Published: Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Silvertips' Maxwell closing in on team milestones
The winger needs two scores to break Everett's single-season goal record and five to set the career goals mark.
EVERETT -- Shane Harper's reign atop the Everett Silvertips goal-scoring lists may be a short one. He's being stalked by his Southern California compatriot.
Everett winger Tyler Maxwell is on the verge of breaking Harper's franchise records for both goals in a season and goals in a career, milestones he may achieve during the final week of the regular season.
"I'm just trying not to think about it that much," Maxwell said. "I'm just trying to do what I can to contribute offensively. If that ultimately ends up breaking records, that's a good thing. But I'm not putting too much pressure on it."
Last season, Harper scored 42 goals to set an Everett franchise record for goals in a season, topping the previous record of 38 set by John Lammers in 2005-06. Harper also finished his five seasons with the Tips with 100 goals, surpassing the 87 Zach Hamill tallied from 2003-08.
But Maxwell has a chance to usurp Harper's positions this week. Maxwell, a 19-year-old from Manhattan Beach, Calif., enters the final four games of the season with 41 goals, just one off Harper's single-season record.
Maxwell also has 96 goals during his three-year Everett career, just four behind Harper's career record. While the career record will be harder to attain, requiring Maxwell to score at least a goal per game the rest of the way, it's not out of the question.
While Maxwell is aware of the records, he's not dwelling on them -- not with the Tips locked in a battle to make the playoffs. Everett is holding off Kamloops for the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot by just two points.
"I know they're there," Maxwell said of the records. "Shane's a good friend of mine, too, so that would be kind of funny to battle with him a bit. But I don't think it's too much stress on my life right now.
"I'd be pretty happy about it," Maxwell added about the possibility of breaking the records. "There's been a lot of good players who have come through this organization, and to tie or break those records would be something special. But I kind of don't want to jinx it."
An interesting footnote in Maxwell's chase of Harper is that both hail from a location known more for its sunshine than its ice. Maxwell and Harper, who is from Valencia, Calif., are two of just six Californians to suit up for the Tips during the team's eight-year history. And yet Californians now occupy the top two spots on Everett's lists for goals in a season and goals in a career.
"Me and Shane, it would be good to battle with him because we're friends and he's from California and so am I," Maxwell said. "That's kind of special because this is a Canadian hockey league."
While Maxwell needs just one more goal to match Harper's single-season record, he's realistic about his slim chances of reaching Harper's career record this season.
"There's always a chance. I could go on a hot streak or something," Maxwell said. "But this is my third year here and I always have next year to do that."
Injury update
Everett won't be receiving much lineup relief for tonight's game at Tri-City in terms of key players returning from injury.
Two big presences have been ruled out for tonight's game. No. 1 goaltender Kent Simpson, who's missed the past four games because of a sprained ankle, won't be in uniform for the game. Simpson did, however, do some light skating following Tuesday's practice. Also out is captain Landon Ferraro. Ferraro, who only returned from hernia surgery 10 days ago, sat out Saturday's 2-1 loss to Portland with a groin injury and did not practice Tuesday.
Defenseman Chad Suer, who sat out Saturday because of a gash in his leg, also was limited to light skating Tuesday. However, he has not been ruled out for tonight.
Check out Nick Patterson's Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at NickHPatterson.
Everett winger Tyler Maxwell is on the verge of breaking Harper's franchise records for both goals in a season and goals in a career, milestones he may achieve during the final week of the regular season.
"I'm just trying not to think about it that much," Maxwell said. "I'm just trying to do what I can to contribute offensively. If that ultimately ends up breaking records, that's a good thing. But I'm not putting too much pressure on it."
Last season, Harper scored 42 goals to set an Everett franchise record for goals in a season, topping the previous record of 38 set by John Lammers in 2005-06. Harper also finished his five seasons with the Tips with 100 goals, surpassing the 87 Zach Hamill tallied from 2003-08.
But Maxwell has a chance to usurp Harper's positions this week. Maxwell, a 19-year-old from Manhattan Beach, Calif., enters the final four games of the season with 41 goals, just one off Harper's single-season record.
Maxwell also has 96 goals during his three-year Everett career, just four behind Harper's career record. While the career record will be harder to attain, requiring Maxwell to score at least a goal per game the rest of the way, it's not out of the question.
While Maxwell is aware of the records, he's not dwelling on them -- not with the Tips locked in a battle to make the playoffs. Everett is holding off Kamloops for the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot by just two points.
"I know they're there," Maxwell said of the records. "Shane's a good friend of mine, too, so that would be kind of funny to battle with him a bit. But I don't think it's too much stress on my life right now.
"I'd be pretty happy about it," Maxwell added about the possibility of breaking the records. "There's been a lot of good players who have come through this organization, and to tie or break those records would be something special. But I kind of don't want to jinx it."
An interesting footnote in Maxwell's chase of Harper is that both hail from a location known more for its sunshine than its ice. Maxwell and Harper, who is from Valencia, Calif., are two of just six Californians to suit up for the Tips during the team's eight-year history. And yet Californians now occupy the top two spots on Everett's lists for goals in a season and goals in a career.
"Me and Shane, it would be good to battle with him because we're friends and he's from California and so am I," Maxwell said. "That's kind of special because this is a Canadian hockey league."
While Maxwell needs just one more goal to match Harper's single-season record, he's realistic about his slim chances of reaching Harper's career record this season.
"There's always a chance. I could go on a hot streak or something," Maxwell said. "But this is my third year here and I always have next year to do that."
Injury update
Everett won't be receiving much lineup relief for tonight's game at Tri-City in terms of key players returning from injury.
Two big presences have been ruled out for tonight's game. No. 1 goaltender Kent Simpson, who's missed the past four games because of a sprained ankle, won't be in uniform for the game. Simpson did, however, do some light skating following Tuesday's practice. Also out is captain Landon Ferraro. Ferraro, who only returned from hernia surgery 10 days ago, sat out Saturday's 2-1 loss to Portland with a groin injury and did not practice Tuesday.
Defenseman Chad Suer, who sat out Saturday because of a gash in his leg, also was limited to light skating Tuesday. However, he has not been ruled out for tonight.
Check out Nick Patterson's Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at NickHPatterson.
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