Young goalies earn a shutout in Tips’ annual Green-Grey Game

Published 1:30 am Sunday, August 27, 2017

EVERETT — In recent seasons, fans of the Everett Silvertips have grown accustomed to gazing up at the scoreboard and seeing a “0” signifying a Tips shutout at the end of a game.

Sunday was a familiar feeling for the several dozen people in attendance as Team Green knocked off Team Grey 3-0 at Xfinity Arena in the annual Green vs. Grey Game to conclude the first phase of 2017 training camp.

Team Green goalies Dorrin Luding and Brandon Peacock combined for 41 saves in the shutout. The goose egg didn’t involve two-time reigning WHL Goaltender of the Year Carter Hart, who watched from the stands.

“I sort of wanted to stay in, but you’ve gotta share the net,” said Luding, who was replaced by Peacock at 9:55 in the second period. “The key for me is I wanted my touches. I wanted to feel the puck during warm-ups and get my eyes moving and tracking the puck.”

Luding, who served as Mario Petit’s backup last season while Hart was away at the World Junior Championships, appeared in one game with Everett after he was acquired in a December trade with the Saskatoon Blades. The British Columbia native combined on a shutout with Petit in that contest and said the time spent practicing with Everett last winter was valuable.

“It made me connect more with the players,” Luding said. “I got to talk to them, they got to tell me what to watch out for and what players are shooters. Just being able to connect with the players and being around the environment of the rink, it will get me ready for the year.”

On Sunday, Luding saved all 22 shots he faced before yielding to Peacock with a 2-0 lead.

That turned out to be more than enough as Peacock saved all 19 shots he saw, and Matt Fonteyne scored an empty-net goal at 18:10 in the third to put the game away.

The other two goals came from rookie performers.

A Team Grey turnover deep in its own end found its way to 2000-born Slovakian forward Martin Fasko-Rudas in the slot. Fasko-Rudas beat Team Grey goalie Blake Lyda by roofing a wrister to give Team Green a 1-0 lead at 8:10.

Patrick Bajkov nearly made it 2-0 three minutes later, but his wrist shot from the left circle clanged off the left post.

Team Green added its second goal at 6:56 in the second period when 2001-born Mark Liwiski fed fellow 2016 bantam pick Conrad Mitchell for the tap-in at the left post and Green went up 2-0.

“I just did what I could to get it in,” Mitchell said. “I didn’t get all of, but it went in.”

Mitchell, a 6-foot-5, 200-pounder from Alberta, is one of four signed players from the 2016 draft class. Along with Liwiski, Ethan Browne and Dustin Wolf, Mitchell was experiencing his second Tips training camp and first in which he is eligible to make the roster.

“I was much more relaxed,” he said. “Just knowing how it went and seeing all the rookies and how they were like I was last year.”

The final minute of the second period saw some drama. Jake Christiansen checked Dawson Butt into the boards. Green was awarded a power play, but not before the two fought and were sent to the locker room early.

Green killed a 5-on-3 Grey power play midway through the final period.

Ten of Everett’s 13 selections in last May’s WHL bantam draft skated in Sunday’s contest.

The Silvertips play host to the Delta Hotels Classic next weekend at Xfinity Arena.

Notes: Kyle Walker, a 2000-born defenseman, suffered a broken collarbone on Friday and had his right arm in a sling Sunday afternoon. He will undergo surgery this week and is expected to miss at least six weeks.

Scrimmages wrapped up Saturday morning with Team Blue claiming the team title with a 3-0-1 mark. Team Blue’s Fonteyne led all scorers with five goals and teammate Orrin Centazzo finished with four. Those two joined Team Green’s Brandson Hein, Team Grey’s Bajkov and Connor Dewar, and Team Red’s Riley Sutter with seven points each.

Christiansen of Team Blue led all defensemen with five points. He tallied a goal and four assists.

Green 3, Grey 0

Green 1 1 1— 3

Grey 0 0 0— 0

First Period—Goals: 1, Green, Fasko-Rudas (unassisted), 8:10. Penalties: Green, Butt (interference).

Second period—Goals: 2, Green, Mitchell (Liwiski) 6:56. Penalties: Grey, Onyebuchi (tripping), 3:25; Grey, Christiansen (boarding, fighting), 19:23; Green, Butt (fighting), 19:23.

Third period—Goals: 3. Green, Fonteyne (Fasko-Rudas), 18:10, en. Penalties: Green, Liwiski (hooking), 8:43; Green, Fairbrother (tripping), 9:58; Grey, Christiansen (slashing), 14:19.

Shots on Goal—Green: 7-15-9-31. Grey: 17-13-11-41.

Power Play Opportunities—Green: 0/3; Grey 0/3.

Goalies-Green, Luding (22 shots, 22 saves), Green, Peacock (19 shots, 19 saves); Grey, Lyda (18 shots, 16 saves), Grey, Belluk (12 shots, 12 saves).