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BLOG: King, Robinson, Hart and a rare Silvertips loss

Published 1:30 am Friday, December 29, 2017

By Jesse Geleynse

You had a feeling the Tips were in for a low-scoring game, didn’t you?

That’s what happened Friday as Everett dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting Vancouver at Angel of the Winds Arena. The Tips came into the game with a combined 19 goals in their previous two contests, including an 11-0 thrashing of these same Giants just two days earlier.

It wasn’t for lack of chances. Everett held a 35-25 shot advantage and rang at least four shots off the post or crossbar. David Tendeck turned in an impressive performance in net. One of Tendeck’s top saves came when he stoned a Luke Ormsby deke following a breakaway.

The Tips are back at it Saturday when they play host to Kamloops.

In other news:

– Former Tips forward Brian King was in attendance at Friday’s game. King, who played the past two seasons with the Silvertips, is home from the University of Alabama for Christmas break. He chose to forgo his final three years of junior hockey eligibility to accept a full-ride academic scholarship to ‘Bama where he’s still earning straight-As.

“I definitely miss the environment here (in Everett),” said King, who is studying engineering and German. “Coming back here and watching the game brings back a lot of good memories. But school is also a lot of fun so far and I’m enjoying that. No regrets, but I do miss (hockey) a lot.

King was named the WHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year in May, and graduated from Everett High as the valedictorian in June. The scholarship offer he took from Alabama was a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.

“It was a great experience here and I learned a lot from hockey that I’ve taken to school,” King said. “Time management, playing under pressure, there’s so much I’ve taken from here that’s helped me out so far.”

– King wasn’t the only special guest Friday. The Tips put on the full-court press (or the 200-foot forecheck) to woo 2001-born forward prospect Ryan Robinson:

The Plano, Texas, native was a seventh-round pick by Everett in the 2016 bantam draft. American players, especially those from non-traditional hockey hotbeds often go later in the draft than their talents would indicate due to concerns about the NCAA and USHL options.

The amount of fanfare over Robinson’s visit indicates the Tips think he’s the real deal. He’s a late birthday and he’s putting up stellar numbers for the Dallas Stars U16 team:

– Finally, Carter Hart started in net once again for Team Canada as it took on the Americans at New Era Field Friday afternoon.

Canada fell 4-3 in a shootout after leading 2-0 and 3-1. The Canadians face Denmark Saturday in their preliminary round finale.

For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.

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