REFLECTIONS: Tips still in control of division after beating Rockets
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 15, 2017
The Game
The Everett Silvertips once again came up with the bounce-back game they needed as they stifled the potent Kelowna Rockets offense with a decisive 4-1 win north of the border Wednesday night. The Everett win snapped a seven-game Rockets winning streak. Moreover the Tips are now 6-0-3 in their last nine meetings with Kelowna – meaning the perennial Western Conference powerhouse Rockets have gone the last nine games without beating Everett in regulation.
The Tips outshot the Rockets 29-27 and made standout overager Reid Gardiner a non-factor. Dominic Zwerger scored twice, Kevin Davis scored once and had an assist and Aaron Irving scored in his return after a three-game absence. Irving earned rave reviews from Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier:
Getting an appreciation for how good Aaron Irving is tonight, great deadline acquisition for @WHLsilvertips. Had been hidden in East conf.
— Larry Fisher (@LarryFisher_KDC) March 16, 2017
One negative takeaway is that the Tips allowed the tying goal on the shift immediately following their go-ahead goal in the first. But Everett recovered to regain the lead before the end of the period and never trailed in the contest – thanks in part to a perfect 5-on-5 effort by the penalty killing unit.
Another negative: it sounds like captain Noah Juulsen was banged up late in the game when Zwerger scored his empty-netter.
More concerning for @WHLsilvertips, Noah Juulsen was hurt as play went up ice for empty-net goal. I missed it but Constantine was livid #WHL
— Larry Fisher (@LarryFisher_KDC) March 16, 2017
Juulsen hobbled off the ice, appeared to be favouring left leg/knee. Reid Gardiner appeared to be the culprit but I didn't see it. #WHL
— Larry Fisher (@LarryFisher_KDC) March 16, 2017
Juulsen didn’t return, but there would have been no reason to do so with just over a minute to play and a three-goal lead. We’ll continue to monitor that closely as we look at Friday’s game in Victoria.
The Turning Point
Irving’s 18th goal of the year at 9:26 in the first gave Everett a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Three Stars
1. Everett G Carter Hart: The 18-year-old netminder saved 26 of the 27 shots he faced.
2. Everett D Kevin Davis: Playing near his hometown of Kamloops, Davis opened the scoring and added an assist.
3. Kelowna F Dillon Dube: Dube scored the lone goal for the Rockets.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleysne on Twitter.
