TALKING POINTS
Well, that was an emphatic homecoming.
After a long stretch essentially away from home — 12 of Everett’s previous 14 games were on the road — the Tips settled right back in at home, blasting a Vancouver team that is really struggling, having lost eight of nine and been outscored 15-1 in its past two games.
Everett was in control right from the start, taking a 3-0 lead less than 13 minutes into the game. A lapse by Austin Lotz — who played extremely well after that — got Vancouver on the board late in the first period, then the Giants came out on fire to start the second. But the Tips weathered the storm, then ended the game as a contest with two goals in 34 seconds late in the second.
I wasn’t really was sure what to expect from Everett in this one. The Tips were coming off that long road stretch, were rusty from having not played in six days, and were still trying to fight off the illness that set in while on the road. But they looked fine tonight. They also benefited from playing a Vancouver team that was not on its game at all. With the exception of the first 13 minutes of the second period, the Giants really struggled.
The Tips got big-time offensive games out of Patrick Bajkov and Ivan Nikolishin (see below for details). Bajkov was credited with his first career hat trick, but after the game he seemed convinced his first goal is going to be changed to Tristen Pfeifer. So it’s either a first career hat trick for Bajkov or a first career goal for Pfeifer. We’ll have to wait for the tape to find out.
TURNING POINT
Everett was up 3-1, but Vancouver’s physical play tilted the ice the Giants’ way for much of the second. However, Lotz made big saves on Zane Jones and Carter Popoff to keep Vancouver from closing the gap. That allowed the Tips to put the game away with those goals on consecutive shifts later in the period.
THREE STARS
First star: Bajkov. Three goals (maybe) and one assist.
Let’s talk about Patrick Bajkov for a second. If that first goal holds, that gives him 20 this season. This is from a late-birthdate 17-year-old. Just how many goals is this kid going to score during his Silvertips career? I’ve often remarked that I think Bajkov is right on the same development path as Shane Harper and Joshua Winquist, who are third and second, respectively, on Everett’s career goals list. While I still believe Bajkov is about at the same place development wise as Harper and Winquist were at that stage of their careers, he is way ahead of those two in terms of numbers.
Second star: Nikolishin. One goal and three assists, this from a player who barely practiced this week because of illness.
Third star: Carson Stadnyk, Everett. Two goals and one assist, might actually have been the Tips’ best offensive performer.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Matt Fonteyne, Everett. Two assists, nice to see him get rewarded with some points. If Bajkov is right on the Shane Harper development path, then Fonteyne is right on the Zack Dailey development path.
BOX SCORE
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