Tipped Off
02-27-2009, 11:27 AM
from www.heraldnet.com
Tips seek to rise out of slump
Team discusses its woes, then engages in a vigorous practice
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT -- It was not business as usual for the Everett Silvertips.
Practice at Comcast Arena normally begins around 2 p.m., but Thursday it started an hour-and-a-half later following a lengthy team meeting.
Usually, the off day during a stretch of four games in five nights consists of a light on-ice session. But Thursday's practice was a little more vigorous.
And following practice, normally loquacious Tips coach John Becanic was a man of few words.
Given the way things are going for Everett, it's no surprise the Tips are trying to shake things up.
Everett is currently suffering through the worst stretch it has ever experienced, and the Tips are doing their best to maintain their spirits.
"It's definitely a slump and we need to snap it somehow," overage defenseman Taylor Ellington said.
"I think everyone's holding up pretty well," added Ellington, who in his five seasons with the team has never experienced anything like this. "We went out there and had a hard practice. Everyone's giving 110 percent right now, and we're just trying to win every game until the end of the year, then go into the playoffs on a good note."
The Tips have heavy work ahead of them if they want to accomplish that. Everett is in the midst of its worst six-week period in franchise history. Since Jan. 17, the Tips have lost 16 of 20 games, and the skid includes a seven-goal loss and two eight-goal defeats, the most recent being Wednesday's 8-0 hammering by Vancouver.
For a franchise that has yet to suffer a losing season in its six seasons, the number and severity of the losses are taking a toll on the players.
"It's frustrating, for sure, seeing some of the scores we've gone through," said Everett defenseman Graham Potuer, who also is in his fifth season in Everett. "But I think the guys have realized what our mistakes are. We're working towards getting better and that's all we can do for the next few games."
The Tips knew before the season began that, with a young an inexperienced team, Everett was susceptible to slumps. Yet the slumps never materialized in the first half, giving rise to thoughts that this season might not end up being as rough as many predicted.
However, the injury bug the Tips avoided in the first half has hit the team hard recently, and Everett's lack of depth has been exposed.
It doesn't get any easier for Everett this weekend. The Tips host the U.S. Division-leading Tri-City Americans tonight, have a rematch with the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, then travel to Kent to face the rested and resurgent Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday.
Therefore, Becanic deemed changes were needed. No one discussed the specifics of Thursday's team meeting. However, the substance of it concerned what the Tips need to do better in order to be more competitive against the top teams. During these six weeks Everett is 0-9-2-0 against the Western Conference's top four teams, getting outscored 56-14.
"It was a really long meeting," Potuer said. "We just went through some stuff we need to work on and get better at, some things we need to change. We changed out a couple things and we just had to go out (in practice) and work on it."
The hope, from Everett's standpoint, is that dealing with adversity will be a character-developing experience for the players.
"It's been a learning year for me," Ellington said. "This year I'm a leader and me, (captain Zack) Dailey and Potuer have definitely learned so much from this year, just with everything that's happened and the way the year's been. I find it good in that way."
Just how good it's been for the Tips will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Slap shots: There is no update on Tips forward Tyler Parker, who left Wednesday's game injured. Becanic said he did not know the nature nor the severity of the injury. Parker did not practice Thursday. ... Everett will have call-up forward D.Jay McGrath in the lineup again tonight. The 16-year-old McGrath was originally scheduled to play in just one game for Everett to help cover for injuries. However, Parker's injury prompted the Tips to retain McGrath through the weekend. ... There was one surprise at Thursday's practice. Injured forward Daniel Bartek took part on a limited basis. Bartek is considered a long-term casualty with a broken hand. However, Becanic said Bartek's participation is not an indication of an imminent return.
Tips seek to rise out of slump
Team discusses its woes, then engages in a vigorous practice
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT -- It was not business as usual for the Everett Silvertips.
Practice at Comcast Arena normally begins around 2 p.m., but Thursday it started an hour-and-a-half later following a lengthy team meeting.
Usually, the off day during a stretch of four games in five nights consists of a light on-ice session. But Thursday's practice was a little more vigorous.
And following practice, normally loquacious Tips coach John Becanic was a man of few words.
Given the way things are going for Everett, it's no surprise the Tips are trying to shake things up.
Everett is currently suffering through the worst stretch it has ever experienced, and the Tips are doing their best to maintain their spirits.
"It's definitely a slump and we need to snap it somehow," overage defenseman Taylor Ellington said.
"I think everyone's holding up pretty well," added Ellington, who in his five seasons with the team has never experienced anything like this. "We went out there and had a hard practice. Everyone's giving 110 percent right now, and we're just trying to win every game until the end of the year, then go into the playoffs on a good note."
The Tips have heavy work ahead of them if they want to accomplish that. Everett is in the midst of its worst six-week period in franchise history. Since Jan. 17, the Tips have lost 16 of 20 games, and the skid includes a seven-goal loss and two eight-goal defeats, the most recent being Wednesday's 8-0 hammering by Vancouver.
For a franchise that has yet to suffer a losing season in its six seasons, the number and severity of the losses are taking a toll on the players.
"It's frustrating, for sure, seeing some of the scores we've gone through," said Everett defenseman Graham Potuer, who also is in his fifth season in Everett. "But I think the guys have realized what our mistakes are. We're working towards getting better and that's all we can do for the next few games."
The Tips knew before the season began that, with a young an inexperienced team, Everett was susceptible to slumps. Yet the slumps never materialized in the first half, giving rise to thoughts that this season might not end up being as rough as many predicted.
However, the injury bug the Tips avoided in the first half has hit the team hard recently, and Everett's lack of depth has been exposed.
It doesn't get any easier for Everett this weekend. The Tips host the U.S. Division-leading Tri-City Americans tonight, have a rematch with the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, then travel to Kent to face the rested and resurgent Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday.
Therefore, Becanic deemed changes were needed. No one discussed the specifics of Thursday's team meeting. However, the substance of it concerned what the Tips need to do better in order to be more competitive against the top teams. During these six weeks Everett is 0-9-2-0 against the Western Conference's top four teams, getting outscored 56-14.
"It was a really long meeting," Potuer said. "We just went through some stuff we need to work on and get better at, some things we need to change. We changed out a couple things and we just had to go out (in practice) and work on it."
The hope, from Everett's standpoint, is that dealing with adversity will be a character-developing experience for the players.
"It's been a learning year for me," Ellington said. "This year I'm a leader and me, (captain Zack) Dailey and Potuer have definitely learned so much from this year, just with everything that's happened and the way the year's been. I find it good in that way."
Just how good it's been for the Tips will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Slap shots: There is no update on Tips forward Tyler Parker, who left Wednesday's game injured. Becanic said he did not know the nature nor the severity of the injury. Parker did not practice Thursday. ... Everett will have call-up forward D.Jay McGrath in the lineup again tonight. The 16-year-old McGrath was originally scheduled to play in just one game for Everett to help cover for injuries. However, Parker's injury prompted the Tips to retain McGrath through the weekend. ... There was one surprise at Thursday's practice. Injured forward Daniel Bartek took part on a limited basis. Bartek is considered a long-term casualty with a broken hand. However, Becanic said Bartek's participation is not an indication of an imminent return.