Gam 59 - Prince George

[Tipped Off]

Tips, Cougars play 3 games in next 8 days
Teams play tonight and twice next week including completion of Oct. 28 game

By Nick Patterson
Herald writer

Tonight is the first of three games in eight days between Everett (46-9-1-2) and Prince George (26-26-2-4). Next Tuesday in Prince George the teams complete the Oct. 28 game that was suspended after two periods because of damaged ice, followed by the originally scheduled game. Prince George was leading 2-1 when play was stopped.

Everett won the only completed game between the two teams this season 3-1 on Nov. 17 in Everett.

The Cougars were the league's underachievers for much of the season. However, Prince George has begun showing signs of why it was initially considered the top challenger to Vancouver in the B.C. Division. The Cougars have won seven of their past 10, including victories over B.C. Division frontrunners Vancouver and Kamloops.

Prince George has a wealth of offensive talent that has yet to display its full potential, led by 19-year-old right wing Devin Setoguchi (24 goals, 18 assists), the eighth overall pick in the 2005 NHL draft by San Jose. The Cougars' leading scorer, 19-year-old center Nick Drazenovic (17 goals, 27 assists) hasn't played since Feb. 6 and is listed as day-to-day with a quadricep injury. Twenty-year-old center Eric Hunter (19 goals 24 assists) and 17-year-old center Dana Tyrell (22 goals, 21 assists) are dangerous offensive players.

In goal, 20-year-old Scott Bowles (9-6-0-0, 2.36 goals against average, .906 save percentage) has been solid since returning to the team. An overage casualty in October, he came back at the trade deadline after a stint in the Ontario Hockey League.

While Kyle Beach's outlook is still in doubt, it appears Everett's injuries on defense are mending. Jesse Zetariuk (thigh), Graham Potuer (wrist) and Mike Alexander (concussion) have all been out because of injuries. But all are close to returning and Soetaert listed all three as day-to-day, meaning one or all of them could be in the lineup tonight against Prince George.

With those three on the brink of returning, 1990-born defenseman Matt Strong will depart today to join Team Alberta at the Canada Winter Games, and 1991-born defenseman Jeff Regier returned to his midget team.

The Tips are also hoping center Peter Mueller will have recovered from illness in time to play tonight. The only other long-term casualty is left wing Brennan Sonne, who's out a month with a spleen injury.

[Tipped Off]

I guess Beach wasn't too hurt. Interesting, though, that he wasn't supposed to play in this game even before the injury. He was supposed to have joined the U-17 team at World's right after Sunday's game. Because of the "injury" he traveled back with the team. I guess since he checked out OK and they had to arrange another flight he decided to play? My guess is he'll now leave to go to juniors.

Tips return to form in win
Beach makes unexpected start, scores in 4-3 OT win over Prince George

By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer

EVERETT - Feel free to stop examining the backs of those milk cartons.

The Everett Silvertips are no longer missing.

The top-ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League looked the part for the first time in weeks Tuesday night, defeating the Prince George Cougars 4-3 in overtime at the Everett Events Center.

Jesse Smyke scored the game winner 38 seconds into OT as Everett avoided losing back-to-back games for the first time this season.

However, spurred by the unexpected return of Kyle Beach, Everett dominated in a way the final score came far from indicating. The Tips created the bulk of the scoring chances and outshot the Cougars 40-13.

"That's the best game we've played in quite a while," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "In about the last 10 games that's the best we've played."

Beach, who appeared to suffer a major injury during a fight Sunday in Chilliwack, was a surprise inclusion in the lineup and scored just 1 minute, 17 seconds into the game. Zach Hamill and Moises Gutierrez also scored for the Tips (47-9-1-2) and David Reekie made 10 saves in goal.

But more important than the final result was the performance. Everett has had a commanding lead atop the U.S. Division since the season's second month, but in recent games the Tips looked anything but the top team in the CHL. Last weekend's three games provided the perfect example as Everett earned five points out of a possible six, but allowed lesser opposition to dictate much of the play.

Tuesday the Tips looked more like their old selves.

"We've been playing and winning, but kind of kidding ourselves about how we've been playing," Constantine said. "There were all kinds of signs of not playing very well. Our actions were saying we were kind of lethargic and complacent. We tried tonight to recommit to some of the things that we are building our success around, and I thought we were more committed to that tonight than we had been in awhile."

