Games 56, 57 & 58

[Tipped Off]

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Friday, February 16: Kelowna Rockets @ Everett Silvertips, 7:35 p.m. (Everett Events Center)
Saturday, February 17: Lethbridge Hurricanes @ Everett Silvertips, 7:05 p.m. (Everett Events Center)
Sunday, February 18: Everett Silvertips @ Chilliwack Bruins, 5:00 p.m. (Prospera Centre)

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Everett, WA - The Everett Silvertips will try to lengthen their US Division points lead this weekend as the hockey club will battle the Kelowna Rockets, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Chilliwack Bruins this weekend. The Silvertips are currently in first place in the US Division with a 44-9-0-2 (90 points) record. On Friday, February 16, the Silvertips will face off against the Kelowna Rockets at the Everett Events Center. Game time is set for 7:35 p.m. The Lethbridge Hurricanes will make their only appearance at the EEC on Saturday, February 17 to battle the Silvertips at 7:05 p.m. Everett will finish off the weekend on the road in Chilliwack, BC to battle the Chilliwack Bruins on Sunday, February 18. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m. at the Prospera Centre.

EVERETT SILVERTIPS SPECIAL TEAMS
The Silvertips are 2nd in the WHL on the power play (91 for 440, 20.7%) and 2nd in the WHL on the penalty kill (353 for 397, 88.9%).

SILVERTIPS HOME AND ROAD RECORDS
The Silvertips are 26-2-0-1 at the Everett Events Center this season and 18-7-0-1 on the road.

VERSUS THE BC DIVISION
The Silvertips are 15-1 against the BC Division this season. (9-0 @ Home, 6-1@ Road)

VERSUS THE CENTRAL DIVISION
The Silvertips are 4-0 against the Central Division this season and 10-0 against Eastern Conference opponents.

VERSUS THE KELOWNA ROCKETS
Friday night will be the fourth and final meeting between the two Western Conference rivals. The Silvertips are 2-1 against the Rockets this season and 1-0 against Kelowna at the Everett Events Center. Everett is 7-6-1 (OTL)-1 (Tie) all time against the Rockets in franchise history and 4-2-1 (Tie) all time against Kelowna at the EEC. In their last meeting on December 29 in Kelowna, BC, the Silvertips defeated the Rockets 4-1.

VERSUS THE LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES
Saturday night will be the first and only regular season meeting between the two hockey clubs. The Silvertips are 1-1-1 (Tie) all time against the Hurricanes and 0-0-1 (Tie) all time against Lethbridge at the EEC. In their last meeting during the 2005-2006 season in Lethbridge, AB the Hurricanes defeated the Silvertips 4-2.

VERSUS THE CHILLIWACK BRUINS
Sunday night will be the sixth and final meeting of the regular season between the Tips and the Bruins. The Silvertips are 5-0 against the Bruins this season and 2-0 against the Bruins in Chilliwack, BC. In their last meeting on February 3 at the Everett Events Center, the Silvertips defeated the Bruins 5-2.


Slap shots: Tonight's game against Kelowna begins a busy stretch during which the Tips play 11 games over 16 days. That includes the doubleheader at Prince George on Feb. 27, in which the teams have to make up the final period of the game aborted because of damaged ice on Oct. 28. ... Defensemen Graham Potuer (wrist) and Mike Alexander (concussion) are both back participating in practice again, though not with full contact. However, Constantine ruled both out for this weekend's games.

[Tipped Off]

Tips blow lead, top Rockets in shootout
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer

EVERETT - The Everett Silvertips may have ended up ahead on the scoreboard. But there wasn't much to celebrate about this one.

Everett coughed up a two-goal lead with less than two minutes remaining, but managed to salvage the game in a shootout, defeating the Kelowna Rockets 4-3 Friday night at the Everett Events Center.

Shane Harper scored the game-winner in the eighth round as Everett won the shootout 3-2. But the Tips should never have allowed the game to get to that point.

