Published: Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Unlucky Game 7 for Silvertips
Breaks go against Everett in 2-1 loss to Kelowna in Game 7 Monday
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Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
Everett’s Byron Froese (14) falls to the ice as he reaches for a puck against Kelowna’s Spencer Main in the first period of Monday night’s Game 7. The Tips lost the game 2-1.
EVERETT — It just wasn’t meant to be for the Everett Silvertips.
Despite the shots on goal and the scoring chances, the power plays and the territorial play, the hockey gods decided they were going to favor the Kelowna Rockets on Monday night.
The Tips did everything within their power in the decisive game of their first-round playoff series, but it wasn’t quite enough as Everett saw its season end with a 2-1 loss to Kelowna in Game 7 at Comcast Arena.
“No one wanted the season to end,” an emotional Everett captain Zack Dailey said. “We left it out there and I was really proud of the way the guys played. Kelowna’s a great team, best of luck to them, they played well tonight and hung on to win.”
Kelowna, the sixth seed from the Western Conference, won the best-of-seven series 4-3 against the third-seeded Silvertips. The Rockets advanced to face top-seeded Tri-City in the second round.
And the Tips were left wondering what might have been. Everett outshot Kelowna 41-22 Monday, had six power plays to the Rockets’ two, and kept the puck in Kelowna’s end for much of the game. But Rockets goaltender Mark Guggenberger, who began the series on the bench, produced an inspired performance, turning away 40 shots. Even when it looked like the Tips had Guggenberger beat, shots whistled wide or enticing rebounds eluded Everett sticks.
Even the eventual winning goal had an element of fate to it as it came out of nothing. At 12 minutes, 23 seconds in the second period Kelowna’s Brandon McMillan just lifted the puck toward goal from along the right side boards. The puck took a tip off the stick of Everett defenseman Rasmus Rissanen in front and hopped over goaltender Kent Simpson’s glove. The goal wasn’t initially given by the officials because it was judged to have been hit by a high stick, but after a video review it was declared a goal and credited to Lucas Bloodoff.
Everett pressed hard in the third period, with Rissanen ringing the inside of the post with a shot from the point. The Tips had several other goal-mouth scrambles, but were unable to find the final touch.
“There’s nothing more you could ask from those 20 kids here tonight. Not one thing,” Everett coach Craig Hartsburg said.
“Our kids tried their hardest,” Hartsburg added. “This is a group that came out of nowhere. Early in the year we were pretty average, and give those kids credit, they turned themselves into a pretty good team by the end of the year. Unfortunately we met the one team I think everyone in (the Western Conference) dreaded. If (the Rockets) were healthy all year we wouldn’t be playing them now because they would have a lot higher seed. It was a heck of a series.”
Geordie Wudrick also scored for Kelowna, his eighth goal of the series. It was the first time in the series the Rockets scored first. Monday’s game also was the only one won by the road team.
“Tonight it was our goaltending, in the third period especially,” Kelowna coach Ryan Huska said. “Everett really was coming on and Mark was great for us. They’re a very good hockey team and we were fortunate tonight our goaltender was our best player. At this time of year you need that to happen and Mark gave us the chance to win tonight.”
Chris Langkow scored the lone goal for Everett, which was playing host to a Game 7 for the first time in franchise history. Simpson finished with 20 saves.
Everett defenseman Radko Gudas, who missed the previous four games, played Monday despite suffering from a third-degree separated shoulder. But even his return wasn’t enough to propel the Tips into the second round. Ultimately Everett was left rueing the three losses in Kelowna, in each of which the Tips led.
“The series for me turned when we lost Gudas and then we lost (Chris) de la Lande (to injury in Game 4),” Hartsburg said. “That’s a big part of our team. The kids who played the rest of the series played their hearts out. It’s amazing what Gudas played through tonight to try to help, he basically played with one arm. But you can’t lose two of your top four defenseman. Kids tried to fill in, but it was a rough road for us after that.”
