Everett 6, Red Deer 3
Published 9:56 pm Wednesday, December 31, 2008
TALKING POINTS
Happy new year! Especially for the Tips who won this one going away, thanks to five straight goals during an 11-minute span of the second period, making it 6-1. It was Everett’s first victory against a Central Division team as the previous four Central foes who came through Everett walked away with wins over the Tips.
Once again it was those 17-year-old rookies who did the heavy lifting. Byron Froese had a natural hat trick during the second-period outburst, and Kellan Tochkin had two goals and three assists.
It was strange because the Tips spent much of the game’s first 25 minutes on the power play and looking completely inept. But it was when the game got back to being five-on-five that Everett’s deluge began. The Tips ended up 3-for-9 on the power play as Red Deer wasn’t very disciplined and didn’t get the best goaltending.
One last note. Ryan Murray, Everett’s first-round pick in the 2008 bantam draft, is in town for five days to spend some time with the team and get acquainted with the way the Tips do things. He’s coming off being selected for the all-star team at the prestigous Mac’s Midget Tournament (Tips prospect Manraj Hayer was also named an all-star), and he will travel with the team this weekend. However, he is unlikely to get into a game while in town. I also thought I saw prospect defenseman Gabe Minville in the stands, too, as players are taking advantage of vacation from school to drop in.
TURNING POINT
The game was tied 1-1 early in the second period and the Tips were flailing away at their power plays — at one point the Tips had more power plays (six) than shots on goal (five). But shortly after another futile power play, Tyler Parker made a great hustle play on the forecheck, knocking the puck away from a defender and batting it into the net out of mid-air. The goal was Parker’s first in the WHL and Everett was off to the races from there.
HIT OF THE DAY
Midway through the first period Everett’s Zack Dailey put a full-speed shouilder charge on Brett Ferguson, sending Ferguson crashing into the boards. Honorable mention to Red Deer’s Justin Weller, who had two huge hits late in the game.
THREE STARS
First star: Froese. This time the hat trick counted as he was the ultimate opportunist tonight.
Second star: Tochkin. His five points elevated him into the league lead in rookie scoring.
Third star: Dailey. Two assists to go along with his big hit.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Shane Harper, Everett. Yes, I know he didn’t have a point tonight, but I thought he was the best player on the ice, so sue me.
LINEUP NOTES
Everett welcomed center Daniel Bartek back to the lineup. Bartek missed the previous two games because of a knee infection. Forward Jordan Mistelbacher missed his third straight game because of the flu, while defenseman Shayne Brown remains a long-term casualty because of a hip-flexor injury. Goaltender Kent Simpson is playing for Team Pacific at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge, where he won his first two games. Forwards Paul Van de Velde and Cameron Abney and defenseman Drew McDermott were healthy scratches. New goaltender Thomas Heemskerk arrived mid-game.
Red Deer was without top defenseman Tommi Kivisto, who is playing for Finland at the World Junior Hockey Championships. The Rebels were also without defenseman Alex Petrovic, who is Simpson’s teammate at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. Those two missing left the Rebels short on defense, so forward Brennan Wray played as a defenseman. Forwards Thomas Polak and Tyler Penny were healthy scratches.
