Tips Fall to Ice

[Tipped Off]

Silvertips fall to Ice 4-1 for seventh straight defeat


By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer


EVERETT - All the elements were in place for an Everett Silvertips revival.

For the first time in nearly a month Everett was fielding something resembling a full lineup.

The effort that was so often absent in recent games was there in abundance.

But when teams are mired in the kind of funk the Silvertips are currently experiencing, even in games they should win they find ways to lose.

Everett outplayed the top team in the Western Hockey League's Western Conference for two periods on Saturday night, yet reaped no reward. The Silvertips suffered their seventh straight loss, falling 4-1 to the Kootenay Ice before a crowd of 7,341 at the Everett Events Center.

"That's just the way losing streaks go," Everett defenseman Shaun Heshka said. "We're not going to go and start winning eight games straight. You have to chip along, work hard and see what the puck does for you. Today I think was a step forward for us in terms of work ethic. Hopefully (today against Prince Albert) we take another step."

Short-handed goals by Adam Cracknell and Ben Maxwell staked Kootenay (20-9-0-1) to a 2-1 second-period lead it scarcely deserved. Goals by Chad Greenan and Maxwell - Maxwell's into an empty net with more than eight minutes remaining - put the game away.

"They worked hard, they were intense, they were ready for us," Kootenay coach Cory Clouston said about the Tips. "They played like a team that wanted to get a win. Our penalty kill did a great job for us. One thing Everett always has is special teams, and their power play often wins them hockey games. Tonight we were able to do a good job on the kill, take away shooting lanes and put pressure at the right times."

Peter Mueller scored the lone goal for Everett (14-12-1-0). Leland Irving made 16 saves in goal.

Everett played with the fire and determination of a team desperate for a win, laying on heavy hits and outshooting the Ice 27-20. The Tips also had several keys players back in the lineup as Mueller, who sat out the final two periods of Friday's 4-0 loss at Tri-City, and John Lammers, who was scratched for the Tri-City game, both made the lineup. Also, forward Ondrej Fiala was back on the ice for the first time since Oct. 21, fully recovered from his knee injury.

But the Tips fell victim to glaring mistakes as turnovers led to each of Kootenay's short-handed goals. And Everett's timing couldn't have been any worse for the Ice are just the team capable of punishing those mistakes.

" (Friday night) our effort way really bad and tonight I thought our effort was really good," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "Tonight was much less frustrating than last night because we played hard. All you ever ask is that you play hard. Obviously the power play could have been the difference for us in a positive way, and it lost the game for us instead, so that's a bummer. But effort and physical play and competitiveness and caring was there tonight."

The key moments came at each end of the second period with Everett on the power play.

First, at 1 minute, 29 seconds, Irving tried to chip the puck along the boards past the forechecking Casey Lee. However, Lee knocked down the pass and fed the puck out front to a wide open Cracknell. The Kootenay player patiently waited until finding an angle to beat the scrambling Irving and give the Ice a 1-0 lead.

After Mueller scored on a breakaway at 4:56 to tie the score, Kootenay's penalty kill did the job again at 18:42. This time Heshka misplayed the puck at the blue line and was outraced to the loose puck by Maxwell. Maxwell then made a great move to beat Irving, making it 2-1.

"Obviously we can't be giving up two short-handed goals," Heshka said. "That's all me right there, so that's something I've got to work on, look at and probably lose sleep over."

Greenan's shot from the point through traffic 2:31 into the third period found the net and gave the Ice a 3-1 lead. Thirty seconds after Constantine curiously pulled Irving with 8:50 remaining, Maxwell put the puck into an empty net to kill any thought of a comeback.

"I didn't think we had anything going in the third the way we did in the second," Constantine explained about the decision to pull Irving. "I thought it would have been a stretch to score five-on-five."

Slap shots: With players returning to the lineup Saturday, Everett mixed its lines in an effort to resemble its full-strength lines. Mueller, who had replaced Zach Hamill centering Lammers and Brady Calla, rejoined left wing Karel Hromas with Damir Alic slotting in on the right. Zach Dailey, who played a strong game, centered Lammers and Calla. Mark Kress, Jesse Smyke and Fiala, who began the season together, were reunited. ... Curtis Billsten picked up an assist for Kootenay, meaning the former Silvertip has scored at least one point in every game against his former team this season - twice for Kootenay and once with Lethbridge. All three were Everett losses.

