REFLECTIONS: Four in a row for Tips, three in a row for Hart
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, November 30, 2016
The Game
The building didn’t have the intensity of last Wednesday’s Thanksgiving Eve 3-0 win over Seattle, but the Tips nonethless throttled the visiting Kootenay Ice 5-0 Wednesday for their fourth straight win.
Carter Hart turned in his third consecutive shutout, all but solidifying his selection as the CHL Goaltender of the Month when the award is announced in the coming weeks. Hart seems to like November; he was the CHL Goaltender of the Month last November.
His numbers this November are out of sight: 6-1-2-0 record with a 1.11 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage. He’s won the last two WHL Goaltender of the Week awards and this week was the CHL Goaltender of the Week.
For the year Hart’s numbers are 14-3-4-0 with a 1.59 GAA and a .939 save percentage. Prince George’s Ty Edmonds is second in GAA at 2.15 while Kamloops’ Connor Ingram is second in save percentage at .933.
As for the other players on the ice: Everett’s fourth line combined for three goals and an assist although it should be noted that not all of that production occurred while the line was out there together. Bryce Kindopp scored twice – the first of which came with his linemates – while Bradly Goethals scored on a power play (that linemate Orrin Centazzo assisted). Kindopp’s second goal came short-handed and was short-handed.
Eetu Tuulola also made his presence felt with a goal and an assist. Those were his first points since he tallied a goal and an assist in Everett’s win over Calgary on Nov. 15.
Patrick Bajkov added his team-best 11th goal in the final period.
The Turning Point
The score was just 2-0 when Hart faced his stiffest challenge midway through the second period. A scrum in front of the net yielded a pair of good looks for the Ice who nevertheless came up empty.
Three Stars
1. Everett F Eetu Tuulola: The Finn had a goal and an assist.
2. Everett G Carter Hart: Hart had 20 saves for his third straight shutout.
3. Everett F Bryce Kindopp: The rookie scored twice and was plus-two.
Honorable mention: Everett D Kevin Davis (two assists, plus-two),
