The Game
I’m not sure anybody really saw a five-spot coming in the first period and seven goals for these Everett Silvertips for the game. But strange things happen in first games and that’s why Everett head coach Kevin Constantine downplayed his team’s 7-3 season-opening victory over the Vancouver Giants.
Everett got big nights from Devon Skoleski, Graham Millar, Lucas Skrumeda, Matt Fonteyne and Patrick Bajkov as all tallied at least two points. Millar played on the top line with Fonteyne and Bajkov and all three will have to produce offensively if the Tips are going to be competitive once again.
Skoleski centered the second line with Connor Dewar and Brian King. Skoleski found himself at the far post for an easy tap-in for the second goal en route to first star honors.
Constantine wasn’t ecstatic about the way the game opened up in the third. In fact Vancouver out-shot the Tips 9-6 in the final period, but that can happen when you hold a four-goal lead. Everett out-shot the Giants 27-14 through the first two periods and 19-5 through one.
The Tips also converted two of their four power plays and killed all three of Vancouver’s opportunities. Not necessarily a harbinger of how things will go this season, but a good start nonetheless.
Everett native Wyatte Wylie got the start on the third defensive pairing alongside fellow rookie Ian Walker, while Gianni Fairbrother, yet another 16-year-old, was among the Tips scratches. Fairbrother played in three playoff games against Seattle last season while Wylie appeared in one. Wylie finished plus-two on Friday.
“He has some nice offensive tools,” Constantine said of Wylie. “He skates and is strong. He makes nice little breakout plays and so forth. And like a young defensemen he’s got a lot of learning about the game and learning about us and if he just keeps working on those things and keeps getting mentally focused on those things he’s going to be OK.”
2000-born forward Orrin Centazzo and 1998-born forward Brandson Hein were Everett’s other healthy scratches.
And let’s not forget the scoring began with rookie forward Bryce Kindopp, who tallied his first WHL and first WHL point in his fifth WHL game. Kindopp played in three games as a 15-year-old and just one game last year before he was sent back to play major midget with the Lloydminster (Alberta) Bobcats.
The Pregame Ceremony
“Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe was a part owner of the Giants before he passed away in June. Vancouver honored his memory prior to the game.
The Turning Point
Everett was never really threatened, but answering quickly both times the Giants moved within three – by Jake Christiansen in the first and Sean Richards in the second – were pivotal moments.
Three Stars
1. Everett F Devon Skoleski: The second-year forward scored twice to help Everett open up a 4-0 lead in the first.
2. Vancouver F Dawson Holt: The 1999-born forward scored twice for the Giants.
3. Everett D Lucas Skrumeda: The fourth-year blueliner tallied two assists.
Honorable mention: Everett RW Patrick Bajkov (two assists, plus-2 rating), Everett F Matt Fonteyne (three assists, plus-2 rating).
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