"It doesn't really feel like a win," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "Having a two-goal lead with two minutes to go, you should never, ever, not win the game."

Dan Gendur, Ondrej Fiala and Lukas Vartovnik scored goals in regulation for Everett (45-9-0-2).

But the Tips were unable to hold onto a 3-1 lead late in the game as Brandon McMillan and Chris Ray scored in the final 1:44 for Kelowna. Ray's goal with 11.2 seconds remaining forced overtime.

And Leland Irving had another rough game in net for the Tips as his gaffes were responsible for two of Kelowna's goals.

"It wasn't a pretty win," said Everett center Zach Hamill, who kept the shootout alive by scoring a do-or-die goal in the third round. "We were kind of lucky to win that game. They came back in the last couple of minutes and that's something we can't have."

Cody Almond also scored and Torrie Jung made 37 saves in goal for Kelowna (17-32-5-4), which earned a valuable point as it fights to hold off Chilliwack for the final playoff berth in the B.C. Division.

"Our guys have great character," Kelowna coach Jeff Truitt said. "Any point right now is huge, especially with the race going on. Every point is going to be key no matter where you get it. Coming in here and getting one, we're happy with it. We would have liked to get two, but we'll take one."

It looked like Everett would coast to victory, up 3-1 with two minutes remaining. But a mistake by Irving gave the Rockets hope. McMillan's shot from the blue line off the rush should have been a routine save.

But the puck got through Irving and trickled in to make it 3-2 with 1:44 remaining.

Then with 31.6 seconds remaining Fiala had a free clear for Everett, only to loft the puck into the stands for a delay of game penalty.

Kelowna pulled Jung, giving the Rockets a six-on-four advantage. The comeback was then completed with when Colin Long stole the puck from Jason Fransoo behind the net and fed it out front to a wide open Ray, who picked out the top corner to tie it up and force overtime.

Everett had a golden opportunity to win it in OT when Long took a hooking penalty four seconds in. But the Tips couldn't take advantage, with Hamill putting a shot off the post.

In the shootout, goals by Ray and Almond were matched by Brennan Sonne and Hamill. Those were followed by nine straight misses until Harper made a great move, dragging the puck behind Jung one-handed to win it for Everett.

Irving has not been his normal self in recent weeks, and that trend continued Friday. He played strong early in the game, particularly when the Rockets dominated the first five minutes. But his errant clearance early in the second period presented Almond with his goal, and McMillan's goal was the type one doesn't expect from a first-round NHL draft pick.

"Leland is giving up too many goals handling the puck," Constantine said. "He's got to stop that. We've let him experiment for a long time, but it's time for him to own up to the fact that those things can't happen. He's got to simplify things and be much better than that handling the puck."

Slap shots: Everett defenseman Jesse Zetariuk was a late scratch because of the thigh bruise he suffered in last Friday's 2-1 victory over Spokane. With fellow defensemen Grahm Potuer (wrist) and Mike Alexander (concussion) out with injuries, Everett dressed just five defensemen. Center Zack Dailey played defense for the first time in his Everett career to help alleviate the problem. ... Kelowna is without its No. 1 goaltender, Kristofer Westblom, who is likely out for the season because of a knee injury.

[Tipped Off]

Benched Beach returns to score game-winner for Tips

By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer

EVERETT - The Everett Silvertips coaching staff decided to send Kyle Beach a message.

Unhappy with a penalty he took early in the game, the coaches left Beach in the locker room when the second period began, punishment meant to be a wake-up call.

Consider that message received loud and clear.

Beach made a victorious return, scoring the game-winning goal in the third period, and the Silvertips defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 3-2 Saturday night at the Everett Events Center.

Beach's goal 3 minutes, 59 seconds into the third broke a 2-2 tie, and the Tips held on against a Lethbridge team that kept them on their heels all night.

"Taking that penalty and then sitting down for a bit really made me start thinking," Beach said. "There's only one way I could make it up to the boys and that was to score the game-winner. Fortunately it happened, and I'll take it."

