TALKING POINTS
So here’s the deal. I had already written up half this post during the second intermission, discussing how Kelowna had the kind of depth to absorb injures that Everett didn’t.
Then the Tips forced me to toss all that in the trash bin and start over.
I don’t think one can overstate just how big a win this was for Everett. The Tips were down 2-0 early in the third period and had created nothing offensively. But despite not playing its best, Everett managed to gut its way through the third period and tie it. The Tips owe a huge debt of gratitude to goaltender Carter Hart, who kept the Tips in it early, then bailed them out late by stopping two breakaways after Everett tied it at 2-2.
Then came the moment of redemption for Tips captain Kohl Bauml. Bauml had the game on his stick with about three minutes remaining. A rebound came right to him in the slot, but with the net gaping he somehow managed to put the puck wide, and it remained 2-2 and went to overtime. Was that miss going to end up costing the Tips a point? Bauml made sure it didn’t when he scored with 29 seconds remaining in OT. Noah Juulsen’s bomb from the point was blocked in the slot, but the puck got lost in skates. Nikita Scherbak fished it out and fed Bauml all alone in front, and Bauml put a shot over Kelowna goaltender Jackson Whistle’s shoulder to win it for Everett.
This was huge for Everett in the context of the U.S. Division. The Tips are desperately trying to hold off Portland, and Everett’s schedule down the stretch looks significantly more difficult than the Winterhawks’. So every point the Tips can squeeze from games like this, where they’re not expected to win, could end up being the difference in raising the team’s first banner since 2007. Indeed, if Everett manages to hold on, we will probably point at the wins over Calgary and Kelowna four days apart as being one of the big keys.
TURNING POINT
There’s a reason why Everett payed such a high price for Scherbak at the start of the season. I highlight high-quality scoring chances in the notes I take during games. Through two periods I had Everett down for none, and the Tips trailed 2-0. But Scherbak was brought in specifically to deal with moments like this. He had played a poor game to that point, but he has the ability to break a game open by himself, and he did just that 3:54 into the third. Scherbak took the puck into the Kelowna zone on the right, cut to the middle, then fired a shot under Whistle to get Everett on the board and bring the Tips to life.
THREE STARS
First star: Bauml. One goal and one assist, sweet redemption for Everett’s captain.
Second star: Leon Draisaitl, Kelowna. One goal and one assist, the dude is a beast.
Third star: Scherbak. One goal and one assist, showed up at the key moments.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Hart. 37 saves, that’s two straight spectacular performances by Hart against elite competition. The 16-year-old is now 9-1-0-1 in 2015, and that includes wins against Portland, Calgary and now Kelowna. Wow.
BOX SCORE
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
