Well you couldn’t ask for a more exciting scenario in Junior hockey than the last push towards a post season berth and that’s what faces the Strathroy Rockets as they head into the weekend.
As of Friday, the Rockets sit 9th in the Western Conference, 1 point behind 8th place Kitchener-Waterloo, both teams with pretty much identical records, and Strathroy 3 points behind 7th place Elmira.
Strathroy has 3 games to play whereas the other two teams only two games.
Strathroy’s game from last week versus Listowel, that was postponed due to weather has been rescheduled for Monday in Strathroy, so that means the Rockets will have three games in three nights to finish off the regular season.
The big game though, some labelling it as a must win for the Rockets, isn’t really, but is it the most important game in the season to this point? Absolutely.
Saturday Strathroy hosts Kitchener-Waterloo at the WMMC in a pivotal matchup with playoff implications.
Possible Outcomes:
Strathroy regulation win Saturday – With a Strathroy win in regulation moving them 1 point ahead of the Siskins and still having to play the last place Komoka Kings Sunday and Listowel Monday would put the Rockets in the driver’s seat. A win Sunday in Komoka under this scenario would guarantee the Rockets into the playoffs.
Strathroy win Saturday in overtime – A Strathroy win in overtime would put them and the Siskins tied in points, and assuming the Rockets would beat Komoka Sunday would force Kitchener-Waterloo to win their final regular season game at home to LaSalle on Sunday. If that scenario plays itself out, the Rockets would still get in with one more regulation and overtime win than Kitchener-Waterloo and Monday’s game result would not matter.
Strathroy loss in regulation Saturday – If the Rockets lose in regulation, they would fall 3 points behind the Siskins, and would have to win their last two games with a Siskins loss Sunday to LaSalle.
Strathroy loss Saturday in overtime – If the Rockets lose Saturday in overtime, they would be 2 points behind Kitchener-Waterloo, and would have to beat Komoka Saturday, and earn 1 point Monday against Listowel combined with a Siskins loss in regulation to LaSalle on Sunday.
It is still possible for the Rockets to pass Elmira but those scenarios are far less likely.
The last time the Rockets missed the playoffs was 21 years ago in the 2003-04 season.
Written by: C. Soares/Honsy Sports