Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Total team effort lifts Tips over Chiefs
Everett beats Spokane 5-1 to win its first game since its 14-game win streak came to an end.
EVERETT — The line of Byron Froese, Tyler Maxwell and Kellan Tochkin grabbed the glory Saturday night.
But it was a full 20-man lineup that got the job done for the Everett Silvertips.
Everett bounced back from back-to-back defeats with a dominating overall performance, and the Tips overwhelmed the Spokane Chiefs 5-1 at Comcast Arena.
Froese, Maxwell and Tochkin provided the offense, combining for four goals and six assists. But the entire Tips team was responsible for a performance which was more than worthy of the final four-goal margin.
“It was one of our top games (of the season), that’s for sure,” Froese said. “We were all working hard, from the first line to the fourth line. Everyone was beating their matchup and that’s all we need every night.”
Alex Theriau also scored and Kent Simpson made 18 saves in goal for Everett (34-18-2-1), which was in control from start to finish. The Tips outshot the Chiefs by at least five in every period, finishing with a 43-19 overall advantage, and Everett went the entire game without taking a minor penalty.
The Tips also managed to avoid any further hangover from their franchise-record 14-game winning streak. Everett had lost two straight since the streak, which ended with a 2-1 loss in Spokane on Wednesday.
“It’s important after losing two games to step your game up and make sure you don’t go on a losing streak after a big win streak like we had,” Maxwell said. “That win was definitely important.”
Everett remained tied with Portland, a 6-3 victor over Seattle on Saturday, for second place in the U.S. Division. Everett has two games in hand on the Winterhawks.
Former Silvertip Kyle Beach scored the lone goal for Spokane (31-20-3-1), which fell five points behind Everett and Portland in the three-way race for second in the division. Goaltender James Reid was yanked for the second straight time at Comcast Arena, stopping 27 of 32 shots before departing early in the third period. Michael Tadjdeh stopped all 11 shots he faced in relief.
Everett controlled play in all three zones, but it was the re-emergence of the trio known last year as the Kid Line that did the damage on the scoresheet.
Froese, Maxwell and Tochkin, who are now 18-year-old veterans instead of 17-year-old rookies, had been quiet of late with just one point combined in the previous four games. But Saturday night they got their goals the greasy way, scoring all four off rebounds. Froese finished with two goals and two assists, while Maxwell and Tochkin each had a goal and two assists. For Maxwell, Everett’s second-leading goal scorer, it snapped a 15-game goalless streak.
“They really struggled here for a while,” Everett coach Craig Hartsburg said. “Tonight they worked. It was nothing about skill or creativity, they worked and came up with loose pucks. When they do that they’re effective. They were obviously a big line for us tonight.”
Both Froese and Maxwell passed the 100 career WHL points milestone in the game.
“We just kept it simple,” Froese said. “We were working hard to get on the forecheck and turn pucks over. When we got the puck we threw it towards the net, and whenever you throw pucks toward the net good things happen.”
Everett dominated the first period and grabbed a 2-0 lead with goals 1 minute, 36 seconds apart late in the period. Froese opened the scoring at 14:08 when he backhanded a rebound past Reid. Then Tochkin made it 2-0 at 15:44, tucking away the second rebound.
The Chiefs threw themselves a lifeline late in the period. While shorthanded, a great one-touch passing move in transition was finished off by Beach picking out the top corner with 12.8 seconds remaining. Therefore, despite all their work, the Tips emerged with just a 2-1 lead.
But it was more of the same in the second period as the Tips again controlled play, and Everett took a 3-1 lead at 5:16. Froese was played into space in transition and put a soft shot off Reid’s pads, with Maxwell darting in to sweep home the rebound. The Tips could have increased their lead further, but Reid made some desperation saves as Everett twice put unrelenting extended pressure on the Spokane goal.
The Tips then put the game away early in the third. Froese got his second of the game on the power play 49 seconds in, putting yet another rebound over a downed Reid. Then Theriau sent a laser beam into the far corner from the top of the left circle at 4:56 to chase Reid.
Silvertips 5, Chiefs 1
Spokane 1 0 0 — 1
Everett 2 1 2 — 5
First Period—1, Everett, Froese 20 (de la Lande, Rissanen), 14:08. 2, Everett, Tochkin 20 (Maxwell, Froese), 15:44. 3, Spokane, Beach 36 (Wahl, Spurgeon), 19:47 (sh). Penalties—Koper, Spokane (roughing), 19:05.
Second Period—4, Everett, Maxwell 26 (Froese, Tochkin), 5:16. Penalties—Wahl, Spokane (slashing), 20:00.
Third Period—5, Everett, Froese 21 (Tochkin, Maxwell), 0:49 (pp). 6, Everett, Theriau 3 (Kulchar, Cumiskey), 4:56. Penalties—Letts, Spokane (elbowing), 7:44; Letts, Spokane (tripping), 10:08; Beach, Spokane (fighting), 16:25; Gudas, Everett (fighting), 16:25.
Shots on goal—Spokane 7-7-5—19. Everett 12-16-15—43. Power-play opportunities—Spokane 0 of 0. Everett 1 of 4.
