Tipped Off
01-13-2006, 01:41 PM
Back from the World
Peter Mueller, who took a week off after playing for Team USA at the World Junior Hockey Championships, returns to the Everett Silvertips lineup tonight.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - Fresh off the best offensive showing in franchise history, the Everett Silvertips welcome back arguably their most-potent offensive weapon.
Peter Mueller returned from his week off Thursday and is expected to be in the lineup tonight against Portland. And the 17-year-old center is feeling refreshed and anxious to get back on the ice.
"I feel fine," Mueller said. "Getting on the ice here in practice helps, getting used to the guys on the ice again. Tomorrow's going to be fun and I'm looking forward to it."
Mueller returned home to Bloomington, Minn., for a week of rest following his stint with Team USA at the World Junior Hockey Championships. He arrived in Everett on Thursday and is expected to reunite with linemates Torrie Wheat and Karel Hromas tonight.
Mueller experienced both highs and lows at the World Juniors, which were held in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was one of the top scorers in the tournament with two goals and four assists in seven games, despite being the youngest player on the U.S. roster. However the Americans, who were the pre-tournament favorites, failed to earn a medal, finishing fourth.
"That's pretty bad," Mueller said. "We tried to go out there day-by-day. People predicted us as the favorites, but we personally thought Canada (the eventual gold medalist) was the favorite. It didn't really affect us, but other teams were good and they beat us.
"But I thought it was a great experience," Mueller added. "Being 17 and getting time on the penalty kill and power play, it's unbelievable. The coaches were nice to me and treated me well. It was a good experience and I really enjoyed it."
Mueller missed a total of five Everett games because of the World Juniors. The Tips finished 3-1-1-0 in those five games, including an 8-1 victory over Tri-City on Wednesday in which Everett broke its single-game scoring record.
And now the Tips can add Mueller into the mix, too, though it's unlikely his return will result in nine goals tonight.
"That was an unusual night," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said of the eight goals. "All Peter getting back means is we have another talented guy back in the lineup. It gives us a little more depth."
Howarth update: As of Thursday there was still no conclusion to the Kyle Howarth saga.
Everett acquired the rights to Howarth, a 19-year-old left wing, from Prince Albert at Tuesday's trade deadline. However, Howarth informed the Tips he did not intend to report to Everett.
"There's really no update," Constantine said. "There's nothing that's been confirmed with the league one direction or the other, but I don't think he'll end up being here."
The most-likely resolution is that the trade, which had 16-year-old center Jesse Burt and a fifth-round Bantam Draft pick going to Prince Albert, will be voided.
Kress out: Everett is heading into the weekend without its top defensive forward.
Center Mark Kress is on the shelf after suffering an upper-body injury in Wednesday's 8-1 victory over Tri-City.
The injury occurred in the second period when Kress and Tri-City's Riley Emmerson collided. Kress did not return to the game.
Constantine said the extent of the injury was unknown, but described it as "pretty serious."
"It's somewhere upper body," Constantine said. "We don't know if it's shoulder, bone or what it is. The doctor guessed on three or four things (Wednesday) night, but with all the swelling we couldn't know."
Peter Mueller, who took a week off after playing for Team USA at the World Junior Hockey Championships, returns to the Everett Silvertips lineup tonight.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - Fresh off the best offensive showing in franchise history, the Everett Silvertips welcome back arguably their most-potent offensive weapon.
Peter Mueller returned from his week off Thursday and is expected to be in the lineup tonight against Portland. And the 17-year-old center is feeling refreshed and anxious to get back on the ice.
"I feel fine," Mueller said. "Getting on the ice here in practice helps, getting used to the guys on the ice again. Tomorrow's going to be fun and I'm looking forward to it."
Mueller returned home to Bloomington, Minn., for a week of rest following his stint with Team USA at the World Junior Hockey Championships. He arrived in Everett on Thursday and is expected to reunite with linemates Torrie Wheat and Karel Hromas tonight.
Mueller experienced both highs and lows at the World Juniors, which were held in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was one of the top scorers in the tournament with two goals and four assists in seven games, despite being the youngest player on the U.S. roster. However the Americans, who were the pre-tournament favorites, failed to earn a medal, finishing fourth.
"That's pretty bad," Mueller said. "We tried to go out there day-by-day. People predicted us as the favorites, but we personally thought Canada (the eventual gold medalist) was the favorite. It didn't really affect us, but other teams were good and they beat us.
"But I thought it was a great experience," Mueller added. "Being 17 and getting time on the penalty kill and power play, it's unbelievable. The coaches were nice to me and treated me well. It was a good experience and I really enjoyed it."
Mueller missed a total of five Everett games because of the World Juniors. The Tips finished 3-1-1-0 in those five games, including an 8-1 victory over Tri-City on Wednesday in which Everett broke its single-game scoring record.
And now the Tips can add Mueller into the mix, too, though it's unlikely his return will result in nine goals tonight.
"That was an unusual night," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said of the eight goals. "All Peter getting back means is we have another talented guy back in the lineup. It gives us a little more depth."
Howarth update: As of Thursday there was still no conclusion to the Kyle Howarth saga.
Everett acquired the rights to Howarth, a 19-year-old left wing, from Prince Albert at Tuesday's trade deadline. However, Howarth informed the Tips he did not intend to report to Everett.
"There's really no update," Constantine said. "There's nothing that's been confirmed with the league one direction or the other, but I don't think he'll end up being here."
The most-likely resolution is that the trade, which had 16-year-old center Jesse Burt and a fifth-round Bantam Draft pick going to Prince Albert, will be voided.
Kress out: Everett is heading into the weekend without its top defensive forward.
Center Mark Kress is on the shelf after suffering an upper-body injury in Wednesday's 8-1 victory over Tri-City.
The injury occurred in the second period when Kress and Tri-City's Riley Emmerson collided. Kress did not return to the game.
Constantine said the extent of the injury was unknown, but described it as "pretty serious."
"It's somewhere upper body," Constantine said. "We don't know if it's shoulder, bone or what it is. The doctor guessed on three or four things (Wednesday) night, but with all the swelling we couldn't know."