Kelowna 3, Everett 2 (OT)
Published 9:04 pm Sunday, February 13, 2011
TALKING POINTS
Extra time is killing the Tips.
Everett has had 11 games that have been decided in overtime or a shootout this season. The Tips lost nine of those. Everett’s record in OT/shootouts is easily the worst in the league. For whatever reason, this team can’t put it together once 60 minutes has passed.
That’s nine points that have been left on the table. Everett is locked in a battle just to make the playoffs this season. Those points dropped in OT/shootouts could prove crucial in the final standings.
And these were two points the Tips really could have used. Everett is running out of home games — just five of the remaining 16 are at Comcast Arena. And this was one that was favorable for the Tips, considering Kelowna was playing its third game in three nights in three different locations, and Everett was rested after having Saturday off.
Afterward, Everett coach Craig Hartsburg called out his forwards for not working hard enough (though he singled out Clayton Cumiskey and Scott MacDonald as exceptions), particularly pointing out the Tips need more from their power-play guys. We already know Everett has the worst power play in the league, but it was particularly ineffective tonight in going 0-for-6. Credit Kelowna’s penalty killers for some of that, but the Tips just don’t control and move the puck fast enough on the advantage.
On the plus side for Everett, the Tips did manage to get a point from a game they trailed 2-0. And in the first period Everett received a heroic effort from penalty killers Chad Suer, Ryan Murray and Tyler Maxwell along with goaltender Kent Simpson in killing off a lengthy five-on-three. The Tips came up empty on their own lengthy five-on-three later in the period. Even though Kelowna didn’t score on its five-on-three, Everett would do well to take note of how the Rockets did things with the two-man advantage.
TURNING POINT
Everett could have won it when Kelowna’s Max Adolph took a delay-of-game penalty with 1:19 remaining in regulation. But the Tips couldn’t get anything going on the power play, either on the five-on-four during regulation or the four-on-three in OT. Not long after Zak Stebner was able to pinch in from the point and blast a one-timer from the right circle off traffic and past Simpson to end it.
HIT OF THE DAY
I guess I wasn’t at my best tonight, either, as I didn’t pay a very close attention to the hits.
THREE STARS
First star: Josh Winquist, Everett. One goal, was part of Everett’s most-effective line along with Cumiskey and MacDonald.
Second star: Murray. One assist, he’s becoming the default Tips selection in games at Comcast Arena.
Third star: Adolph. One goal and won battles, though he could have ended up the goat following the delay-of-game penalty.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Stebner. Two goals from his defensive position, including the game winner. I’m surprised he wasn’t one of the game’s three stars.
BOX SCORE
