EVERETT — Never let it be said that Everett Silvertips head coach Kevin Constantine and his players don’t like to have a little fun.
Monday was one of those days as the players and coaches dressed in Halloween costumes and concluded practice with a series of three-on-three sessions while in costume.
The various trios included penguins, clowns, cows, nurses, and the fictional Flint Tropics of the Will Ferrell movie “Semi-Pro.”
“I think it was a lot of fun,” Everett forward Dominic Zwerger said. “It was a team-building event. I think everybody had fun and the team gets closer.”
Zwerger engineered the most authentic costume as he joined linemates Brian King and Brandson Hein in wearing lederhosen, the traditional garb of Bavaria and Zwerger’s native Austria.
“I thought we might as well do a traditional thing from back home because I don’t think anyone else would have done that,” Zwerger said. “It was pretty funny.”
Around the U.S. Division
Part of Monday’s levity was made possible by the fact the Tips remain in the lead in the U.S. Division at 11-2-2-0 and are second in the Western Conference to Prince George (13-2-2-0).
The Tri-City Americans (9-6-1-0) are right behind the Tips a season after Tri-City had its dozen-year playoff streak broken. The Americans feature projected 2017 first-round NHL pick Michael Rasmussen, who is tied for the league lead with 12 goals.
The Spokane Chiefs (6-6-2-1) feature another prominent 2017 draft prospect in home-grown star Kailer Yamamoto, who is third in goals with 10 and tied for second in points with 23. Spokane finished its Eastern Division swing 3-2-1-0, but was 3-0-1-0 over the final four games of that stretch.
The Portland Winterhawks (8-8-0-0) have lost five straight after beginning their second go-around under Mike Johnston at 8-3. Portland features Cody Glass, who is tied with Yamamoto for second in points with 23, as well as Skyler McKenzie, who is fifth in points with 20 and in goals with 10.
The Seattle Thunderbirds (4-6-0-1) began their eastern road swing Friday and are currently 1-1 on that trip. Seattle is in last place in the Western Conference and clearly missing Keegan Kolesar (injury) and Mathew Barzal (still with the NHL’s New York Islanders). However, Barzal has appeared in just two of New York’s nine games this season, leading some to believe he could be sent back to Seattle.
Prince George continues torrid start
The Silvertips have been the only team to solve the Cougars as they dealt Prince George its only two regulation losses three weeks ago. The Cougars have a four-point lead in the standings over Everett, but the Tips have two games in hand.
The Kelowna Rockets (9-7-0-0) have bounced back from a difficult start to the season to win six straight. Kelowna is a traditional power adjusting to a new head coach, so perhaps the Rockets are beginning to figure things out.
Victoria (8-7-2-0), Kamloops (8-8-0-0) and Vancouver (4-6-0-1) round out the bottom three spots in the B.C. Division, though both the Blazers and Giants are 6-4 over their past 10 games.
Yamamoto, Lee honored by WHL
Spokane’s Kailer Yamamoto was named the WHL Player of the Week, and Kootenay Ice goalie Payton Lee was honored as the Goaltender of the Week.
Yamamoto had three goals and four assists as the Chiefs went 3-0-1-0 last week.
Lee, a native of Cranbrook, British Columbia, the home of the Ice, was 2-0-0 with 67 saves on 70 shots in two wins over the defending WHL champion Brandon Wheat Kings.
For the lastest Silvertips and WHL news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
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