Game 3: Tri-City 4, Everett 0
Published 10:58 pm Tuesday, March 27, 2012
TALKING POINTS
Over the past few years the Tri-City Americans have built an identity as a high-flying, highly-skilled offensive team that can put up goals in a hurry. However, one can easily overlook the fact that the Americans allowed the fewest goals in the league during the regular season. Tonight Tri-City showed why. The Americans put on a masterful display of defensive hockey, completely locking up Everett’s offense with good positional play and by clogging up the shooting lanes.
The Tips aren’t exactly the best offensive team in the league, and they were playing without maybe their best offensive forward as Ryan Harrison served his one-game suspension. But Everett still made a go of it, and the Americans shut them down. This was really a 2-0 game as Tri-City scored an empty netter to make it 3-0 then added the fourth in garbage time. But even though it was essentially a two-goal game, it never felt like Everett was a threat, Tri-City’s defense was that good.
So Everett’s season is now on the brink. Tri-City leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can finish off the series in Wednesday’s Game 4 at Comcast Arena. Only once in WHL history has a team rallied to win a series after falling behind 3-0, that being when Spokane overcame Portland in 1996.
Tri-City could be without two players for Game 4. Winger Patrick Holland took a major penalty for clipping and faces the possibility of a suspension. Winger Jesse Mychan left the game early in the second period with an apparent leg injury and did not return. The former Silvertip was spotted on crutches after the game.
TURNING POINT
Late in the first period with the game scoreless, Everett was awarded a five-minute power play for Holland’s penalty. However, faced with a dogged Tri-City penalty kill, the Tips struggled just to get established in the offensive zone and managed just one shot on goal during the five minutes. Had Everett made something happen there it may have been a different story.
HIT OF THE DAY
The hitting wasn’t at the same level tonight as it was in Game 2 — perhaps the teams were encouraged to tone it down. In fact, there were just two penalties called the entire night.
THREE STARS
First star: Brendan Shinnimin, Tri-City. Two goals, struck twice in two minutes to break the scoreless deadlock.
Second star: Ty Rimmer, Tri-City. 23 saves, didn’t have a lot to do until a late Everett flurry with the goaltender pulled.
Third star: Ryan Murray, Everett. No points, but he played a fantastic game.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Tri-City’s defensemen. Hard to pare one away from that group based on tonight’s performance.
BOX SCORE
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Tri-City 7, Everett 2
Game 2: Tri-City 3, Everett 1
Game 3: Tri-City 4, Everett 0 (Tri-City leads series 3-0)
Game 4: Tri-City at Everett, Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.
Game 5: Everett at Tri-City, Saturday, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Game 6: Tri-City at Everett, Monday, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Game 7: Everett at Tri-City, April 4, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
