Everett 5, Kamloops 2
Published 10:58 pm Saturday, October 18, 2008
TALKING POINTS
The Tips have something diabolical forming. You’d think a line consisting of of three 17-year-old rookies would get a handful of shifts a game, and if you’re lucky it doesn’t get scored on. But Everett’s trio of Byron Froese, Kellan Tochkin and Tyler Maxwell was spectacular tonight. Every time they stepped on the ice they created offense, and there was nothing the Blazers could do to stop them. And they got better as the game went along as their final shift may have been the best non-scoring shift I’ve seen all season. Those three have combined for 13 points in their two full games together as a line. Not bad for two listed kids and a first rounder some people were ready to write off.
Another rookie, 16-year-old goaltender Kent Simpson, had a good night as it turned out to be kids day at Comcast Arena. Simpson was particularly sharp early, allowing the Tips to pull out to a 4-0 lead.
It’s a good thing for the Tips that the youngsters were in top form because many veterans — the top line of Kyle Beach, Daniel Bartek and Shane Harper in particular — were not at their best. Nevertheless, the Tips completed an unlikely three-game sweep of the B.C. Division this week.
TURNING POINT
It was just one of many shifts where the Froese-Tochkin-Maxwell line put relentless pressure on the Blazers, but this early one resulted in Jeff Regier’s shot glancing off Froese and in, giving the Tips a 1-0 lead 4:12 into the game, and there was no looking back from there.
HIT OF THE DAY
Nothing particularly notable today. Tips defenseman Mike Alexander had a nice wipeout of Brendan Ranford along the boards late in the first period.
THREE STARS
First star: Froese. Had his hat trick taken away when video showed his supposed third goal glanced off Matt Ius before going in the net.
Second star: Simpson. Hasn’t looked anything like a 16-year-old in his two home starts.
Third star: Tochkin. Two more assists as he continues to climb up the rookie scoring chart.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Graham Potuer, Everett. Was the lone Everett defenseman to win the majority of his battles along the boards.
LINEUP NOTES
Everett made one change from the lineup that beat Kelowna 8-6 Friday as left wing Markus McCrea came in for left wing Tyler Parker, who was a healthy scratch. The other healthy scratches were forwards Jordan Mistelbacher and Ryan White and defensemen Drew McDermott and Paul Sohor.
Kamloops only has 21 players on its roster and all 21 took the warmup. Defenseman Michal Siska ended up being the healthy scratch.
