In honor of the Silvertips and Thunderbirds facing one another in the playoffs for the first time, I thought it would be fun to harken back to some of the more memorable moments in the I-5 rivalry’s history, linking back to old stories and providing video accompaniment when possible. Here’s the first in the series, which will continue through the week.
This year home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs between Everett and Seattle went down to the final moment of the WHL’s regular season. But this wasn’t the first time home ice between the two teams came down to the final weekend. In 2008 both Seattle and Everett fought to the end for fourth place in the Western Conference, with the teams meeting head-to-head in the Tips’ final home game of the season.
But then came Kyle Beach. The former Tips star and controversial figure had a particular distaste for Seattle defenseman Thomas Hickey, and he was susceptible to the barbs from Hickey’s defensive partner Benn Olson. When Hickey flipped him early in the game, Beach saw red the rest of the way. Then came a moment of madness that doomed Everett’s chances at home ice.
Unfortunately, I can’t find any video to go along with this one. But there will be video with the rest of the week’s flashbacks.
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