Everett 4, Kamloops 2
Published 11:03 pm Friday, November 19, 2010
TALKING POINTS
Well, that was some compelling stuff. It wasn’t necessarily good hockey all the time, but it sure had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Kellan Tochkin earned the primary plaudits, recording his first career hat trick, including the two third-period goals that snapped a 2-2 tie. But it wasn’t just about the goals for Tochkin, who I thought played one of the best all-around games I’ve seen him play in a Silvertips uniform.
With three key forwards out, the Tips also needed to find some production from their role players, and they produced tonight. Everett’s fourth line scored the game’s opening goal when Tyler Giebel put in a rebound after a couple point-blank jam attempts by Jari Erricson. And Josh Winquist, filling in for injured captain Landon Ferraro, notched a pair of assists in one of his better efforts of the season.
Now a word on the second period. Let me just say that the second period was the biggest train wreck of a period I’ve seen in a long time. For 20 minutes the two teams tried their best to demonstrate they’d forgotten how to play hockey. Players were out of position, pucks were fumbled, and sticks and bodies were flying all over the place. At one point Everett defenseman Nick Walters and goaltender Luke Siemens managed to check one another off the puck behind the Everett net, and yet Kamloops’ Logan McVeigh somehow managed to miss with a wide open wraparound beckoning. Even Tips star defenseman Ryan Murray got into the act, getting drawn into a fight with Kamloops fourth-liner Chase Souto in what was a terrible tradeoff for the Tips. It wasn’t pretty, but it sure was riveting.
TURNING POINT
Kamloops had the advantage during that awful second period, and McVeigh’s big chance came late in the period with the score tied 2-2. McVeigh missed, and that gave the Tips a chance to regroup during the second intermission with the score still tied.
HIT OF THE DAY
Late in the game Everett’s Rasmus Rissanen put a big-time hit on Dalibor Bortnak into the boards behind the Everett net.
THREE STARS
First star: Tochkin. Three goals and one cowboy hat donned during the postgame ceremony.
Second star: Tyler Maxwell, Everett. Three assists, had the primary assist on each of Tochkin’s goals.
Third star: Siemens. 24 saves, had his hiccups playing the puck, but made some huge saves, including saving a late penalty shot.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Chase Schaber, Kamloops. One goal and won a ton of faceoffs.
BOX SCORE
