Tipped Off
02-17-2006, 11:39 AM
Calla shoots, finally scores
Forward hopes to build on breaking 30-game goal-less drought.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - Thirty games without a goal.
That couldn't have been Brady Calla, could it?
The same Brady Calla who had such a promising rookie campaign for the Everett Silvertips last season?
The same Brady Calla who's projected as a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft?
The same Brady Calla who's considered one of the team's most-dependable players both on and off the ice?
Yes, it was that Brady Calla who was suffering through a goal-scoring drought like he'd never experienced before, one that left him shaking his head and wondering where the next goal was going to come from.
But Calla finally broke through in Everett's last game, finding the net in Everett's 4-2 victory over Seattle on Tuesday. Now both Calla and the Tips are hoping the breakthrough is just the opening of the floodgate.
"I'd never, ever gone through anything like that in my career so far," Calla said. "Hopefully it won't happen that significant again."
Said linemate Zach Hamill: "We were bugging him for a while there. We just told him to keep working hard and that was what he was doing. He wasn't playing bad, the bounces just weren't going for him. Now that he's broken the streak I'm sure there's a lot more to come from him."
Calla is not the player one would expect to go more than three months goal-less. The talented 17-year-old right wing had a promising rookie season, tallying 11 goals and 10 assists. He won a gold medal playing for Canada at the U-18 World Cup of Hockey. He played in both the Canada-Russia Challenge and the CHL Top Prospects Game. He's played all season on a line with dynamic playmakers Hamill and John Lammers.
Calla then began the season as expected, registering five goals and seven assists in Everett's first 14 games.
However, since scoring in Everett's 5-2 loss at Kootenay on Nov. 12, Calla's been firing blanks. At times Calla's been just a bit hesitant on pulling the trigger. Other times he's watched his shots go just wide. Tuesday's goal - not a highlight-reel goal, merely a simple stuff-in at the post - was just his seventh in 53 games this season.
"I think I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself," Calla said. "I think (Tuesday) was the first night I went out there and didn't think about it. I just went in and said, 'It's been so long it doesn't really even matter anymore.' So I went into the game not even thinking about it, and it happens."
Fortunately for the Tips, Calla's scoring struggles haven't had an adverse effect on the rest of his game. With his blazing speed and strong work ethic, Calla's capable of contributing even when he's not scoring.
"His game offers so much more than scoring," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "He's become a very good penalty killer, he's part of our power play, his line's been one of our most-effective lines, so there's a lot of things he's added other than goals. But a goal always tends to energize you a bit, so if that adds a little more to his game, then that's great."
And Calla did his best to make sure the scoring woes didn't filter into his overall game.
"Maybe after I had a chance to score a goal and I missed it, it would frustrate me for a five-minute period and I'd let it get to my game," Calla said. "But overall I don't think I let it affect me. Just creating energy and working hard is my game and I don't think it could ever take away that part of my game."
Having finally ended the drought, Calla's confidence received a boost. Now it's just a matter of carrying that through the final month of the season.
"I think I felt a little more confident in practice (Thursday)," Calla said. "It wasn't a spectacular goal, but it got me going again a bit.
"I'm always going to keep working on this goal-scoring thing," Calla added. "If it keeps happening, then awesome. If not, I'll just keep working."
Forward hopes to build on breaking 30-game goal-less drought.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - Thirty games without a goal.
That couldn't have been Brady Calla, could it?
The same Brady Calla who had such a promising rookie campaign for the Everett Silvertips last season?
The same Brady Calla who's projected as a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft?
The same Brady Calla who's considered one of the team's most-dependable players both on and off the ice?
Yes, it was that Brady Calla who was suffering through a goal-scoring drought like he'd never experienced before, one that left him shaking his head and wondering where the next goal was going to come from.
But Calla finally broke through in Everett's last game, finding the net in Everett's 4-2 victory over Seattle on Tuesday. Now both Calla and the Tips are hoping the breakthrough is just the opening of the floodgate.
"I'd never, ever gone through anything like that in my career so far," Calla said. "Hopefully it won't happen that significant again."
Said linemate Zach Hamill: "We were bugging him for a while there. We just told him to keep working hard and that was what he was doing. He wasn't playing bad, the bounces just weren't going for him. Now that he's broken the streak I'm sure there's a lot more to come from him."
Calla is not the player one would expect to go more than three months goal-less. The talented 17-year-old right wing had a promising rookie season, tallying 11 goals and 10 assists. He won a gold medal playing for Canada at the U-18 World Cup of Hockey. He played in both the Canada-Russia Challenge and the CHL Top Prospects Game. He's played all season on a line with dynamic playmakers Hamill and John Lammers.
Calla then began the season as expected, registering five goals and seven assists in Everett's first 14 games.
However, since scoring in Everett's 5-2 loss at Kootenay on Nov. 12, Calla's been firing blanks. At times Calla's been just a bit hesitant on pulling the trigger. Other times he's watched his shots go just wide. Tuesday's goal - not a highlight-reel goal, merely a simple stuff-in at the post - was just his seventh in 53 games this season.
"I think I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself," Calla said. "I think (Tuesday) was the first night I went out there and didn't think about it. I just went in and said, 'It's been so long it doesn't really even matter anymore.' So I went into the game not even thinking about it, and it happens."
Fortunately for the Tips, Calla's scoring struggles haven't had an adverse effect on the rest of his game. With his blazing speed and strong work ethic, Calla's capable of contributing even when he's not scoring.
"His game offers so much more than scoring," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "He's become a very good penalty killer, he's part of our power play, his line's been one of our most-effective lines, so there's a lot of things he's added other than goals. But a goal always tends to energize you a bit, so if that adds a little more to his game, then that's great."
And Calla did his best to make sure the scoring woes didn't filter into his overall game.
"Maybe after I had a chance to score a goal and I missed it, it would frustrate me for a five-minute period and I'd let it get to my game," Calla said. "But overall I don't think I let it affect me. Just creating energy and working hard is my game and I don't think it could ever take away that part of my game."
Having finally ended the drought, Calla's confidence received a boost. Now it's just a matter of carrying that through the final month of the season.
"I think I felt a little more confident in practice (Thursday)," Calla said. "It wasn't a spectacular goal, but it got me going again a bit.
"I'm always going to keep working on this goal-scoring thing," Calla added. "If it keeps happening, then awesome. If not, I'll just keep working."