Everett had all kinds of scoring chances in the first period. Clayton Cumiskey had a breakaway in the game’s first minute, but lost control and never got a shot off, and Guggenberger turned everything else away.
Meanwhile, Kelowna took advantage of an early power play to take a 1-0 lead. Dallas Jackson’s slap shot from the left point was redirected in front by Wudrick to open the scoring 1:36 in.
Everett had the run of play in the second period, largely because the Tips received all four power plays, and Everett tied it on the power play at 4:52. Guggenberger was unable to cover the rebound on Gudas’ shot from the point, allowing Langkow to jam it in to make it 1-1.
But Kelowna regained the lead, and no matter how hard the Tips huffed and puffed they couldn’t find the tying goal.
“I think our team battled hard and did what we could,” Langkow said. “It was just one of those games where they got a couple bounces and we didn’t get any. We had a lot of shots, but they played well. Give credit to them for that.”
Rockets 2, Silvertips 1
Kelowna 1 1 0 — 2
Everett 0 1 0 — 1
First Period—1, Kelowna, Wudrick 8 (Jackson, Barrie), 1:36 (pp). Penalties—Gudas, Everett (roughing), 1:30; E. Bloodoff, Kelowna (interference), 8:36; Langkow, Everett (interference), 10:18; Bulmer, Kelowna (roughing), 19:29; Gudas, Everett (roughing), 19:29.
Second Period—2, Everett, Langkow 2 (Harper, Gudas), 4:52 (pp). 3, Kelowna, L. Bloodoff 2 (McMillan, Bowman), 12:23. Penalties—Bowman, Kelowna (holding), 3:39; McColgan, Kelowna (high sticking), 9:40; Bulmer, Kelowna (roughing), 9:40; Harper, Everett (roughing), 9:40; McMillan, Kelowna (roughing), 14:20; Bowman, Kelowna (hooking), 18:59.
Third Period—no goals. Penalties—Jackson, Kelowna (tripping), 5:35.
Shots on goal—Kelowna 7-8-7—22. Everett 7-18-16—41. Power-play opportunities—Kelowna 1 of 2. Everett 1 of 6.
Goalies—Kelowna, Guggenberger 4-1 (41 shots, 40 saves). Everett, Simpson 2-3 (22 shots, 20 saves).
A—4,784.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
Despite the shots on goal and the scoring chances, the power plays and the territorial play, the hockey gods decided they were going to favor the Kelowna Rockets on Monday night.
The Tips did everything within their power in the decisive game of their first-round playoff series, but it wasn’t quite enough as Everett saw its season end with a 2-1 loss to Kelowna in Game 7 at Comcast Arena.
“No one wanted the season to end,” an emotional Everett captain Zack Dailey said. “We left it out there and I was really proud of the way the guys played. Kelowna’s a great team, best of luck to them, they played well tonight and hung on to win.”
Kelowna, the sixth seed from the Western Conference, won the best-of-seven series 4-3 against the third-seeded Silvertips. The Rockets advanced to face top-seeded Tri-City in the second round.
And the Tips were left wondering what might have been. Everett outshot Kelowna 41-22 Monday, had six power plays to the Rockets’ two, and kept the puck in Kelowna’s end for much of the game. But Rockets goaltender Mark Guggenberger, who began the series on the bench, produced an inspired performance, turning away 40 shots. Even when it looked like the Tips had Guggenberger beat, shots whistled wide or enticing rebounds eluded Everett sticks.
Even the eventual winning goal had an element of fate to it as it came out of nothing. At 12 minutes, 23 seconds in the second period Kelowna’s Brandon McMillan just lifted the puck toward goal from along the right side boards. The puck took a tip off the stick of Everett defenseman Rasmus Rissanen in front and hopped over goaltender Kent Simpson’s glove. The goal wasn’t initially given by the officials because it was judged to have been hit by a high stick, but after a video review it was declared a goal and credited to Lucas Bloodoff.
Everett pressed hard in the third period, with Rissanen ringing the inside of the post with a shot from the point. The Tips had several other goal-mouth scrambles, but were unable to find the final touch.
