Everett 4, Seattle 3 (OT)
Published 8:59 pm Sunday, January 17, 2010
TALKING POINTS
The Tips didn’t play a particularly good game overall tonight, but an excellent game by the fourth line and a special goal in overtime by Shane Harper extended Everett’s winning streak to nine. Harper’s goal was a thing of beauty, look for it in the WHL’s plays of the week on Friday.
Everett’s fourth line — consisting of Markus McCrea, Josh Winquist and D.Jay McGrath tonight — probably had as good a game as I’ve seen this season. The Tips fourth line typically sees limited minutes. However, it received more shifts than usual, probably because Everett was playing its third game in three nights, and it cashed in twice in four minutes during the second period to give Everett a 3-1 lead.
But Seattle gained the upper hand after that, aided by a bad goal surrendered by Tips goaltender Thomas Heemskerk (who did not have his best game), and the T-birds were well worth their point. Had Seattle won I’d say the T-birds deserved the two points, particularly since they were playing without leading scorer Prab Rai because of an unspecified injury.
Everett’s Byron Froese was held goalless, ending his franchise-record streak of six straight games with a goal. It wasn’t because he didn’t have any chances. I have no idea how he didn’t score on a wraparound attempt in the third period. That must have been some save by Seattle goaltender Calvin Pickard (I didn’t have a great view).
In the alumni department, it was good to see former Everett goaltender Leland Irving drop the first puck tonight. I saw him briefly during the first intermission. He was able to come down from Abbotsford, because the AHL is in its all-star break.
Finally, I’ve received several inquiries regarding what was said about Harper during the television broadcast Friday night. Shaw color commentator Bill Wilms said Harper was close to signing with an NHL team. I asked Harper about that tonight and I guess that was a bit of an exaggeration. Harper is in talks with some NHL teams, but nothing is imminent. He said if anything happens it wouldn’t be until after the end of the season.
TURNING POINT
Everett was up 3-1 and looked like it was going to cruise to victory until 12:26 of the second period. Seattle’s Brenden Silvester sent what appeared to be a harmless shot toward goal as he crossed the blue line. Heemskerk went to stick it away and missed, the puck ending up in the back of the net. Seattle was the better team after that and went on to earn a point.
HIT OF THE DAY
Everett’s Radko Gudas drew the oohs and aahs, but for my money the best hit came from Seattle’s Lindsay Nielsen. Midway through the second period Nielsen caught Zack Dailey flush in the chest while Dailey was off balance, driving Dailey into the ice.
THREE STARS
First star: Harper. Two goals, he’s now just one short of Zach Hamill’s franchise record for career goals.
Second star: Charles Wells, Seattle. One assist, but I personally didn’t notice him a whole lot.
Third star: McCrea. A goal and an assist, he had his best game in some time.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Colin Jacobs, Seattle. One goal and the 16-year-old was strong on the puck.
BOX SCORE