The goal was Beach's second of the game. Dan Gendur also scored and Zach Hamill added two assists for Everett (46-9-0-2). Hamill's assists give him a new Silvertips franchise record for points in a season with 77. John Lammers set the previous record of 75 last season.

David Reekie had a strong game in goal for the Tips, making 27 saves.

Jesse Craige and Zach Boychuk scored, and Justin Leclerc made 18 saves for Lethbridge (28-27-2-3), which controlled play for much of the night. Lethbridge's power play was particularly effective as it picked apart Everett's vaunted penalty kill with its rapid puck movement. Both Hurricane goals came on the power play.

"The most disappointing thing is the guys worked hard for most of the game and we came away empty-handed," Lethbridge assistant coach Matt Kabayama said. "At this point in the season we're in a dogfight for a playoff spot and we need the points. As happy as we are with the effort the guys put in, we would have liked to have seen some fruits for our labors. But if we play like this we're going to like our results most nights."

Much like in Friday's 4-3 shootout victory over a struggling Kelowna team, Everett didn't resemble the top-ranked team in the entire Canadian Hockey League. With injuries on defense and a flu bug running through the rest of the team - star center Peter Mueller was unable to play in the third period because of it - the Tips appeared a step slow all night.

But one thing Everett can call upon, even when they're not playing at their best, is the type of offensive inspiration that can win you a game. It was Beach who provided that Saturday, though not before landing in the doghouse.

Everett had just begun a power play late in the first period when Beach took a roughing penalty after the whistle, nullifying the advantage. Constantine responded by benching Beach for the first five mintues of the second period.

But Beach redeemed himself in the third. Hamill's pinpoint pass released Beach up the middle for a breakaway. Beach made a move to his backhand and lifted the puck over Leclerc to give the Tips the lead for good.

"That's Kyle," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "He's taking too many penalties after the whistle, so we tried to send a little bit of a message that you've got to stop eventually. But the beautiful thing about him is he comes back and scores the winning goal. I admire that characteristic in him, that he can take his dose of discipline and still come back and make a big-time play like he did."

Everett's victory came despite its sluggishness and lack of discipline. The Tips were in penalty trouble all night, giving the Hurricanes nine power plays while getting just five themselves.

"I liked the way we gutted it out in the third period," Constantine said. "We had to fight them off. I don't think we're playing great hockey right now, but both (Friday) night and tonight we found ways to win. If you're a good team you have to find ways to win even if things aren't going exactly the way you want them to go."

Slap shots: Everett was once again short-handed on defense as Jesse Zetariuk (thigh), Graham Potuer (wrist) and Mike Alexander (concussion) were all scratched with injuries. The Tips called up 1991-born defenseman Jeff Regier to fill in. Regier is expected to be with the team again tonight in Chilliwack. ... Also out for Everett was left wing Ondrej Fiala with what was described as a lower-body injury. ... Lethbridge was without power forward Dwight King, who was rested because of bumps and bruises. ... Lethbridge's Adam Chorneyko was awarded a penalty shot 7:47 into the game, but put his shot wide.

At Everett Events Center

Lethbridge 1 1 0 - 2

Everett 2 0 1 - 3

First Period-1, Lethbridge, Craige 9 (Wright, Boychuk), 9:21 (pp). 2, Everett, Gendur 18 (Harty), 10:19. 3, Everett, Beach 26 (Hamill, Gendur), 12:33. Penalties-Matlock, Lethbridge (hooking), 3:08; Gutierrez, Everett (interference), 3:32; Lamb, Lethbridge (boarding), 4:59; Alic, Everett (interference), 8:22; Alic, Everett (roughing), 14:25; Kudelka, Lethbridge (holding), 15:41; Beach, Everett (roughing), 16:31; R. King, Lethbridge (interference), 18:47.

