Key Stretch for Everett

[Tipped Off]

The Upcoming schedule will really start to show what this team is made of. After playing three nights in a row Fri-Sun, going 2-1, the Tips resume by playing the next three out of four at home. With games Wednesday at home against Portland, then an away and home against Vancouver on Friday and Saturday, followed by a home game Sunday Vs. Brandon the Tips finish off a schedule which sees them playing seven games in 10 nights.

If you think it gets easier from there, you're wrong. After the Sunday game, the Tips head out on the road for a seven game road trip. Starting Wednesday (Nov 2) the Tips travel to Spokane, Red Deer (Nov 4), Lethbridge (Nov 5), Medicine Hat (Nov 8), Swift Current (Nov 9), Calgary (Nov 11) and Kooteney (Nov 12). That's seven road games in 11 nights (Look out for the Moose, Mr. Bus Driver).

Combined with their current stretch, that means overall they play 14 games in 23 nights, the last seven on the road. Now that's a tough schedule!

The latest Rumor is Wheat (our goals leader) is out 4-6 weeks. I stress this is just a rumor at this point but, combined with the Fiala injury, we're going to need all those "offensive" minded players to step it up a little & the Defense to step it up a lot.

I would say, given the current injury situation and the massive road trip, coming out of the next 11 games 6-5 would be quite an accomplishment and should be considered a successful stretch of games.

[Kristi]

I'll be at all 7 of those road games! Should be a really fun trip! We are expecting to drive about 2500 miles on the trip!

Can't wait.........leave next Wednesday morning!!

[DawnC]

Hope you have fun...and don't forget to take some pictures! :D

[Tipped Off]

If any of you know Redwic from the Tips board, I thought this was a good post by him and wanted to share it with you all....

Here is how the U.S. teams are scheduled for their away games against the Central teams:

EVERETT: EARLY NOVEMBER: 7 Games in 11 Days (road trip includes games against Spokane and Kootenay).

PORTLAND: LATE JANUARY: 4 Games in 5 Days, with an isolated away game (Lethbridge) in late November.

SEATTLE: DECEMBER: 6 Games in 8 Days (raod trip includes a game against Kootenay). Three-in-a-row & Two-in-a-row separated by one day in-between, followed by Kootenay.

SPOKANE: EARLY DECEMBER: 5 Games in 6 Days. Three-in-a-row & Two-in-a-row separated by one day in-between.

TRI-CITY: FEBRUARY: 3 Games in 4 Days; MARCH: 2 Games in 3 Days.
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Seattle & Spokane probably have the most grueling road trip schedules this season. Then Everett. Then Portland. Then finally Tri-City.
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If there is any bright spot for the Silvertips, at least the team is getting their big road trip out of the way early in the season, allowing enough time to know where they will be in the standings & allowing enough time to take charge of the division as the season progresses afterwards.

I wish that we did not have a couple of our key players injured before & during the road trip, but at least we will (should) have them for the stretch-run towards the end of the season. If the team goes 4-3 in the seven-game road trip, that should be considered a 'success'. Any record better than that should be considered as very good.