Scout
04-29-2008, 08:22 AM
Courtesy Alan Caldwell
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday notes
Tri-City beat Spokane last night in (what else) overtime, forcing a game seven in their Western Conference final series. That's five out of six games that have gone to OT now. Game seven will be played tonight in Kennewick....I'm not sure that home ice is particularly what the Ams want, since the visiting team has won four of the six games so far, and the winners have been alternating all series too - Spokane won games 1, 3, and 5, while Tri-City has won games 2, 4, and 6. Continuing that pattern, Spokane should win tonight's game seven. But, you play all year in order to have home ice in a critical game like this, and now the Ams have it.
I'm not sure if the league has a record for most OT games in a 7-game series, but this series has to be closing in on that record, if it hasn't set it already. I mean, five games of OT in a seven-game series? And if it goes to OT tonight too, it'll be six OT games out of a possible seven. Things just don't get any closer than they have been in this series.
Meanwhile, Lethbridge has the bus gassed up and ready to go.....the Hurricanes will leave tomorrow morning for the winning city in tonight's game. Game one of the WHL final goes Friday.
Travel-wise, this series is probably about as good as there can ever be for a WHL final. About the only closer possible series is anything involving Kootenay on the East's side. Lethbridge is a seven hour drive from Spokane and nine hours from Kennewick. Not a quick jaunt but only Kootenay is closer amongst all the East teams.
Just checked a few things.....Edmonton to Prince George would be just six hours. But we'll wait for the Cougars and Oil Kings to meet in the WHL final first.
In other WHL news, there could be another player loss in the works next year for the Everett Silvertips, one they probably weren't expecting. According to Everett Herald scribe Nick Patterson, defenceman (and team captain) Jonathan Harty is leaning towards going to university next year rather than return to the 'Tips to play his overage season.
Players passing up their last year in the WHL to play university isn't rare (Jason Lynch did it this year, turning down playing as an O/A in Red Deer to instead play at UBC) but it's certainly not a frequent occurrence either. This might bear some investigating by the 'Tips....maybe Harty is just unhappy in Everett for some reason and could benefit from a change of scenery. He still wouldn't be in an Everett uniform next year but at least they could get something for him in trade in that case.
Assuming Zach Hamill and Leland Irving turn pro next year (which they almost certainly will since they have signed NHL contracts), Everett's overage choices for next year without Harty are: Taylor Ellington, Eric English, Tyler Kieffer, and Graham Poteur. Ummm....
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday notes
Tri-City beat Spokane last night in (what else) overtime, forcing a game seven in their Western Conference final series. That's five out of six games that have gone to OT now. Game seven will be played tonight in Kennewick....I'm not sure that home ice is particularly what the Ams want, since the visiting team has won four of the six games so far, and the winners have been alternating all series too - Spokane won games 1, 3, and 5, while Tri-City has won games 2, 4, and 6. Continuing that pattern, Spokane should win tonight's game seven. But, you play all year in order to have home ice in a critical game like this, and now the Ams have it.
I'm not sure if the league has a record for most OT games in a 7-game series, but this series has to be closing in on that record, if it hasn't set it already. I mean, five games of OT in a seven-game series? And if it goes to OT tonight too, it'll be six OT games out of a possible seven. Things just don't get any closer than they have been in this series.
Meanwhile, Lethbridge has the bus gassed up and ready to go.....the Hurricanes will leave tomorrow morning for the winning city in tonight's game. Game one of the WHL final goes Friday.
Travel-wise, this series is probably about as good as there can ever be for a WHL final. About the only closer possible series is anything involving Kootenay on the East's side. Lethbridge is a seven hour drive from Spokane and nine hours from Kennewick. Not a quick jaunt but only Kootenay is closer amongst all the East teams.
Just checked a few things.....Edmonton to Prince George would be just six hours. But we'll wait for the Cougars and Oil Kings to meet in the WHL final first.
In other WHL news, there could be another player loss in the works next year for the Everett Silvertips, one they probably weren't expecting. According to Everett Herald scribe Nick Patterson, defenceman (and team captain) Jonathan Harty is leaning towards going to university next year rather than return to the 'Tips to play his overage season.
Players passing up their last year in the WHL to play university isn't rare (Jason Lynch did it this year, turning down playing as an O/A in Red Deer to instead play at UBC) but it's certainly not a frequent occurrence either. This might bear some investigating by the 'Tips....maybe Harty is just unhappy in Everett for some reason and could benefit from a change of scenery. He still wouldn't be in an Everett uniform next year but at least they could get something for him in trade in that case.
Assuming Zach Hamill and Leland Irving turn pro next year (which they almost certainly will since they have signed NHL contracts), Everett's overage choices for next year without Harty are: Taylor Ellington, Eric English, Tyler Kieffer, and Graham Poteur. Ummm....