Chilliwack 3, Everett 2, Mistelbacher and Kieffer out

TALKING POINTS

First, the game. Everett put up a good fight, but the Tips were ultimately unable to contain Chilliwack’s Swedish duo of Oscar Moller and Alexander Wiklund, who helped the Bruins score twice in the third period to overcome a 2-1 deficit. Not a great game by the Tips, but not a bad one either. With a roster basically down to its opening-night number, the Tips had to play several players in all three games and they wore down at the end. And both Everett goalies are still giving up too many meaty rebounds.

But the bigger news regards left wing Jordan Mistelbacher and defenseman Tyler Kieffer. Both have been sent home because of a violation of team rules. Tips GM Doug Soetaert declined to get into the details, including whether either would eventually be invited back.

This makes an inexperienced team even less so as Mistelbacher is an 18-year-old, Kieffer a 19-year-old and both returners from last season. If this turns out to be a permanent thing, a young team gets even younger.

Defenseman Gabe Minville was also reassigned following the game, which leaves Everett’s roster at 24 — 14 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. Barring a move for an overager this will probably be Everett’s opening night roster (minus Kyle Beach and Taylor Ellington, who are headed to NHL camps).

TURNING POINT

The real turning point was probably early in the second period when, with the Tips leading 2-1, Beach was baited into a fight by Chilliwack’s Tyler Stahl. Of course, during the preseason fighting majors result in an automatic game misconduct. The trade of Beach, a first-round NHL draft pick, for Stahl, a 16-year-old who is questionable to make the roster, was a definite win for the Bruins.

HIT OF THE DAY

Midway through the third period Chilliwack’s Jeff Einhorn laid out Tyler Parker with an open-ice shoulder charge as Parker was looking away.

THREE STARS (all mine again)

First star: Moller. Frankly, he looked like he was going to score every time he had the puck.

Second star: Wiklund. Sweden’s been very good to Chilliwack as he appears another offensive star in the making.

Third star: Mike Alexander, Everett. How many shots can one guy block?

LINEUP NOTES

Everett lineup: Van de Velde, Tochkin, Beach, Burt, Abney, Parker, Froese, Ius, Maxwell, Dailey, White, McCrea, Alexander, Potuer, Stephen, Regier, Minville, Sohor, Simpson, Barrie.

Everett scratches: Harper, Skauge, Mistelbacher, Ellington, McDermott, de la Lande, Kieffer.

Chilliwack lineup: Meropoulis, Exner, Wentworth, Moller, Wiklund, Potter, Graf, Bhungal, McKinlay, Sundher, VanDuynhoven, Collins, Berg, Craige, Manning, Einhorn, Strong, Stahl, Siemens, Gore.

Chilliwack scratches: Hankin, Santorelli, Metz, Robinson, Pighin, McNaught, Howse, Darragh, Traber, MacDonald, Bettauer, Ramsay, Topping, Zakuluzny, Holowenko, Friesen.