TALKING POINTS
So that’s what all the hype’s about.
Calgary’s won a lot of game this season, and tonight we found out why. The Hitmen looked fantastic, despite playing their fifth game in seven days during their road trip through the U.S. Division. Everything they did had a crispness about it that Everett couldn’t match. When you add in the fact that they’re big, fast and have eight NHL draft picks on the roster, well, you get a game like this.
Brett Sonne scored a hat trick for Calgary, which is notable because the last time the Hitmen were in Everett it was his older brother Brennan who ended up being the star, scoring the decider in a shootout as the Tips won 2-1 back in November of 2006. Brennan was here tonight, making the trip down from the University of British Columbia, and it was good to chat with him again. From a media standpoint he was a great guy to work with, a very willing interviewee who always had something thoughtful or insightful to say.
On a side note, wasn’t it appropriate to see Everett captain Zack Dailey wearing a full bubble on the night they were giving away his bobblehead doll?
TURNING POINT
Everett was only down 1-0 and had elevated its play early in the second period when a puck took a bad bounce off the end boards, gifting Sonne his second goal with Everett goaltender Shayne Barrie out of position. It didn’t seem there was any coming back after that.
HIT OF THE DAY
Midway through the first period Everett’s Taylor Ellington leveled Brandon Kozun into the boards, prompting Sonne to pick a fight with Ellington.
THREE STARS
First star: Sonne. Not a bad sendoff as he heads off to Canada’s selection camp for World Juniors.
Second star: Martin Jones, Calgary. Rock solid in goal with 28 saves.
Third star: Ellington. A curious selection as I thought any number of Calgary defensemen had better games than he did.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Everett’s faceoff men. It may have been academic, but I’ve never seen a game where the Tips won so many faceoffs. They pretty much got them all.
LINEUP NOTES
Everett’s shuffle in line combinations ended up having a short life. Kyle Beach was replaced by Dale Hunt on Everett’s top line for Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss at Prince George, and it remained that way at the start of tonight’s game. However, those two switched back midway through the game. Forwards Jordan Mistelbacher, Tyler Parker and Markus McCrea were healthy scratches. Defensemen Trevor Bauer (shoulder) and Shayne Brown (hip flexor) remain sidelined by injuries.
For Calgary, Sonne was in the lineup following rumors he might be rested in preparation for attending Team Canada’s selection camp. Forward Bostjan Golocic was gone representing Slovenia in the B pool of World Juniors. Defenseman Erik Bonsor was a healthy scratch.
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