Return of goalie Hart boosts Silvertips’ confidence
Published 1:30 am Thursday, November 16, 2017
EVERETT — The confidence in Sean Richards’ voice was palpable following the Everett Silvertips’ 2-0 win over the Prince Albert Raiders Wednesday night.
“I think (our confidence) is getting higher,” said Richards, an Everett winger who scored the game-winning goal in the second period and now has five goals in the past four games. “Toward the start of the year we were kind of down on ourselves, but I think after a couple good weeks here it’s getting higher and we’re believing in ourselves a little bit more.”
That recent confidence coincides with the return of goaltender Carter Hart from an early-season bout of mononucleosis. The Tips are 3-1-0-1 since Hart has been healthy and are currently on a 5-1-0-1 stretch with Dustin Wolf winning the two games prior to Hart’s return.
With his 21st career shutout Wednesday — his second straight — Hart moved into a tie with Leland Irving for the top spot in franchise history. The WHL record is 26 set by Vancouver’s Tyson Sexsmith from 2005-09.
Irving set the original team mark from 2003-08 and was a first-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2006 NHL draft.
Hart wasn’t aware he had tied a franchise record until after Wednesday’s game, one attended by his mother, Shauna, and sister, Sarah, who were visiting from Sherwood Park, Alberta.
“I saw on the board after the game,” Hart said. “I actually had a chance to meet Leland at (Philadelphia) Flyers camp this year, which was really cool. He was my stall mate and he was a really cool guy, and a great goalie, and I thought that was really cool to meet probably the all-time greatest Tips goalie.”
Hart’s back-to-back shutouts propelled him into the WHL lead in save percentage (.941) and goals-against average (1.79). He previously hadn’t played enough minutes to qualify for listing among the league leaders. He led the WHL in both categories last season en route to his second straight Del Wilson Trophy as the WHL’s Goaltender of the Year.
If you add in Team WHL’s 7-0 win over Team Russia on Nov. 6, Hart has three shutouts in his past four games. That one, of course, doesn’t count toward his season total.
At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Hart isn’t particularly big by goaltending standards, but is smooth and technically sound.
“He’s so athletic,” Everett head coach Dennis Williams said. “And just when you think you maybe have him he gets that leg out and gets the body across. It’s obviously great to see him playing that way and builds confidence for our team.”
Hart figures to be a virtual lock to return as Team Canada’s goalie for the World Junior Championship that begins on Boxing Day. The Tips have a very busy slate of games before Hart leaves for Team Canada training camp in early December.
The Tips (9-10-1-1, 20 points) play host to Seattle (9-8-1-1, 20 points) at 7:35 p.m. Friday at Xfinity Arena. The teams reprise the series at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at ShoWare Center in Kent. Regina visits Everett at 4:05 p.m. Sunday.
Seattle defeated Everett 4-3 on Oct. 22 at Xfinity Arena. That dropped Everett’s record to 4-9-1.
The Tips have lost only once in regulation since.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
