Spokane 5, Everett 2
Published 10:55 pm Wednesday, February 11, 2009
TALKING POINTS
Well, I suppose it wasn’t 9-1 like the last time these teams played at Comcast Arena. For about 12 minutes it looked like it was going to be — at that point Everett was down 2-0, outshot 10-0 and just getting hammered. But the Tips got some help from some careless penalties by the Chiefs to prevent a first-period blowout, then made a pretty good game of it after that.
Unfortunately for the Tips, they still made mistakes, and Spokane is too good a team to make mistakes against. Everett goaltender Thomas Heemskerk may have given up five goals, but there was nothing he could have done on any of them. The Chiefs executed to perfection when given a moment of daylight created by Everett miscues, and Heemskerk actually saved the Tips on a couple other such occasions.
On the positive side for Everett, it was nice to see Byron Froese and Kellan Tochkin still combine for a goal, even though the third member of the kid line, Tyler Maxwell, is out. Everett tried three different players in Maxwell’s spot today — Paul Van de Velde, Markus McCrea and Ryan White. Trying to keep some kind of chemistry going on that line is going to be a challenge for the Tips over the next few weeks.
I also wanted to comment on Tips defenseman Trevor Bauer. Everett broadcaster Jon Rosen has been praising Bauer’s improvement during the road games lately, and based on my observations tonight I have to say I concur. He seems to be turning himself into a player. Not bad for a guy the Tips picked up off the scrap heap midseason.
TURNING POINT
Everett pulled back within 3-2 early in the third period. But at 5:23 the Chiefs came on the rush, and Levko Koper waited until finding an unmarked Mike Reddington trailing the play. The two-goal cushion sealed Everett’s fate.
HIT OF THE DAY
Everett’s Graham Potuer sent Koper flying to the ice with a full-contact body check midway through the third period.
THREE STARS
First star: Drayson Bowman, Spokane. Two goals, the kid is a sniper.
Second star: Reddington. A goal and two assists, an uncharacteristic offensive outburst for the stay-at-home d-main.
Third star: Taylor Ellington, Everett. Lightning-quick release to score Everett’s first goal.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Justin McCrae, Spokane. One goal, as if Spokane needed another offensive weapon.
LINEUP NOTES
For Everett it was one top-six left wing in, another out as Daniel Bartek made an unexpected early return to the lineup, but Maxwell was ruled out for three to four weeks. Bartek, who missed a month because of a foot fracture, wasn’t expected back until the weekend at the earliest. His return was offset by the loss of Maxwell, who was found to have a crack in his kneecap. The Tips hope to have Maxwell back by the final weekend of the season. McCrea was also back after being unavailable last weekend while attending a family matter. Forwards Tyler Parker and Cameron Abney and defenseman Drew McDermott were healthy scratches.
Spokane is soldiering on without defenseman Jared Cowen, who is out for the season because of a knee injury. However, the rest of the team is intact as forwards T.C. Cratsenberg and David Conrad and defenseman Cory Baldwin were healthy scratches.