“There’s nothing more you could ask from those 20 kids here tonight. Not one thing,” Everett coach Craig Hartsburg said.
“Our kids tried their hardest,” Hartsburg added. “This is a group that came out of nowhere. Early in the year we were pretty average, and give those kids credit, they turned themselves into a pretty good team by the end of the year. Unfortunately we met the one team I think everyone in (the Western Conference) dreaded. If (the Rockets) were healthy all year we wouldn’t be playing them now because they would have a lot higher seed. It was a heck of a series.”
Geordie Wudrick also scored for Kelowna, his eighth goal of the series. It was the first time in the series the Rockets scored first. Monday’s game also was the only one won by the road team.
“Tonight it was our goaltending, in the third period especially,” Kelowna coach Ryan Huska said. “Everett really was coming on and Mark was great for us. They’re a very good hockey team and we were fortunate tonight our goaltender was our best player. At this time of year you need that to happen and Mark gave us the chance to win tonight.”
Chris Langkow scored the lone goal for Everett, which was playing host to a Game 7 for the first time in franchise history. Simpson finished with 20 saves.
Everett defenseman Radko Gudas, who missed the previous four games, played Monday despite suffering from a third-degree separated shoulder. But even his return wasn’t enough to propel the Tips into the second round. Ultimately Everett was left rueing the three losses in Kelowna, in each of which the Tips led.
“The series for me turned when we lost Gudas and then we lost (Chris) de la Lande (to injury in Game 4),” Hartsburg said. “That’s a big part of our team. The kids who played the rest of the series played their hearts out. It’s amazing what Gudas played through tonight to try to help, he basically played with one arm. But you can’t lose two of your top four defenseman. Kids tried to fill in, but it was a rough road for us after that.”
Everett had all kinds of scoring chances in the first period. Clayton Cumiskey had a breakaway in the game’s first minute, but lost control and never got a shot off, and Guggenberger turned everything else away.
Meanwhile, Kelowna took advantage of an early power play to take a 1-0 lead. Dallas Jackson’s slap shot from the left point was redirected in front by Wudrick to open the scoring 1:36 in.
Everett had the run of play in the second period, largely because the Tips received all four power plays, and Everett tied it on the power play at 4:52. Guggenberger was unable to cover the rebound on Gudas’ shot from the point, allowing Langkow to jam it in to make it 1-1.
But Kelowna regained the lead, and no matter how hard the Tips huffed and puffed they couldn’t find the tying goal.
“I think our team battled hard and did what we could,” Langkow said. “It was just one of those games where they got a couple bounces and we didn’t get any. We had a lot of shots, but they played well. Give credit to them for that.”
Rockets 2, Silvertips 1
Kelowna 1 1 0 — 2
Everett 0 1 0 — 1
First Period—1, Kelowna, Wudrick 8 (Jackson, Barrie), 1:36 (pp). Penalties—Gudas, Everett (roughing), 1:30; E. Bloodoff, Kelowna (interference), 8:36; Langkow, Everett (interference), 10:18; Bulmer, Kelowna (roughing), 19:29; Gudas, Everett (roughing), 19:29.
Second Period—2, Everett, Langkow 2 (Harper, Gudas), 4:52 (pp). 3, Kelowna, L. Bloodoff 2 (McMillan, Bowman), 12:23. Penalties—Bowman, Kelowna (holding), 3:39; McColgan, Kelowna (high sticking), 9:40; Bulmer, Kelowna (roughing), 9:40; Harper, Everett (roughing), 9:40; McMillan, Kelowna (roughing), 14:20; Bowman, Kelowna (hooking), 18:59.
Third Period—no goals. Penalties—Jackson, Kelowna (tripping), 5:35.
Shots on goal—Kelowna 7-8-7—22. Everett 7-18-16—41. Power-play opportunities—Kelowna 1 of 2. Everett 1 of 6.
Goalies—Kelowna, Guggenberger 4-1 (41 shots, 40 saves). Everett, Simpson 2-3 (22 shots, 20 saves).
A—4,784.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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