Second Period-4, Lethbridge, Boychuk 24 (Bailey, Fadden), 9:02 (pp). Penalties-Vartovnik, Everett (boarding), 7:27; Alic, Everett (tripping), 13:15; Everett bench (unsportsmanlike conduct, served by Beach), 16:07; Lethbridge bench (too many men, served by Chorneyko), 18:26; Crowley, Everett (interference), 18:26.

Third Period-5, Everett, Beach 27 (Hamill, Fransoo), 3:59. Penalties-Hogg, Lethbridge (elbowing), 6:11; Harty, Everett (delay of game), 9:55; Beach, Everett (delay of game), 13:14.

Shots on goal-Lethbridge 11-12-6-29. Everett 8-7-6-21. Power-play opportunities-Lethbridge 2 of 9. Everett 0 of 5.

Goalies-Lethbridge, Leclerc 15-16-1-2 (21 shots, 18 saves). Everett, Reekie 19-6-0-0 (29 shots, 27 saves).

A-7,421.

[Tipped Off]

Scratches tonite against the Bruins in Chilliwack

Mueller, Alexander, Zetariuk, Potuer, Sonne

Beach got leveled by Smuk in a fight at 9:27 of the 1st and never returned to the bench by the end of the period.

Tips are in rough shape tonight if Beach is out.

[scrunt]

Beach got leveled by Smuk in a fight...

Wow, I'd love to see a video of that. Was it another case of Beach's nose being punished for the trouble caused by his mouth?

[Tidball]

Anyone know or have an update? I like watching this guy. But he got nailed from Smuk who lives just a few blocks down from me. Hopefully he can still play at the W-games. Can Everett fans please post an update as soon as it becomes avaliabe?

[SixSixOne]

I also saw on WHL.com that he got in a scrap tonight against Chilliwack, any details would be great

[Monster]

With all of Everetts injuries and Mueller out with the flu, this guy decides to call out Smuk with his team down a goal.
If I was an NHL scout, I would seriously question what is going on in his head.
His team needed him on the ice as a skilled player. Why does he think that he has to be the Sean Avery of the Tips.
Hopefully, Smuk knocked some sense into him. I understand that Constantine has been trying to send that message for a while. Being tough ala Jerome Iginla is one thing, being an idiot is another.
I think that the Tips should send Smuk a thank you card

[Tidball]

I was shocked more then anything. I never knew Smuk could throw punches like that. I knew he had a temper, he musta been real pizzed off.

[Tipped Off]

Silvertips fall to Chilliwack in OT
Beach injured as Everett loses 3-2

By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer

CHILLIWACK, B.C. - The Everett Silvertips had been riding their luck all weekend.

But a team can only pull so many aces out of its sleeve.

Especially when its premier players are dropping like flies.

Minus offensive catalyst Peter Mueller before Sunday's game began, Everett lost sniper Kyle Beach early on. With the rest of the team also banged up, the Silvertips succumbed to the expansion Chilliwack Bruins 3-2 in overtime.

Mark Santorelli scored the game-winner in OT as Chilliwack handed Everett the loss that neither Kelowna nor Lethbridge could quite do earlier in the weekend against the reeling Tips.

But Everett lost more than just the game. Already without Mueller because of illness, Everett lost Beach when he was KO'ed during a first-period fight with Cody Smuk. Smuk caught Beach flush on the jaw with a punch, then it appeared Beach hit his head on the ice as he fell. Beach could have a concussion and a jaw injury, which could keep him out an indefinite period.

Beach was originally scheduled to join British Columbia's U-17 team for the Canada Winter Games following Sunday's contest. Instead, he returned to Everett to be evaluated by the team doctors and appears unlikely to be headed to Whitehorse, Yukon.

With left wing Brennan Sonne out a month with a spleen injury, as well as a trio of banged up defensemen, Everett went from having a relatively healthy season to being seriously wounded in a hurry.

"That's the first time all year we've had five regulars out of the lineup at the same time," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "This looks like our most banged-up time of the year."

Ondrej Fiala rescued a point for Everett by scoring both goals, including a power-play tally with less than five minutes remaining to force overtime.

