Tips avoid scare on highway

The Tips are breathing a sigh of relief today after a a dangerous situation on the way home from Wednesday's game at Kamloops.

Everett's team bus narrowly avoided a major accident on the highway while traveling home from the game early this morning. Icy road conditions caused a multi-vehicle accident on the Coquihalla Highway near the former tollbooth location between Merritt and Hope, an accident that included several semis. The accident happened ahead of Everett's bus in a location where the ability to see the road ahead was limited, and the icy roads made reacting nearly impossible. However, quick thinking by Everett's bus driver prevented the bus from becoming part of the accident as he brought it to rest in the snowbank by the side of the highway.

There were no injuries among those on the bus, and remarkably there were no serious injuries caused by the accident, despite some vehicles ending up on their sides or upside down. The Tips were delayed for approximately four hours, with the team not arriving back in Everett until 6 a.m.

In other news, winger Zach McPhee did not accompany the team back from Kamloops. The 17-year-old McPhee, whose rights were acquired earlier this season in the trade that sent defenseman Paul Sohor to Tri-City, was called up for Wednesday's game to fill in for the suspended Ryan Harrison. Harrison's suspension is now over, and McPhee has returned to the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL.