The News
Before we take another look at Saturday’s game we need to address some Everett Silvertips personnel items.
Rookie forward Mark Liwiski has been indefinitely suspended for a violation of team rules, head coach Dennis Williams confirmed Saturday after the game.
“It’s something that again in probably a week’s time we’ll sit down as a staff, with (general manager) Garry (Davidson) being on the road, and discuss what are the next steps we’re going to take with everything,” Williams said.
Davidson is in Fort Saint John, British Columbia, for the 2017 U-17 World Hockey Challenge.
In addition to Liwiski, fellow 2001-born forward Ethan Browne has been given an opportunity to go home to Sherwood Park, Alberta.
“(Browne) informed us (Friday) that he wanted to take some time and so we’ve granted that,” Williams said. “He wanted to go back home, so that was something he wanted to do. That came (as) kind of a surprise on Friday, but there’s nothing we can do. He wanted to go home and clear his mind, and try to get refocused.”
Neither Browne or Liwiski were at the arena Saturday. Each last played in Everett’s 3-2 win at Portland last Sunday.
Both Browne and Liwiski are highly regarded prospects taken early by the Tips in the 2016 bantam draft. Browne was Everett’s first-round pick and has recorded one assist in eight games.
Liwiski was a third-round pick. He has been held without a point in 10 contests.
The Game
So here is the Onyebuchi-Ludvig fight: pic.twitter.com/SG2DpdTEoR
— Jesse Geleynse (@JesseGeleynse) November 5, 2017
The Everett Silvertips have run into some pretty goaltending over the past few games. That trend carried over Saturday night in a 3-1 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks as Cole Kehler stymied the Tips by turning away 43 of 44 shots.
Kehler has already won the WHL Goaltender of the Week once this season and the overager played like it Saturday.
Everett continued to create plenty of chances, but struggled to finish. The Tips’ only goal Saturday came from Sean Richards when he redirected a point shot from Jake Christiansen.
Carter Hart was very good in net once again for the Tips, but didn’t get enough help from his offense. He’s off to the Canada-Russia Series next week before joining the team in Prince George for back-to-back games Friday and Saturday.
The Turning Point
Everett’s power play at the end of the second involved a flurry of chances that could have tied the game before the second intermission. Instead Kehler stood tall and maintained the 1-0 lead.
Three Stars
Portland G Cole Kehler: The overager recorded 43 saves.
Portland F Alex Overhardt: Overhardt had an assist and iced the game with an empty-netter.
Everett F Sean Richards: Richards scored Everett’s lone goal Saturday.
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