Ice 4, Silvertips 1

Kootenay 0 2 2 - 4

Everett 0 1 0 - 1

First Period-No goals. Penalties-Mahovsky, Kootenay (hooking), 9:45; Calla, Everett (high sticking), 10:56; Heshka, Everett (holding), 14:17; Flatt, Kootenay (roughing), 18:37; Smyke, Everett (slashing), 18:37.

Second Period-1, Kootenay, Cracknell 16 (Lee), 1:29 (sh). 2, Everett, Mueller 11 (Dailey), 4:56. 3, Kootenay, Maxwell 12, 18:42 (sh). Penalties-Busto, Kootenay (hooking), 0:39; Mueller, Everett (slashing), 2:49; Flatt, Kootenay (roughing), 6:57; Fiala, Everett (roughing), 6:57; Lee, Kootenay (instigator-fighting-10-minute misconduct), 17:36; Kurceba, Kootenay (10-minute misconduct), 17:36; Thoring, Everett (fighting), 17:36.

Third Period-4, Kootenay, Greenan 1 (Busto), 2:31. 5, Kootenay, Maxwell 13 (Billsten), 11:40 (en). Penalties-Doyle, Everett (roughing), 12:00.

Shots on goal-Kootenay 5-6-9-20. Everett 7-12-8-27. Power-play opportunities-Kootenay 0 of 4. Everett 0 of 3.

Goalies-Kootenay, Dakers 8-2 (27 shots, 26 saves). Everett, Irving 13-11 (19 shots, 16 saves).

[Tipped Off]

From the Tips board from a poster named: IceMan

Ugh. What else can you say?

Pop-Quiz ...

Mr Mueller --- The puck is in the corner, and you're a step and a half behind the opposing player going to the puck. Do you:
A) Lower your shoulder and hammer the opposition and take the puck from his limp and twitching carcass?
B) Poke the puck, and use your momentum to catch up with it and go
C) Slow down, Put on the brakes, DUCK, and hope that the other guy overskates it?

Unfortunately, Mr Mueller chose Option C, which resulted in yet another shining example of this teams general unwillingness to get physical, to force the action, and to dig and grind. Yes, there were 4 or 5 great physical shifts out there tonight (interestingly enough, each of which caused the crowd to go nuts, and the Koots netminder to **** his pants more than a few times), but by and large, this team either avoids contact, or puts half-assed checks on guys that are easily shrugged off, and take ourselves out of the play. This is a coaching thing ... we have players that can and will hit and force the action, but it absolutely looks like they've got horsecollars on out there.

Mr Heshka --- You're shorthanded, and have just given the puck away (it was bouncing around, we can't blame you for that)....Do you:
A) Take the body, separating the man from the puck, and allow your teammates to scoop it up and regroup?
B) Take him down, by any means necessary, more than happy to take a 2:00 minor instead of giving up a shorthanded breakaway?
C) Allow yourself to be rodeo'd while swinging your stick wildly at the puck hoping to catch a piece of it as it is skated by?

Heshka makes the right decision on that play 99 times out of 100 ... but when you've lost 6 in a row, your leaders need to lead by example out there. If your best player is having brain farts out there, what message does that send to the rest of the team? If he's not going to put it all out on that play, doing whatever it takes, sacrificing if he has to, do you think anyone else will either?

Mr Constantine --- Your team has lost 6 straight and 9 of 10, your team has proven 99.99% of the time this year that it is flat-out incapable of playing with an empty net behind them. Down 2 goals with nearly 9:00 to go in the third period at home, following the league mandated timeout do you ....
A) Switch up the lines for this one shift, and maybe sketch out a play to execute off of the offensive zone faceoff
B) Remind your team that they scored 3 goals in the third the other night, and that they've had a territorial advantage all night, and try to motivate them?
C) Pull the goalie, knowing that you have a 1% chance of scoring and a 99% chance of allowing the other team to ICE the game with half a period to go, taking the fans totally out of the game, and turning your own team into a bunch of zombies that skate with their heads down for the remainder of the game?

No comment ... that was perhaps the stupidest friekin call I've seen from him in a long time. There are times when pulling the goalie early makes a little bit of motivational sense, but not tonight. These guys needed a chance to win, not a guaranteed loss. That one move killed any chance of momentum and faith that this group might have built up or had in each other.

