

The Rockets did finish the regular season eight points better than Tri-City, however, the Americans played in the tough US Division which easily placed all five teams in the playoffs.

The Americans, like the Rockets, have some top end talent in top-10 NHL draft pick Michael Rasmussen, third round pick and leading scorer Morgan Geekie, Rocket-killer Nolan Yaremko, who had four goals and two assists in the season series, plus first round NHL defencemen Jake Bean and Juuso Välimäki.

Rockets head coach Jason Smith says it'll take a group effort to contain them.

"It'll be about our positioning and work ethic, and making sure have good inside position. We don't want to give them Grade A scoring chances...they'll probably spend some time in the O-Zone," said Smith.

"If we're on the inside, we're competing for ice and making them work. I think our guys will defend and we'll get the save that will allow us to play in the O-Zone."

Forward Dillon Dube and Cal Foote will get a chance to renew acquaintances with Bean, their teammate on Canada's gold-medal winning junior team.

Dube says it will be fun meeting up with his childhood friend.

"It's going to be cool playing against him. He's a really close friend...we're from Calgary both of us," said Dube.

"It's more than world juniors for me and him. We're childhood friends, so it's going to be really cool playing each other."

The series would normally open Friday and Saturday, but with the Hedley concert taking over Prospera Place Friday, the series will open up Thursday, with game two Saturday

Games three and four move to Kennewick, WA next Wednesday and Thursday, with a fifth game, if necessary, back in Kelowna a week Saturday.

Click on the video above for a playoff preview with Rockets head coach Jason Smith.