Tips hope streak-snapping win gets them ‘back on the right track’

Published 1:30 am Monday, February 6, 2017

EVERETT — Kevin Constantine is in the fourth year of his second stint and his eighth year overall as head coach of the Everett Silvertips, and is by far the most successful coach the organization has had in its 14 seasons.

There was immediate success in the early days as the franchise won three U.S. Division titles in four seasons, won its only Western Conference title and its lone Scotty Munro Trophy as regular-season WHL champion.

Since Constantine returned prior to the 2013-14 season the Tips claimed one division title, advanced to the conference semifinals in back-to-back years and are currently leading the U.S. Division despite recently going through a seven-game winless streak.

Yet the players and coaches consistently demur when asked about those kinds of results, preferring instead to discuss and adhere to the process they go through.

“When you create a culture of excellence, which has happened over the last four years, and the players buy into that culture, we try not to measure ourselves by wins and losses. We try to measure ourselves on if we’re playing as good as we can on a nightly basis,” Constantine said.

That doesn’t mean the losing doesn’t affect the team. Everett’s lead in the division shrank from double digits two weeks ago to just five points over rival Seattle.

“The losses are painful because your commitment to excellence means when it doesn’t go the way you want it, it’s hurtful,” Constantine said. “The losing was painful for the group. If it wasn’t painful then you’ve got a problem because then losing is OK and it wouldn’t bother you. But it bothered our guys to lose. Eventually you need a win, or want a win, and as you lose that maybe becomes a little bigger deal and the losses weigh on you a little bit too.”

Everett finally snapped the streak at home Saturday in a 1-0 victory over rebuilding Vancouver, handing the Giants their seventh consecutive defeat despite a strong effort by goaltender Ryan Kubic, who finished with 40 saves.

“We try not to focus too much on (the streak),” said Tips forward Bradly Goethals, who the scored the only goal in Saturday’s win. “But we definitely know it’s in the back of your mind. We wanted to get out of it.”

Another thing to note about the streak is that the bulk of it came during a stretch that saw the Tips play seven games in nine days while missing captain Noah Juulsen for the entirety, as well as defensive partner Lucas Skrumeda for all but two of the games.

“We needed that win, definitely,” Tips forward Devon Skoleski said. “Getting that win helped the boys’ confidence, and I think got us back on the right track.”

Everett has a bit of a break this week, though the Tips will be spending a lot of that time on a bus. They leave Tuesday for their six-game swing through the Eastern Division, with their first game scheduled for Friday in Brandon against the defending WHL champion Wheat Kings.

With 20 games to play the Tips are looking to maximize rest, so they elected not to skate as a team Monday. They’ll skate later this week when they pass through Swift Current, Saskatchewan, en route to Brandon.

“We need the practice, too, though,” Constantine said. “It’s a tough dilemma because you have to practice to fix certain things, but you need time. You gotta rest the body too. That’s the challenging thing. None of the things we would have liked to have fixed at practice during that stretch were possible, so that affects you.”

Friday’s game against the Wheat Kings begins at 5:30 p.m., and Everett will play at Moose Jaw at 5 p.m. Saturday. The trip continues at Regina and Saskatoon next week Tuesday and Wednesday, and concludes at Prince Albert and Swift Current Friday and Saturday.

Everett’s next home game is scheduled for Feb. 24 when it plays host to Portland.

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