Eric Hunter, Devin Setoguchi and Jared Walker scored for Prince George (26-26-3-4). Scott Bowles kept the Cougars in the game, making 36 saves.

"We're happy with the point," Prince George associate head coach Drew Schoneck said. "This is probably the best team I've seen since the Christmas break."

Beach was not supposed to be in Everett's lineup Tuesday. He was knocked out of Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss at Chilliwack by a punch from Cody Smuk, and early indications were he may have suffered a broken jaw and/or concussion.

However, Beach was examined by the team's doctors Tuesday morning and given a clean bill of health, making him available for the evening's game. Playing with a full face shield attached to his helmet to protect his jaw, Beach turned in one of his best all-around performances of the season.

"I was pretty sore out there," said Beach, who blew a slap shot from the top of the right circle past Bowles for his goal. "You get hit and your jaw goes crazy. But other than that I felt pretty good. The legs were going and the line was clicking again."

Beach may have made a speedy recovery, but the Tips still lose him for a while. The possible injuries put into doubt whether Beach would join British Columbia's U-17 team for the Canada Winter Games. But now he's leaving today for the games, which run from Saturday to March 2 in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Beach was one of several Everett players back in the lineup. Center Peter Mueller returned after missing the Chilliwack game because of illness. Also, defensemen Jesse Zetariuk (thigh) and Graham Potuer (wrist) were back, and defenseman Mike Alexander (concussion) was available but was a healthy scratch.

For much of the game it appeared Everett was in danger of coming away empty-handed, despite their efforts. But Gutierrez gave the Tips a lifeline 6:40 into the third period, getting a one-timer off in traffic after a nice feed from Mueller to tie it at 3-3. For Gutierrez, Everett's leading goal scorer, it was the first point in six games.

Then in overtime, Dane Crowley's shot from the point was saved by Bowles. Smyke's first jab at the rebound was also saved, but he banged his second effort in to give Everett the win.

"I was just swinging away, hoping I'd hit it," Smyke said of the game-winner.

"I think we outplayed them tonight, the first time in awhile," Smyke added. "We haven't been playing our best. Coming out on top tonight playing in that sort of manner is good for us."

Slap shots: Everett left wing Ondrej Fiala had to be helped off the ice late in the first period with a leg injury after being pushed into the boards. Constantine said Fiala's status was unknown. ... Prince George was without its leading scorer, center Nick Drazenovic, who didn't make the trip because of a quadriceps injury. ... Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said there were 27 NHL scouts and two scouts from the Central Scouting Bureau in attendance.
At Everett Events Center

Prince George 0 3 0 0 - 3

Everett 1 1 1 1 - 4

First Period-1, Everett, Beach 28 (Crowley, Hamill), 1:17. Penalties-Rapac, Prince George (roughing), 7:05; Mihalik, Prince George (boarding), 10:49; Gutierrez, Everett (tripping), 11:10.

Second Period-2, Prince George, Hunter 20 (Tyrell), 1:16. 3, Everett, Hamill 25 (Gutierrez, Beach), 8:34 (pp). 4, Prince George, Setoguchi 25, 9:06. 5, Prince George, Walker 20 (Rapac, Mihalik), 17:49 (pp). Penalties-Walker, Prince George (holding), 7:50; Hohmann, Prince George (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:02; Zetariuk, Everett (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:02; Durand, Prince George (roughing), 16:18; Zetariuk, Everett (hooking), 16:18; Beach, Everett (roughing), 16:18.

Third Period-6, Everett, Gutierrez 35 (Mueller), 6:40. Penalties-Sagert, Prince George (delay of game), 1:02; Deagle, Prince George (hooking), 9:06; Hohmann, Prince George (cross-checking), 18:32.

Overtime-7, Everett, Smyke 7 (Crowley), 0:38. Penalties-None.

Shots on goal-Prince George 3-8-2-0-13. Everett 11-14-11-4-40. Power-play opportunities-Prince George 1 of 2. Everett 1 of 6. Goalies-Prince George, Bowles 9-6-1-0 (40 shots, 36 saves). Everett, Reekie 20-6-0-0 (13 shots, 10 saves), Irving (0 shots, 0 saves). A-5,125.