Zach Hamill added two assists and Leland Irving made 20 saves for Everett (46-9-1-2), which has to view the weekend with mixed emotions. The Tips looked underwhelming against what on paper were three teams that should have been easy pickings for the top-ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League. Yet they still managed to come away with five points from a possible six.

"We're not firing on all cylinders," Constantine said. "Then again we're finding ways to win or get points, so we're battling, which is good. There's good and bads. We've had better stretches of the year, but we're managing to get points in games."

Josh Aspenlind and Oscar Moller each had a goal and an assist for Chilliwack (19-37-3-2), which earned a vital victory in its battle to make the playoffs in its first season. The Bruins pulled even with Kelowna for fourth place in the B.C. Division, though they've played two more games.

"I don't think they get any bigger than today," Chilliwack coach Jim Hiller said about the victory. "We played hard. If you think back to the 8-0 game in Everett a couple months ago, we weren't feeling very good about ourselves nor were we playing very well. I'm just happy for the players, who have had to experience some of the lows we've had, to be on the other side of it in a game like tonight."

Everett was playing from behind all night. Aspenlind scored a bizarre goal 9:45 into the game when his dump in from the neutral zone short-hopped Irving and bounced into the top corner of the net.

Everett tied the score on Fiala's first power-play goal at 14:59. Chilliwack regained the lead 1:38 into the third period when Moller put in a rebound on a power play.

Fiala struck again on a power play with 4:59 remaining to be played, rifling a shot from the center point inside the left post.

Chilliwack earned the full points 1:39 into overtime. Moller took the puck up the middle on the break and although his initial shot was saved by Irving, Santorelli swept in to put in the rebound.

Slap shots: With defensemen Jesse Zetariuk (thigh), Graham Potuer (wrist) and Mike Alexander (concussion) still out, 1991-born defenseman Jeff Regier appeared in his third game. With Fiala a game-time decision because of a lower-body injury, 1990-born forward Matt Ius was brought in to serve as insurance. ... Though Beach isn't headed to the Canada Winter Games, defenseman Matt Strong, who was called up during Everett's injury crisis on defense, is leaving to play for Alberta. ... Chilliwack's lineup included winger Ryan Howse, the first bantam pick in franchise history, who was playing the last of his five allowed games for 15-year-olds.

Bruins 3, Silvertips 2 (OT)

Everett 1 0 1 0 - 2

Chilliwack 1 0 1 1 - 3

First Period-1, Chilliwack, Aspenlind 17, 9:45. 2, Everett, Fiala 11 (Harper, Hamill), 14:59 (pp). Penalties-Campos, Everett (cross-checking), 2:25; Beach, Everett (fighting), 9:47; Smuk, Chilliwack (fighting), 9:47; Johnstone, Chilliwack (high sticking), 10:00; Potter, Chilliwack (boarding), 14:19; Meropoulis, Chilliwack (roughing), 19:49.

Second Period-No goals. Penalties-Crowley, Everett (hooking), 3:14; Esposito, Chilliwack (delay of game, served by Howse), 5:35; Fiala, Everett (tripping), 11:34; Gendur, Everett (tripping), 16:37; Holden, Chilliwack (interference), 19:11.

Third Period-3, Chilliwack, Moller 26 (Aspenlind, Lineker), 1:38 (pp). 4, Everett, Fiala 12 (Gendur, Hamill), 15:04 (pp). Penalties-Burt, Everett (roughing), 1:06; Holden, Chilliwack (cross-checking), 2:49; Aspenlind, Chilliwack (elbowing), 14:34.

Overtime-5, Chilliwack, Santorelli 23 (Moller, Lineker), 1:39. Penalties-None.

Shots on goal-Everett 10-4-11-0-25. Chilliwack 8-6-5-4-23. Power-play opportunities-Everett 2 of 7. Chilliwack 1 of 5.

Goalies-Everett, Irving 28-6-1-2 (23 shots, 20 saves). Chilliwack, Esposito 10-12-1-1 (25 shots, 23 saves).

A-4,243.