TALKING POINTS
Well Everett fans, I hope you enjoyed that one because it may be a while before you get another chance to see that again. In their final game before heading out to Team Canada’s selection camp for the World Junior Hockey Championships, Zach Hamill and Leland Irving put on a show. Hamill played his best game of the season, tallying a goal and an assist, including a beautiful feed for Kyle Beach’s game winner with less than five minutes remaining. And Irving, though giving up three goals, was fantastic. He had no chance on any of the goals and made several good saves for every goal he surrendered.
Both Hamill and Irving stand a good chance of making that Canadian team, and if they do they’ll be gon for about a month. Should they both make the team Everett has its work cut out to stay above water during their absence.
Other notes:
– Tri-City controlled play early, in large part because the Americans managed to get favorable matchups. On multiple occasions Tri-City got Colton Yellow Horn and Kruise Reddick out against Everett’s third defensive pairing of Mike Alexander and Jeff Regier and caused all kinds of havoc.
– Although Clayton Bauer was credited with Everett’s third goal, I’m pretty sure it was Zack Dailey who poked that rebound home. I personally thought I saw Dailey make the final stab, and Dailey sure celebrated like he had scored.
– The game was really flowing in the third period when technical difficulties with the arena took over. Twice a rail connecting the panels of glass behind the Tri-City net came free, and the delays kind of took the wind out of the game, at least until Everett scored the go-ahead goal. The problem was finally solved by that all-purpose savior: duct tape.
TURNING POINT
Tri-City led 3-1 late in the second period when Dan Gendur intercepted a breakout pass and Beach scored on the second rebound to make it a one-goal game going into the third period. Tri-City had been the better team to that point, but after that Everett was the better team.
HIT OF THE DAY
In the second period Tri-City’s Petr Stoklasa took an onrushing Zack Dailey and ran him high up against the glass, leaving Dailey’s legs flailing.
THREE STARS
First star: Hamill, Everett. Left a nice parting gift for the Tips.
Second star: Beach, Everett. Broke out of a bit of a mini-slump with two goals, including the game winner.
Third star: Shaun Vey, Tri-City. Had a goal and an assist and used his size effectively.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Irving, Everett. Probably won’t get the credit he deserves for his part in the victory.
LINEUP NOTES
Everett made just one change from Wednesday’s game as Regier came into the lineup for Chris de la Lande, who was a healthy scratch. Those two appear to be alternating games as Everett’s sixth D-man. Forwards Matt Ius and Tyler Eskesen remain sidelined with concussions.
For Tri-City, key scorer Taylor Procyshen sat out again because of a concussion. Forward Mason Wilgosh and defenseman Mitch McColm were healthy scratches. The Americans were also without head coach Don Nachbaur, who continues to attend to his ill father.
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