2009-10 review: offense

Published 12:09 pm Saturday, April 3, 2010

There were moments this season when I expected to see Lance Armstrong suiting up for the Tips. That’s because Everett’s offense was based around one thing: cycle, cycle, cycle. The team could have pulled out those tricycles they sometimes use during intermission contests and put them into play, and everything would have seemed kosher.

For me, that cycling was the characteristic that left the greatest impression. At times the Tips would cycle the puck in the corners endlessly, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Even when it didn’t turn into goals, it forced the opposition defense to expend a lot of energy.

But beyond the cycle, there sure didn’t seem to be many constants about Everett’s offense this season. Just about everything one could say about the Tips offense came with a ready-made counterpoint:

– The Tips were credited with 232 goals this season, up 33 from last season. However, given how much more time Everett spent in the offensive zone this season than last season, the increase seems modest.

– The artists formerly known as the Kid Line (Byron Froese, Kellan Tochkin and Tyler Maxwell) were productive again, combining for 198 points. However, they had some dry stretches and struggled to assert themselves in the playoffs.

– Tips captain Zack Dailey had quite the roller coaster. Ever seen a player go two full months without a point (24 games), then follow that up with a 19-point month (14 games)? Me neither.

– Everett was essentially a two-line team offensively for most of the season, but the trio of Clayton Cumiskey, Scott MacDonald and Dan Iwanski turned it on in the final weeks and may have been Everett’s best line in the playoffs.

– Everett’s power play sure seemed ineffective for much of the season. Yet the Tips finished with reasonable numbers on the power play during the regular season, and they scored on a third of their chances in the playoffs.

– Everett’s defensemen contributed a lot more to the offense than last season. Yet, particularly in the second half, they had all kinds of trouble getting shots past the first defender and on net.

All of which makes it difficult to get a firm grasp on the offense. The only real constant up front was the duo of Shane Harper and Chris Langkow. They were productive no matter who they played with, as Harper provided the skill and Langkow provided the grinding.

But despite the lack of constants, Everett’s offense was enough to put the Tips in position to contend.