Opponent: Tri-City Americans
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Events Center
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
The Western Hockey League lost one of it’s most influential figures this week when Pat Ginnell died Monday at the age of 66 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Ginnell was one of the most successful coaches in WHL history. In 15 years as the head coach of the Flin Flon Bombers, Victoria Cougars, Lethbridge Broncos, Medicine Hat Tigers and the New Westminster Bruins, Ginnell compiled a record of 518-373-72. The 518 wins are the third most in league history.
The biggest highlight of Ginnell’s career was winning back-to-back WHL championships with Flin Flon in 1969 and 1970. That team featured future NHL stars Bobby Clarke and Reggie Leach.
“It was all part of the legend of Flin Flon and its Bombers, and that legend was built by Ginnell, a man who was quick with a smile, even quicker with a laugh, and had a firm handshake,” Gregg Drinnan wrote in the Kamloops Daily News.
“In the late 1960s and early ’70s, Ginnell created a team in the personality of the hard-rock mining town in which it played. You had to be tough to live in Flin Flon, so you know what kind of hockey team the fans wanted. Ginnell gave it to them.”
Ginnell’s funeral is today in Kelowna.
Scouting report: The U.S. Division-leading Americans make their first appearance in Everett tonight. Tri-City (12-10-3-1) is riding a four-game winning streak and with 28 points, leads fourth-place Everett (8-9-3-1) by eight, though the Americans have played five more games.
The teams split their previous two meetings, with Everett winning the last one 2-1 on Oct. 26 on goals by Jovan Matic and Bryan Nathe. However, Tri-City comes into the game well rested – the Americans’ last game was a 3-2 overtime victory over Spokane last Saturday.
The Americans are led by 20-year-old left wing Ryan Kinasewich. Kinasewich is tied for fourth in the WHL scoring with 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists). He is supported by 19-year-old center Dylan Stanley (12 goals, 13 assists) and rookie 19-year-old left wing Marcus Jonasen (11 goals, nine assists). Eighteen-year-old defenseman Shawn Belle (four goals, six assists) was a first-round pick by the St. Louis Blues in the 2003 NHL Draft.
No. 1 goalie Tyler Weiman, 19, is 10-8-2 with a 2.47 goals against average and a .919 save percentage.
Coat and food drive: The Silvertips, in conjunction with Irwin Mortgage, are holding a coat and food drive at today’s game. Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently-used coats and/or canned food items and donate them before the game.
The Silvertips’ toy drive is also continuing. Fans can donate unwrapped toys which will help support Christmas House, which provides toys and necessities to disadvantaged families in Snohomish County.
Around the WHL: Everett remained in 15th in this week’s Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association poll. Kelowna, which defeated previous No. 1 Vancouver 3-2 last week, moved up from second to claim the top spot, receiving 12 of the 16 first-place votes. Kamloops, with three first-place votes, was second and Moose Jaw was third. Vancouver, which received one first-place vote, dropped to fifth. … Kootenay forward Nigel Dawes was named the WHL Player of the Week for Nov. 10-16. The 18-year-old Dawes scored seven of Kootenay’s eight goals in three games as the Ice went 1-1-0-1.
Nick Patterson, Herald writer
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