EVERETT – This time it’s for real.
Once again the top two teams in the Canadian Hockey League are squaring off twice in a weekend, as the top-ranked Everett Silvertips face the No. 2 Vancouver Giants at home tonight and in Vancouver on Sunday.
But this time the teams will actually resemble themselves.
“I think these are going to be different games,” Everett center Peter Mueller said. “It’s going to be a little more intense with all the guys back.”
When the teams met for back-to-back games on Dec. 15 and 16 they were in the same position, with Everett ranked No. 1 in the CHL and Vancouver No. 2. Everett prevailed in a pair of tightly-contested games, winning 2-1 in a shootout in Vancouver and 3-2 in overtime in Everett.
However, the teams were shadows of their true selves. Everett was missing Mueller to suspension and No. 1 goaltender Leland Irving to Team Canada for the World Junior Hockey Championships. Vancouver was even worse off, losing four players – defenseman Cody Franson (Canada), left wing Kenndal McArdle (Canada), left wing Michal Repik (Czech Republic) and center Mario Bliznak (Slovakia) – to World Juniors. All those players should be back in the lineup tonight.
Then there’s the changes the teams made at the trade deadline. Vancouver made three moves, bringing in center Wacey Rabbit, defenseman A.J. Thelen and left wing Michael Wuchterl, a former Everett favorite. Everett added experience to its back end by bringing in defenseman Dane Crowley.
So this weekend’s games should provide a better picture of what the games will be like, should the teams that battled for last season’s Western Conference championship meet in the playoffs again.
“I definitely put more weight into these games,” Everett alternate captain Jonathan Harty said. “You always remember your last games anyway, and with full lineups these should be true testers.
“I think the style of play should be pretty similar (to the previous games),” Harty added. “I think there might be a little more offensive bang to it.”
However, just because the teams have their full rosters available doesn’t mean they’ll be at full strength. Everett in particular has problems. The Tips knew they’d be without defenseman Graham Potuer because of his wrist injury. However, the team is also fighting the flu bug. Center Zach Hamill was reportedly stricken hard while away at the Top Prospects Game. Also, Crowley missed the past two practices because of sickness.
In addition, goaltender David Reekie, who backstopped the Tips to the two previous victories over Vancouver, suffered a freak off-ice ankle sprain and is doubtful for the weekend. But those potential losses should be offset by the returns of Mueller and Irving.
Mueller was supposed to be the wild card when the teams met in December, the one World Juniors participant available since Team USA had already chosen its team. However, Mueller was suspended for both games because of a checking-from-behind major penalty and was forced to watch the games from the stands.
“It was tough,” Mueller said about spending the previous games as a spectator. “I think I was the person screaming in the crowd the most. Hopefully this time I can help make a difference.”
Irving is fresh off earning a gold medal with Team Canada at World Juniors. However, he spent the whole tournament on the bench and has played just one game since, facing just 12 shots in the process. This weekend will present Irving with the type of challenge he hasn’t seen in more than a month.
“Personally, this is something I’ve been looking forward to since the start of the season,” Irving said. “Vancouver is a great team in this league, but we’ve got a great group of guys this season who are definitely capable of making a Memorial Cup run.”
Slap shots: Sunday’s game at Vancouver had its start time moved up an hour to 4 p.m. to accomodate Canadian television. … Neither Hamill nor defenseman Taylor Ellington, who also participated in the Top Prospects Game, returned from Quebec City in time for Thursday’s practice. Everett coach Kevin Constantine said he didn’t know whether either would be ready for tonight’s game, though he was pessimistic about Hamill. … With Reekie likely out for the weekend, Everett was left scrambling to find a backup goalie. The Tips hoped to bring in 15-year-old Brett Gagnon to serve as Irving’s backup should Reekie be unable to dress. Gagnon was Everett’s 11th-round pick in last year’s bantam draft.
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