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Tipped Off
03-25-2005, 10:12 AM
From the Everett Herald - 3/25

Tips' first-round series promises to be physical
Both Everett and Portland play a tough brand of hockey.

By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer


EVERETT - It's the final week of March, the Western Hockey League playoffs are upon us, and that means just one thing:

It's time to get tough.

The Everett Silvertips begin the defense of their Western Conference championship tonight in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Portland Winter Hawks at the Rose Garden in Portland.

And when you combine the hard work of the Silvertips with the physicality of the Winter Hawks, it means both teams better have a healthy supply of aspirin.

"This might be a first-round series, but it's going to feel like a finals," Everett right wing Alex Leavitt said. "I think it's probably going to be the toughest first-round series I've ever seen."

Everett, the third seed from the U.S. Division, and Portland, the No. 2 seed, fought tooth and nail throughout the regular season and finished separated by just three points in the standings. The Silvertips narrowly won the season series 5-3-2, but all the games were competitive - only one meeting was decided by more than two goals.

"You know it's going to be a tough series," Portland coach Mike Williamson said. "It's been like that the last two years, we know what it's going to be like. It's going to be a very tightly-checked series and you're going to have to work very hard for your offensive chances."

If the Silvertips are to repeat last season's remarkable run to the conference title, they're going to have to overcome a Portland team hotter than a dry day in the Sahara. The Winter Hawks went 17-5-1-1 in their final 24 games to overtake Everett for second place, and Portland was particularly adept on the road during that stretch, going 9-0-1.

"I think we just started coming together as a team better, we had more team unity," Portland captain Braydon Coburn said. "Now we're all on the same page."

Portland's a team that can attack from many different directions. Five Winter Hawk forwards scored 53 points or more, led by Dan DaSilva's 73 (31 goals, 42 assists), and Coburn was a lottery pick in the 2003 NHL Draft who's considered one of the best defensemen in the league. Everett goaltender Michael Wall (24-22-8, 1.92 goals against average, .931 save percentage) has his work cut out to slow the Winter Hawks.

The Winter Hawks also have a hot goaltender in Blake Grenier (17-11-1, 2.15 goals against average, .924 save percentage), who has given Portland stability in net.

"They're very talented," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said of the Winter Hawks. "They have a good goalie, they have big D, they have talented forwards. Some nights they came in and kicked our butt. Most of the time we stayed competitive with them. So it seems like it should be a great playoff series.

Portland's more than just talented, the Winter Hawks have also become synonymous with the term tough. Portland has always been known as a team willing to scrap, finishing in the top two in the league in penalty minutes each of the past four seasons. This season Portland had eight players rack up more than 100 penalty minutes.

But historically, Everett has taken advantage of Portland's aggressiveness. The Tips are 12-6-4 against the Winter Hawks in their history, and a lot of that came from taking advantage of Portland penalties. Therefore the onus is on Everett's power play, particular top power-play performers Leavitt (16 goals, 46 assists) and Torrie Wheat (25 goals, 32 assists), to take advantage of its opportunities.

"Specialty teams are very important," Williamson said. "Both teams have similar percentages. Obviously we've been short-handed more than Everett has, so it's important that we be disciplined and not give them an abundance of opportunities."

Both teams have significant injury issues.

DaSilva suffered a concussion when he was hit in the head with a stick by Seattle defenseman Zach FitzGerald last Saturday. Williamson said DaSilva is doubtful for this weekend's games and his absence would be a major blow to Portland's offense.

Meanwhile, Everett has three concussion problems of its own. Defenseman Taylor Ellington and forward Zach Sim both received concussions during last Saturday's brawl with Tri-City and were unable to practice Thursday. Also, left wing Michael Wuchterl was held out because of concussion-like symptoms.

They will join overage left wing Tyler Dietrich, who's missed two months because of a fractured ankle, on the sidelines this weekend.

Everett also won't be intimidated by playing on the road. The Tips went 3-0-2 in Portland this season.