Everett 6, Seattle 4, Tips still alive
Published 10:57 pm Saturday, March 17, 2012
TALKING POINTS
Wow! What can you say about that one. In nine years this had to be the most meaningful Everett-Seattle game yet, and boy did it live up to its billing. This was an absolute thriller. Everett had to win to keep its season alive. Then the Tips fell behind four different times. But Everett battled back every time, and Cody Fowlie potted the biggest goal of his life with less than five minutes remaining for the game winner.
All game long it seemed like the puck was bouncing in Seattle’s favor, as the T-birds got two goals thanks to favorable bounces. But the Tips got a bounce back on the game winner. Ryan Harrison was behind the net trying to feed the puck out front. It glanced off a Seattle defender’s skate right to Fowlie in the slot, and Fowlie buried it behind a stranded Seattle netminder Calvin Pickard.
It was a recently cobbled together line that really did the business for the Tips tonight. Both Manraj Hayer and Zach McPhee missed more than half the season because of injury, while Jari Erricson has bounced from line to line. But they’ve been good since being put together a couple weeks ago, and tonight they combined for three goals and five assists.
Now Everett sits and waits. The Tips have a two-point lead on Seattle for the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff position. Seattle concludes its season Sunday night at Portland. If Portland wins, Everett takes eighth and will face top-seeded Tri-City in the first round. If Seattle wins, there will be a one-game playoff between Everett and Seattle to determined the postseason berth. That game would be Tuesday in Kent, since the T-birds would hold the tiebreaker.
And since I’ll have to write about that game tomorrow, be back here as I’ll open up a live blog for the Seattle-Portland game.
TURNING POINT
Which to choose? I guess I’ll go with McPhee’s goal, which came midway through the third period and tied it 4-4. That’s the one that kept Everett’s season alive.
HIT OF THE DAY
Midway through the second period Seattle’s Evan Wardley dumped Kohl Bauml behind the Seattle net.
THREE STARS
First star: Hayer. Two goals and an assist, great to see him put his injuries behind him.
Second star: Connor Honey, Seattle. Two goals and one assist, was the beneficiary of both of Seattle’s bounces that resulted in goals.
Third star: Branden Troock, Seattle. One goal and one assist, scored a beauty and was dangerous elsewhere.
The Herald’s honorable mention: McPhee. One goal and one assist, think the Tips could have used him and Hayer healthy all season?
BOX SCORE
