Published: Friday, January 20, 2012
Silvertips relieved after road win
But bad weather postpones the team celebration of its first win away from Comcast Arena in nearly three months.
The Everett Silvertips didn't even get the opportunity to celebrate in the standard style.
When a Western Hockey League team wins a game on the road, the players typically have a raucous bus ride, either home or to the next destination, full of energy and merriment as a result of their success on the ice.
So what happened when Everett won its first road game in nearly three months Wednesday night, defeating Kelowna 3-2? Of course, the winter weather prompted the Tips to hole up in Kelowna overnight, in effect canceling what should have been their happy postgame bus ride.
But while the standard celebration may have been put on hold, the Tips felt no end of relief at finally snapping their road losing streak.
"Obviously it was huge to get a win, especially on the road," Tips goaltender Kent Simpson, who earned the win Wednesday with 34 saves, said via cell phone from the team bus Thursday. "We need points at this time of year, and it was a good effort."
Everett's previous road win came way back on Oct. 28 when the Tips prevailed 3-2 in a shootout at Red Deer. In between came 13 consecutive road defeats, and Wednesday's victory was just Everett's third away from home this season.
Under normal conditions, the Tips would have boarded the bus immediately after Wednesday's game and headed home, spending one day in Everett before heading to Vancouver this afternoon for tonight's game against the Giants. However, knowing snow was looming, the Tips adjusted their itinerary, staying Wednesday night in Kelowna and then heading straight to Vancouver on Thursday.
So the fun on the bus trip had to wait a day. But the Tips were still enjoying the road from Kelowna to Vancouver on Thursday afternoon.
"It's good," Simpson said about the team's morale on the bus. "We won last night, so everyone is in a good mood and is happy. We're excited to get back at it (tonight)."
Everett coach Mark Ferner said the Tips' ability to snap their road losing streak was just an extension of the team's recent improved play, which has seen Everett earn at least a point in three of its past four games.
"I thought our guys worked hard," Ferner said. "They were responsible in all three zones and understood being on the right side of guys. It was about work ethic, and we had some guys who played really good games for us, Simpson in particular. He was the best player on the ice for both teams."
Wednesday's game also saw a milestone moment for 18-year-old Tips center Manraj Hayer, who missed the entire first half of the season because of a broken fibula suffered during training camp. Hayer opened the scoring against Kelowna with his first goal of the season, converting a breakaway.
"I'm sure it felt good," Ferner said of Hayer. "He's a very valuable player for us. He brings energy and great speed, and it's nice to see guys get rewarded, especially in his situation. Having him back is huge because he's going to help us."
Everett has yet to win two games in a row this season. Given the Tips' struggles on the road this season, how unexpected would it be if Everett's first winning streak came on the road tonight in Vancouver?
Slap shots
With a goal and an assist in Wednesday's game, Tips center Kohl Bauml now has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in Everett's past 14 games. The 17-year-old rookie had seven points in 30 games previously. He is one point behind winger Ryan Harrison for the team lead during that stretch. Winger Josh Winquist also has 13 points over those 14 games. ... Vancouver is undergoing an injury crisis. The Giants currently list leading scorer Brendan Gallagher, top defenseman David Musil and No. 1 goaltender Adam Morrison on the injury list with upper-body ailments.
When a Western Hockey League team wins a game on the road, the players typically have a raucous bus ride, either home or to the next destination, full of energy and merriment as a result of their success on the ice.
So what happened when Everett won its first road game in nearly three months Wednesday night, defeating Kelowna 3-2? Of course, the winter weather prompted the Tips to hole up in Kelowna overnight, in effect canceling what should have been their happy postgame bus ride.
But while the standard celebration may have been put on hold, the Tips felt no end of relief at finally snapping their road losing streak.
"Obviously it was huge to get a win, especially on the road," Tips goaltender Kent Simpson, who earned the win Wednesday with 34 saves, said via cell phone from the team bus Thursday. "We need points at this time of year, and it was a good effort."
Everett's previous road win came way back on Oct. 28 when the Tips prevailed 3-2 in a shootout at Red Deer. In between came 13 consecutive road defeats, and Wednesday's victory was just Everett's third away from home this season.
Under normal conditions, the Tips would have boarded the bus immediately after Wednesday's game and headed home, spending one day in Everett before heading to Vancouver this afternoon for tonight's game against the Giants. However, knowing snow was looming, the Tips adjusted their itinerary, staying Wednesday night in Kelowna and then heading straight to Vancouver on Thursday.
So the fun on the bus trip had to wait a day. But the Tips were still enjoying the road from Kelowna to Vancouver on Thursday afternoon.
"It's good," Simpson said about the team's morale on the bus. "We won last night, so everyone is in a good mood and is happy. We're excited to get back at it (tonight)."
Everett coach Mark Ferner said the Tips' ability to snap their road losing streak was just an extension of the team's recent improved play, which has seen Everett earn at least a point in three of its past four games.
"I thought our guys worked hard," Ferner said. "They were responsible in all three zones and understood being on the right side of guys. It was about work ethic, and we had some guys who played really good games for us, Simpson in particular. He was the best player on the ice for both teams."
Wednesday's game also saw a milestone moment for 18-year-old Tips center Manraj Hayer, who missed the entire first half of the season because of a broken fibula suffered during training camp. Hayer opened the scoring against Kelowna with his first goal of the season, converting a breakaway.
"I'm sure it felt good," Ferner said of Hayer. "He's a very valuable player for us. He brings energy and great speed, and it's nice to see guys get rewarded, especially in his situation. Having him back is huge because he's going to help us."
Everett has yet to win two games in a row this season. Given the Tips' struggles on the road this season, how unexpected would it be if Everett's first winning streak came on the road tonight in Vancouver?
Slap shots
With a goal and an assist in Wednesday's game, Tips center Kohl Bauml now has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in Everett's past 14 games. The 17-year-old rookie had seven points in 30 games previously. He is one point behind winger Ryan Harrison for the team lead during that stretch. Winger Josh Winquist also has 13 points over those 14 games. ... Vancouver is undergoing an injury crisis. The Giants currently list leading scorer Brendan Gallagher, top defenseman David Musil and No. 1 goaltender Adam Morrison on the injury list with upper-body ailments.
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