Goalies—Spokane, Reid 26-14-3-1 (32 shots, 27 saves), Tadjdeh (11 shots, 11 saves). Everett, Simpson 17-9-1-0 (11 shots, 11 saves).
A—6,944.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
But it was a full 20-man lineup that got the job done for the Everett Silvertips.
Everett bounced back from back-to-back defeats with a dominating overall performance, and the Tips overwhelmed the Spokane Chiefs 5-1 at Comcast Arena.
Froese, Maxwell and Tochkin provided the offense, combining for four goals and six assists. But the entire Tips team was responsible for a performance which was more than worthy of the final four-goal margin.
“It was one of our top games (of the season), that’s for sure,” Froese said. “We were all working hard, from the first line to the fourth line. Everyone was beating their matchup and that’s all we need every night.”
Alex Theriau also scored and Kent Simpson made 18 saves in goal for Everett (34-18-2-1), which was in control from start to finish. The Tips outshot the Chiefs by at least five in every period, finishing with a 43-19 overall advantage, and Everett went the entire game without taking a minor penalty.
The Tips also managed to avoid any further hangover from their franchise-record 14-game winning streak. Everett had lost two straight since the streak, which ended with a 2-1 loss in Spokane on Wednesday.
“It’s important after losing two games to step your game up and make sure you don’t go on a losing streak after a big win streak like we had,” Maxwell said. “That win was definitely important.”
Everett remained tied with Portland, a 6-3 victor over Seattle on Saturday, for second place in the U.S. Division. Everett has two games in hand on the Winterhawks.
Former Silvertip Kyle Beach scored the lone goal for Spokane (31-20-3-1), which fell five points behind Everett and Portland in the three-way race for second in the division. Goaltender James Reid was yanked for the second straight time at Comcast Arena, stopping 27 of 32 shots before departing early in the third period. Michael Tadjdeh stopped all 11 shots he faced in relief.
Everett controlled play in all three zones, but it was the re-emergence of the trio known last year as the Kid Line that did the damage on the scoresheet.
Froese, Maxwell and Tochkin, who are now 18-year-old veterans instead of 17-year-old rookies, had been quiet of late with just one point combined in the previous four games. But Saturday night they got their goals the greasy way, scoring all four off rebounds. Froese finished with two goals and two assists, while Maxwell and Tochkin each had a goal and two assists. For Maxwell, Everett’s second-leading goal scorer, it snapped a 15-game goalless streak.
“They really struggled here for a while,” Everett coach Craig Hartsburg said. “Tonight they worked. It was nothing about skill or creativity, they worked and came up with loose pucks. When they do that they’re effective. They were obviously a big line for us tonight.”
Both Froese and Maxwell passed the 100 career WHL points milestone in the game.
“We just kept it simple,” Froese said. “We were working hard to get on the forecheck and turn pucks over. When we got the puck we threw it towards the net, and whenever you throw pucks toward the net good things happen.”
Everett dominated the first period and grabbed a 2-0 lead with goals 1 minute, 36 seconds apart late in the period. Froese opened the scoring at 14:08 when he backhanded a rebound past Reid. Then Tochkin made it 2-0 at 15:44, tucking away the second rebound.
The Chiefs threw themselves a lifeline late in the period. While shorthanded, a great one-touch passing move in transition was finished off by Beach picking out the top corner with 12.8 seconds remaining. Therefore, despite all their work, the Tips emerged with just a 2-1 lead.
But it was more of the same in the second period as the Tips again controlled play, and Everett took a 3-1 lead at 5:16. Froese was played into space in transition and put a soft shot off Reid’s pads, with Maxwell darting in to sweep home the rebound. The Tips could have increased their lead further, but Reid made some desperation saves as Everett twice put unrelenting extended pressure on the Spokane goal.
The Tips then put the game away early in the third. Froese got his second of the game on the power play 49 seconds in, putting yet another rebound over a downed Reid. Then Theriau sent a laser beam into the far corner from the top of the left circle at 4:56 to chase Reid.
Silvertips 5, Chiefs 1
Spokane 1 0 0 — 1
Everett 2 1 2 — 5
First Period—1, Everett, Froese 20 (de la Lande, Rissanen), 14:08. 2, Everett, Tochkin 20 (Maxwell, Froese), 15:44. 3, Spokane, Beach 36 (Wahl, Spurgeon), 19:47 (sh). Penalties—Koper, Spokane (roughing), 19:05.
Second Period—4, Everett, Maxwell 26 (Froese, Tochkin), 5:16. Penalties—Wahl, Spokane (slashing), 20:00.
Third Period—5, Everett, Froese 21 (Tochkin, Maxwell), 0:49 (pp). 6, Everett, Theriau 3 (Kulchar, Cumiskey), 4:56. Penalties—Letts, Spokane (elbowing), 7:44; Letts, Spokane (tripping), 10:08; Beach, Spokane (fighting), 16:25; Gudas, Everett (fighting), 16:25.
Shots on goal—Spokane 7-7-5—19. Everett 12-16-15—43. Power-play opportunities—Spokane 0 of 0. Everett 1 of 4.
Goalies—Spokane, Reid 26-14-3-1 (32 shots, 27 saves), Tadjdeh (11 shots, 11 saves). Everett, Simpson 17-9-1-0 (11 shots, 11 saves).
A—6,944.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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