PDA

View Full Version : Tips/Blazers



scamperdog
11-16-2006, 07:03 AM
http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/11/16/100spo_d01silvertips001.cfm

EVERETT - The Everett Silvertips proved they can win on the road. Wednesday night they were determined to show they could continue that mastery at home, too.

Coming off an historically successful road trip, the Silvertips carried that momentum over to their first home game in three weeks, defeating the Kamloops Blazers 3-2 at the Everett Events Center.

Jason Fransoo scored the game-winning goal with 3 minutes, 39 seconds remaining as Everett, which swept its six-game road trip through the WHL's East Division, won again to stretch its winning streak to 12.

"We came into this game knowing that in franchise history, coming back from a long road trip the team hasn't done well," Fransoo said. "So we really stressed coming out hard this game."

Zack Dailey and Zach Hamill also scored and Leland Irving made 18 saves in goal for Everett, which is in the midst of the longest winning streak in the league this season.

Brock Nixon and Ivan Rohac scored and Dustin Butler finished with 15 saves for Kamloops (14-6-1-1), which was playing its fourth game in five nights.

Everett usually hasn't fared well in its first game back after returning from trips through the Eastern Conference. The Tips were 1-3 in franchise history upon returning from long trips, and in Kamloops the Tips were facing the second-hottest team in the league. The Blazers had won seven of their past eight before Wednesday.

But Everett, which appeared sluggish at times, benefited when Kamloops' Travis Dunstall took a major penalty for checking from behind with 8:03 remaining and the scored tied 2-2 - a hit that injured Everett's Damir Alic. The preliminary diagnosis was that Alic suffered a shoulder separation.

After floundering for more than three minutes on the five-minute power play, Everett coach Kevin Constantine called a timeout. The Tips scored 31 seconds later, Fransoo shooting from the left circle and putting the puck into the far-upper corner.

"We knew we were having the roughest first three minutes of that power play," said Everett's Peter Mueller, who had two assists. "(In the timeout) it was mostly (assistant coach Jay Varady) talking, saying, 'One of our players drew a five-minute major penalty and is hurting in the locker room right now, and this is the best we can do for him?' So that gave us more motivation to go out there and pump one into the back of the net."

The major penalty couldn't have been timed any worse from Kamloops' perspective. The Blazers had just tied it less than three minutes earlier on their second fluke goal of the game. This time Rohac just tipped the puck in off the stick of Everett defenseman Taylor Ellington, who had caught the puck in front, but didn't notice Rohac behind him.

"It's an unfortunate time to take any penalty," Kamloops coach Dean Clark said. "After coming back and tying the game, never mind majors, you shouldn't be taking two-minute penalties. They got some breaks because of what we did. They got two power-play goals and that was the difference in the hockey game."

Everett hasn't exactly blown through the competition during its win streak - seven of the 12 victories came by two goals or less. Wednesday night was no different as the Tips were outshot by the Blazers 20-18.

However, Everett always seems to find a way to win the close ones.

"There's two thoughts when you talk about that," Constantine said. "One is that any time you put a streak together you're going to have a lot of luck along the way. Then you hope it's also an indication that a good team finds ways to win those close games. I think there's a little but of luck and I think a little bit says these guys are a good hockey club."

Everett took the lead 12:48 into the game. Brandon Campos took the puck behind the net, then spied Dailey open in the slot. After receiving the pass Dailey put a wrist shot into the top of the net, giving the Tips a 1-0 lead.

However, Everett gave the goal right back. The Tips were on the power play when a miscommunication between Irving and his defense allowed Nixon to get to the puck first behind the Everett net. Irving dove to stop Nixon's wraparound attempt, but Nixon threw the rebound out front and the puck deflected in, making it 1-1 at 16:31.

Everett regained the lead on the power play at 13:07 of the second period. Mueller made a nice feed to Hamill at the left circle, and Hamill's one-timer found the far corner, making it 2-1.

Slap shots: Everett was ranked No. 1 in this week's Canadian Hockey League poll. The Tips were ranked second last week, but jumped ahead of Vancouver, which lost Sunday to Kamloops. ... Everett had three players listed in the NHL Central Scouting Service's preliminary rankings for the 2007 NHL draft. Defenseman Eric Doyle was ranked fourth among WHL skaters, Ellington was 16th and Hamill was 21st. Kamloops defenseman Keaton Ellerby was ranked No. 1. ... Kamloops played without defenseman Victor Bartley, who was injured in a fight during Tuesday's 5-4 loss to Kelowna.

ihlemic10
11-17-2006, 05:58 PM
It appears Dunstall will be suspended for the Check From Behind Major, length undetermined as of yet. Didn't see the hit personally, but Everett Herald reports Alic will be out three to four weeks.

Beaner
11-20-2006, 06:52 PM
Dunstall got 7 games.



11/20 Travis Dunstall Kamloops Blazers Suspended for seven games for Major and Game Misconduct for Checking From Behind @ Everett on Nov. 15. Two games served, five games remaining.

Kamfan
11-22-2006, 03:02 PM
Dunstall got 7 games.

Wow, it was that bad?

SectionNDeserter
11-22-2006, 06:43 PM
Wow! Is he a repeat offender?

Beaner
11-22-2006, 07:52 PM
Wow! Is he a repeat offender?

I don't think so, but I cant honestly recall. This is his first suspension of the year.

7 games is pretty harsh in this league, it must have been a pretty brutal check, as most 5 min majors are 1-2 games.

Kamfan
11-22-2006, 08:14 PM
I don't think so, but I cant honestly recall. This is his first suspension of the year.

7 games is pretty harsh in this league, it must have been a pretty brutal check, as most 5 min majors are 1-2 games.

Yeah, this must've been full-on, skate across the ice, crosscheck in the numbers, headfirst into the boards check. I've seen some pretty bad checks from behind get 3 or less.

SectionNDeserter
11-22-2006, 08:39 PM
One of the biggest suspensions I have seen for a while. A few years back Stephen Peat got 14 or so for leaving the penalty box and busting into the other penalty box to fight Craig Brunel. Most every other suspension I can remember since then has been 1-3 games.