TALKING POINTS
Everett nearly got “Mucha-ed” tonight. The Tips had a lot of good scoring chances, particularly early in the game, but Portland goaltender Kurtis Mucha was in top form right until the game’s final moment, when he gave up a somewhat soft rebound for Dan Gendur’s game winner.
Everett was pretty fortunate as Portland had some glorious scoring chances of its own. A better team would have put some of those away, but a team that’s short on skill like Portland was unable to take advantage.
Shayne Barrie had another solid performance in goal for Everett. I think it’s safe to say we’ve reached the point where there’s no longer a need to question Barrie’s credentials as the backup.
Only five penalties called all game, and I don’t think it was necessarily because the officials were just letting them play, it was a pretty clean game (insert your own crack about Kyle Beach not playing here).
TURNING POINT
Really, this game turned after the first intermission. Everett was all over Portland in the first period, but couldn’t get anything past Mucha. The game evened out after that, even though the Tips scored early in the second period to take the lead.
HIT OF THE DAY
Early in the second period the Winter Hawks were beginning to break out of their own zone when Everett’s Taylor Ellington shouldered down Radim Valchar in open ice, drawing oohs from the crowd.
THREE STARS
First star: Barrie, Everett. Solid with 28 saves. Had no chance on Portland’s goal, but did surrender the occasional juicy rebound.
Second star: Mucha, Portland. Where would the Winter Hawks be this season without him?
Third star: Gendur, Everett. Scored the game winner and also set up Everett’s regulation goal. He continues to be on his game offensively.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Ellington, Everett. He was just a hitting machine tonight.
LINEUP NOTES
Everett played without Beach, the team’s leading scorer, because of a concussion. With Beach out, Shane Harper lined up on the right alongside Vitali Karamnov and Jordan Mistelbacher. Zack Dailey was back in the lineup after missing Wednesday’s 2-1 victory in Spokane with a stiff back. Forwards Tyler Skauge and Tyler Eskesen and defenseman Tyler Kieffer were healthy scratches as Everett dressed seven defensemen.
Portland is dealing with injuries as forwards Kevin Undershute (shoulder) and Riley Boychuk (hip flexor) and defensemen Ryan Kerr (shoulder), Lee Morrow (shoulder) and Brock Cornish (shoulder) are all sidelined. With forward Colin Reddin, recently signed away from the U.S. NTDP U-18 team, still caught up in red tape, the Winter Hawks dressed just 17 skaters.
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