TALKING POINTS
This is a weird one to write about. Everett won 6-0, was in control on the scoreboard from start to finish, and there wasn’t really a single moment when the result was in any doubt. Yet, it’s hard for me to say the Tips played a good game as they didn’t have much of a territorial advantage (shots were 25-22 in favor of Everett) and had some defensive lapses.
The difference in the game, by far, was finishing. Everett had its shooting boots on tonight, with four of the six goals coming on rockets into corners. The Giants probably had the puck in good scoring position as often as the Tips. However, Vancouver was kind of like the Keystone Kops in those situations. It was typified by one instance in the second period when Everett turned the puck over right in front of its own net, essential giving Vancouver a three-on-none in tight. Yet somehow the Giants didn’t even manage to get a shot on goal.
It’s been real ugly for Vancouver at Xfinity Arena of late. In the Giants’ past two visits they’ve lost by a combined score of 13-1.
Portland also won big tonight, beating Tri-City 7-1. Therefore, Everett’s lead atop the U.S. Division remained seven points over the Winterhawks. Both teams have 16 games remaining.
TURNING POINT
Did this game have a turning point? I don’t think it did. It was pretty much the same story all game long.
THREE STARS
First star: Carter Hart, Everett. 22 saves. It didn’t really seem like he had a whole lot to do as the Giants couldn’t execute in front of goal. However, I imagine some of that lack of execution was because Hart was always in good position. He also made a couple quality saves. This was Hart’s third shutout of the season, which is impressive for a 16-year-old rookie. That’s as many as Leland Irving and Kent Simpson had combined in their 16-year-old seasons.
Second star: Remi Laurencelle, Everett. Two goals and one assist, he has five goals and five assists in Everett’s six games in February. I also want to say that’s it real nice when a guy I write a feature about for that morning’s paper ends up having a productive game that night.
Third star: Lucas Skrumeda, Everett. One goal and one assist. This was Skrumeda’s coming-out party. He scored his first career WHL goal on a really nice shot from the top of the left circle, and he also finished a plus-4. The 18-year-old rookie has developed into a reliable third-pairing defenseman for the Tips.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Noah Juulsen, Everett. Two assists. What impressed me about Juulsen today was that although he was on the receiving end of a lot of big hits tonight, he didn’t let it affect his game in the slightest. If the Giants were trying to bully Juulsen to get him off his game, it didn’t work.
BOX SCORE
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