EVERETT — Pride was the prize Sunday at the Everett Silvertips training camp as the annual Green and Grey Game took place at Xfinity Arena.
The Green squad ended the first week of camp with a 4-2 victory over Team Grey before several hundred fans in the primary dress rehearsal before next week’s preseason 12th Annual Holiday Inn Classic faces off at Xfinity.
“I think it’s a nice way to end off camp although it’s usually the most intense part,” said Silvertips assistant coach Brennan Sonne, who coached Team Green. “We’re kind of getting down to the wire and moving from phase one to phase two (of camp). It is fun, but it’s also getting a little serious now too.”
The Green and Grey Game was the culmination of three days of scrimmages following Thursday’s practice at Xfinity Arena. The 80-some players divided among four teams concluded their Volunteer Cup scrimmages Saturday night.
Practice sessions resume today with fewer players sticking around as “Phase Two” of camp begins.
Sunday featured much of the fanfare of a regular season game with music, lights, a public address announcer and a brand-new high definition scoreboard above center ice as the scrimmage went the full three 20-minute periods.
Gunnar Wegleitner and 16-year-old Connor Dewar starred offensively for victorious Team Green.
Wegleitner opened the scoring with assists from Dewar and Yan Khomenko at 7:31 in the first period. Wegleitner later added what proved the game-winner with assists from Dewar and Lucas Skrumeda in the second.
“I didn’t have the best camp myself during the first (three) games, but I just relaxed going into this one,” said Wegleitner, a 17-year-old from Vancouver, B.C. “I tried to take it easy, play simple and I guess whatever I did worked.”
Dewar scored Team Green’s second goal for a 2-0 lead at the 1:37 mark of the second period.
The Manitoba native played in the Green and Grey Game last year as a 15-year-old. He drew on that experience this season, which is the first year he is eligible to make the Silvertips roster.
“I wasn’t nervous or anything this time. I just came out and showed what I had,” Dewar said. “Coaches ultimately look for winners. They want to win a championship. They’re going to take winners — guys who know what it takes to win.”
The two-goal lead lasted about half a period.
Grey found its way onto the scoreboard when Nick Henry collected a carom off the goaltender to cut the deficit to 2-1 on a power play at 10:01 in the second. Matthew Clarke and Remi Laurencelle were credited with assists.
A flurry of late goals created excitement at the end of the second period. Grey’s Patrick Bajkov poked in a loose puck at 18:17 to briefly tie the score at 2-2.
Green reclaimed the lead just 20 seconds later as Wegleitner’s second goal of the game came on a breakaway with assists going to Dewar and Skrumeda.
“We both were working hard,” Dewar said. “We got open for each other and found each other a few times.”
The third period was scoreless until Green’s Graham Millar tallied an open-net goal with six seconds to play for the game’s final score.
Henry and Dewar were two of a number of younger players who stood out to Silvertips coaches throughout the weekend camp. No 15-year-olds played in the Green and Grey Game because each competed in Sunday morning’s Rookie Game.
“I was super impressed with the 15- and 16-year-olds who came in and were skating shoulder to shoulder with players four or five years older than them, and doing quite well,” Sonne said. “We’ve come to expect a certain level from our older veteran players, but I was really pleased with how they helped the younger players along.”
Green out-shot Grey 33-26 on the afternoon. Laurencelle had assists on both of Team Grey’s goals.
Green goaltender Austin Lotz recorded seven saves and 16-year-old teammate Robert Zito had 17 as each played about half the game in the net.
Grey goaltender Carter Hart had 15 saves and Mario Petit added 14.
Notes
Team Black won the Rookie Game held Sunday morning 4-1 over Team White. … Team Blue’s Bajkov was the leader in total points (nine) and total assists (five) in the Volunteer Cup scrimmages held Friday and Saturday. … Team Grey’s Matt Fonteyne was the top goal scorer with four, while Team Green’s Tanner Marshall led all goaltenders with a save average of .920.
Green 4, Grey 2
Grey 0 2 0 — 2
Green 1 2 1 — 1
First Period—Green, Wegleitner (Khomenko, Dewar), 7:31
Second Period—Green, Dewar (Davis), 1:37; Grey, Henry (Clarke, Laurencelle), 10:01 (pp); Grey, Bajkov (Dwyer, Laurencelle), 18:17; Green, Wegleitner (Dewar, Skrumeda), 18:37; Penalties—Grey, Sutter (hooking), 6:32. Green, Scherbakov, (tripping), 9:29
Third Period—Green, Millar (unassisted), 19:54 Penalties—Pfeifer (interference), 14:48.
Shots on goal—Grey 4-13-9-26. Green 8-17-8-33. Power-play opportunities—Grey 1 of 1. Green 0 of 2.
Goalies—Grey, Hart (17 shots, 15 saves), Petit (15 shots, 14 saves. Green, Lotz (8 shots, 7 saves), Zito (18 shots, 17 saves).
A—N/A.
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