On a positive note --- Looked like Cody really ate his wheatties today. He was very physical (aside from his fight, which was a real good butt kickin) on the ice. Doyle also looks much much better out there. Taylor made some great plays as well on D. The D, by and large played pretty well tonight, aside from a few mental lapses, and their failure on a couple of occasions to be physical in their own crease.

The offense, when it's deep, cycling, hitting, and being aggressive is very impressive. We should have been up 1-0 after 2 ... and possibly more than that with the amount of sustained pressure that they had on a few shifts in the first and 2nd. Unfortunately, it only played that way for about 8 of the 60 minutes tonight. Once that 3rd goal went in, they slowed to about half speed .... once Coach screwed them over, they totally packed it in. That's not Silvertips Hockey. Even after a bad move by a coach, or a bad play by a player, you expect your team to step up. This bunch is not doing that at all. Maybe a major trade is warranted -- perhaps even one of the untouchables?

Whether it wins 9 in a row, or Loses 9 in a row, this team is simply not built to make a strong, long run. Their needs are glaring, and need to be addressed quickly. In the meantime, as we wait for the injuries to heal, and deals to be made, the current lineup has to nut-up and start playing like men out there. I'm sick and tired of watching the damned ice capades out there night after night.

You have to think that the coaching staff and players are seeing and feeling this too. I'm just wondering when they're going to do something about it. The other night's comeback in the 3rd had all of the earmarks of them possibly turning the corner on their own -- or maybe they just got lucky?

[IceMan]

Thanks for the quote -- I feel important ;)

I really need to change my Nick over here. Do you know if that's possible, or do I need to create a new "Iceman" account and wipe out all of my history ?

[Heshkak]

Although I admire that Iceman is a big enough Tips fan to be upset and frustrated over a poorly performing team, I think he needs an injection of faith.

The tips have a history of amazing success and this is their first real taste of adversity. Every team eventually goes through it and I think we need to give them some credit and time to figure out how to get back on the winning path. Granted, in the examples given, ALL THREE should have made better decisions. I know Shaun is gonna be hard on himself over his mistake.

HOWEVER.... Tips fans have to have some faith in their team! Come on you guys, they are still first in the division and are in no means in danger of not making the playoffs! It's sad that as soon as the team takes a few losses that people start tlaking about "BIG TRADES" or "FIRE THE COACH". It's just sad when people who call themselves "fans" start yelling at the top of their lungs to get rid of the people who are at the heart of the team. You can't honestly expect to lose 5 of your top players to injury and still have the success that you had previous. ALSO you can't blame the players or the coaching staff when the system they have taught and have been taught to work when you are missing key players in that system. KC designed a system in past years to "grind out" wins because of the lack of pure talent in a young team. Now that the tips have some pure talent (Heshka, Muller, Lammers, Hammil, Irving, etc, etc) you can't expect the same philosophy. Losing these players requires a change in strategy and you can't expect them to pick up a new system instantly, also these guys are comming back and they will need time to "shake the rust" before getting back to full speed.

Here's my responce to your posting:

Take a pill, relax, and HAVE SOME FAITH. The boys will pull it out and finish #1 in the US division and will go deep in the playoffs.

-Hesh

[Pilchuck view]

After reading your post and doing a little discussion with my wife about our three years of supporting this team (STH) I have to agree with you 100%.We fans are a great part of the success of OUR TEAM. Injecting positive energy is more productive than the negative---think about the (2) long win streaks and think about the positive energy we were pushing towards a team that was at times playing on the ragged side and they still came through.

We have enjoyed having Shaun on the team. He has literally been there for us every game and has given us a sense of security whenever he is on the ice.We know what you mean when you say he is going to be hard on himself for mistakes. We have seen it and we have sensed his displeasure.

So here's to getting out of the hole one step at a time and we hope you can make it down here to watch Shaun play in Everett!

Pilchuck

[IceMan]

Like I said in that post -- 99 times out of 100, Hesh makes the right play. He knows that, we know that.

I can understand wanting to put out positive energy, but when you've lost 7 in a row, it's gut-check time. Everyone has to be "on" for every bit of 60 minutes, and that has to come from the most experienced players on down. True leaders lead by example.

I'm not upset with Shaun for making a bad play, that happens to everyone. I'm upset because he appeared to give up on that play, and never came back with any fire after it happened. That's exemplary of a losing attitude. It's easy for a team to fall into that trap after going down 7 times in a row -- it's up to guys like Shaun to put the team on their back and hack through it, not to hang their head.

He did pick it up in a big way the next night, which hopefully will bleed down the other players.