Tips goalie Hart honored for 2nd straight week
Published 10:30 pm Monday, November 28, 2016
EVERETT — In what was undoubtedly the least surprising news of the new week, Everett Silvertips goaltender Carter Hart was named the WHL Goaltender of the Week for the second consecutive week.
Hart was 2-0-0-0 with two shutouts and saved all 63 shots he faced in 3-0 wins over Seattle on Wednesday and Prince George on Saturday.
The reigning CHL and WHL Goaltender of the Year, Hart is the first WHL goalie to win the award more than once this season. He is 13-3-3-0 in 20 appearances this season with a 1.67 goals-against average, a .937 save percentage and three shutouts — all best in the league. His 13 wins are third in the WHL.
Hart won the award four times last season and was also the CHL Goaltender of the Week once last year and the CHL Goaltender of the Month last November. He has not allowed more than four goals in a game this season and has allowed three or more just three times. Hart has allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of his last 11 appearances since he was pulled less than eight minutes into a start at Kelowna on Oct. 19.
Silvertips top the Western Conference
Everett’s 3-0 win over Prince George on Saturday moved the Tips past the Cougars for the top spot in the WHL Western Conference standings. Prince George went on to lose Sunday at Portland, so the Tips are still two points up on the Cougars.
Contributing to Everett’s conference lead is the fact the Tips are 3-0 against the Cougars. Everett knocked off Prince George twice on the road in October, including Hart’s first shutout of the season in a 4-0 win on Oct. 11.
The Tips and Cougars are the top two teams in the league in fewest goals allowed, but the Tips are nearly a full goal per game (1.79) better than the Cougars (2.65). Everett’s miniscule goals-against average is due not only to Hart, but also the efforts of Mario Petit, a very capable backup who has had his shining moments the past two seasons.
Petit earned the victory in Everett’s 5-2 win over Edmonton on Friday. The Manitoba native is 4-0-1 with a 2.45 GAA and a .916 save percentage in five games as a second-year WHL netminder.
Tigers quietly sneak up on rest of league
Regina, Prince George and Everett have earned most of the attention from the CHL hockey poll that is released each Wednesday. The Pats and the Cougars have each been ranked No. 1 at different times, while the Tips have been ranked as high as No. 3. Everett was No. 7 last week and is likely to move up after a 3-0-0 week that included the victory over the then-No. 1 Cougars.
But will the Tips be ranked ahead of the Medicine Hat Tigers?
Medicine Hat was ranked ninth last week, but the Tigers have won nine straight games and are now atop the overall WHL standings with a 20-5-1-0 record, good for 41 points. The Tips are second with 40 points and a game in hand of Medicine Hat.
Oh, and the Tigers just happen to be coming to Xfinity Arena Friday at 7:35 p.m. as they make their swing through the U.S. Division, so temporary WHL supremacy could be determined in downtown Everett this week.
Ivan Hlinka Tournament headed to Canada
The U-18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament is one of the top events for players entering their draft seasons and now it’s leaving Europe for Edmonton. Hockey Canada announced Monday that the 2018, 2020 and 2022 events would be held in Edmonton.
The event has been contested in Slovakia and the Czech Republic every year since 1991.
Hart participated with the gold medal-winning Canadian team in 2015.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
