Tipped Off
03-03-2006, 11:37 AM
Published: Friday, March 3, 2006
Kress fills in admirably on defense
The Tips usual forward, playing in place of two injured defensemen Wednesday night, helped keep Portland scoreless for 50 minutes.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - When Mark Kress stepped onto the ice Wednesday night for the Everett Silvertips, he experienced something he hadn't felt for some time during his junior hockey career.
Mark Kress, who eschewed his normal forward position to help the Tips on defense Wednesday night, says he was nervous before the game. Nerves.
No, it's not what one would expect from a 20-year-old playing his fourth full season in the WHL. But it is what one would expect from someone doing something for the first time in his life.
Kress was called into emergency duty as a defenseman in Everett's home game against Portland, the first time he played defense in his entire hockey-playing career. And Kress played the role well in the Tips' 5-1 victory.
"Oh, there was so much (nervousness)," said Kress, normally a center. "In the first period I was like, 'Holy cow!' I don't really skate backwards that much, when you're a forward you skate frontwards. I'm not really used to that so I was a little nervous, but I was also very excited."
Kress became a wanted man in a hurry. Tuesday night in Portland Everett suffered two defensive injuries: Cody Thoring went down with a high-ankle sprain and Jonathan Harty left the game with a back injury. With Zach Sim also on the shelf because of a shoulder injury, the Tips were left with just five healthy defensemen for Wednesday's game, one fewer than the normal complement.
A discussion ensued among the coaches on the bus ride back to Everett, and eventually they decided to draft Kress, Everett's best defensive forward, into duty on the blue line.
"He's competitive, he has good speed and he's always filled a defensive-minded role for us," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said about his reasons for choosing Kress. "It all added up to a guy we thought would do a good job there."
Kress was informed of the decision about seven hours before game time, and he had to take a crash course in learning a new position.
"I just sat down with coach (John) Becanic before the game," Kress said. "He gave me the rundown for a half hour, 45 minutes. And obviously the guys on the team helped me out and told me what to expect and what to do in every situation."
Kress looked a little lost in the first period, at times making the play of a forward in certain spots on the ice rather than the play of a defenseman. But he became more comfortable as the game progressed and was well worth his part in Everett holding Portland scoreless for more than 50 minutes.
And despite playing on defense, Kress had one of his most-dangerous games offensively, too. He hit the crossbar with a shot from the point that evenutally led to an Ondrej Fiala goal, and he also hit the post when playing as a forward on the penalty kill.
"He was fine," was Constantine's evaluation of Kress' performance as a defenseman. "It was a tough challenge to drop back and do that. But he did a good job."
Kress' time on defense is strictly temporary. Although Constantine listed Thoring as out between two and six weeks because of his sprained ankle, Harty and Sim are considered day-to-day. Kress will probably have to reprise his defensive role tonight against Seattle, but Constantine is hopeful Harty will be ready to return sometime this weekend.
In the meantime, Kress has newfound respect for defensemen.
"You're not in the action as much, you see it from a different perspective," he said. "I definitely have a lot more respect for those D-men, going back in those corners and taking a bruising every once in a while. It's a whole other world playing D, but it's good, I don't mind it."
Kress fills in admirably on defense
The Tips usual forward, playing in place of two injured defensemen Wednesday night, helped keep Portland scoreless for 50 minutes.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
EVERETT - When Mark Kress stepped onto the ice Wednesday night for the Everett Silvertips, he experienced something he hadn't felt for some time during his junior hockey career.
Mark Kress, who eschewed his normal forward position to help the Tips on defense Wednesday night, says he was nervous before the game. Nerves.
No, it's not what one would expect from a 20-year-old playing his fourth full season in the WHL. But it is what one would expect from someone doing something for the first time in his life.
Kress was called into emergency duty as a defenseman in Everett's home game against Portland, the first time he played defense in his entire hockey-playing career. And Kress played the role well in the Tips' 5-1 victory.
"Oh, there was so much (nervousness)," said Kress, normally a center. "In the first period I was like, 'Holy cow!' I don't really skate backwards that much, when you're a forward you skate frontwards. I'm not really used to that so I was a little nervous, but I was also very excited."
Kress became a wanted man in a hurry. Tuesday night in Portland Everett suffered two defensive injuries: Cody Thoring went down with a high-ankle sprain and Jonathan Harty left the game with a back injury. With Zach Sim also on the shelf because of a shoulder injury, the Tips were left with just five healthy defensemen for Wednesday's game, one fewer than the normal complement.
A discussion ensued among the coaches on the bus ride back to Everett, and eventually they decided to draft Kress, Everett's best defensive forward, into duty on the blue line.
"He's competitive, he has good speed and he's always filled a defensive-minded role for us," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said about his reasons for choosing Kress. "It all added up to a guy we thought would do a good job there."
Kress was informed of the decision about seven hours before game time, and he had to take a crash course in learning a new position.
"I just sat down with coach (John) Becanic before the game," Kress said. "He gave me the rundown for a half hour, 45 minutes. And obviously the guys on the team helped me out and told me what to expect and what to do in every situation."
Kress looked a little lost in the first period, at times making the play of a forward in certain spots on the ice rather than the play of a defenseman. But he became more comfortable as the game progressed and was well worth his part in Everett holding Portland scoreless for more than 50 minutes.
And despite playing on defense, Kress had one of his most-dangerous games offensively, too. He hit the crossbar with a shot from the point that evenutally led to an Ondrej Fiala goal, and he also hit the post when playing as a forward on the penalty kill.
"He was fine," was Constantine's evaluation of Kress' performance as a defenseman. "It was a tough challenge to drop back and do that. But he did a good job."
Kress' time on defense is strictly temporary. Although Constantine listed Thoring as out between two and six weeks because of his sprained ankle, Harty and Sim are considered day-to-day. Kress will probably have to reprise his defensive role tonight against Seattle, but Constantine is hopeful Harty will be ready to return sometime this weekend.
In the meantime, Kress has newfound respect for defensemen.
"You're not in the action as much, you see it from a different perspective," he said. "I definitely have a lot more respect for those D-men, going back in those corners and taking a bruising every once in a while. It's a whole other world playing D, but it's good, I don't mind it."