EVERETT — New Everett Silvertips head coach Craig Hartsburg got his first chance to look at his team in a competitive setting this weekend at the Everett Silvertips Preseason Tournament. And with the tournament over, what did he learn?
First, Everett has the talent to win some games this season.
Second, the Tips are a long way off from where Hartsburg wants them to be when it comes to effort.
That second point was hammered home Sunday evening as a short-handed Tips team was smoked by the Portland Winterhawks 7-3 in the final game of the tournament.
Seven different players scored for Portland, with the Winterhawks scoring six consecutive goals during a span of the second and third periods to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 7-2 lead.
And even though Everett fielded a lineup well short of full strength Sunday — nine players who are arguably among Everett’s top 15 did not participate — and even though the Tips still finished 2-1 at the tournament, Hartsburg didn’t mince words with his evaluation of the team after three exhibition games.
“I really thought we got out-competed for most of the night,” Hartsburg said. “The guys who played tonight are the type who have to take pride in being good, tight, hard-working, checking players. With this group I don’t think a high level of competing is something that’s been stressed enough. It’s something we have to continue to push.
“After a weekend of watching them play, you can start to see some things, some good things we can build with,” Hartsburg continued. “But you can also see why there was a big struggle here last year. To me it’s that competing, that real desire to get your nose dirty consistently. Whether you’re a highly skilled player or a role player, we have to have a bigger commitment to that.”
There was plenty of commitment showed by the Winterhawks, who served notice throughout the tournament they don’t intend to be the doormats they were the past three seasons. Displaying an impressive combination of size, speed, skill and effort, Portland manhandled the Tips for much of Sunday’s game. That was particularly true during the second period, when the Winterhawks outshot the Tips 16-4 despite spending much of the period on the penalty kill.
“Overall they dominated most of the game,” said Everett winger Dale Hunt, who scored just 21 seconds into the game to provide one of Everett’s few highlights. “I think they wanted the puck more, and they have some skilled guys who made some plays and put it in the back of our net.
“Obviously they’ve struggled in the years past, but I think they’re going to be one of the top teams.”
Troy Rutkowski was the only Portland player with three points — he had a goal and two assists — as Portland spread the wealth. Chris Francis, Taylor Aronson, Ty Rattie, Joe Morrow, Oliver Gabriel and Gasper Kopitar scored the other goals for the Winterhawks.
Ian Curtis earned the win in goal, making 25 saves.
Ryan White and Drew McDermott scored the other goals for Everett. Kent Simpson, starting his third game in three nights, stopped 25 of the 29 shots he faced during the first two periods. Luke Siemens, who came on at the start of the third, saved 10 of 13.
Everett led 2-1 midway through the second period, but by then Portland had a stranglehold on the play and the Winterhawks capitalized with three goals in eight minutes. Aronson tied it at 9:45 when he beat Simpson at the near post with a shot from a tight angle, Rattie gave the Winterhawks the lead when he scored on a breakaway 1:43 later, and Rutkowski made it a two-goal lead at 17:42 when he delayed his shot before scoring on a three-on-two.
The Winterhawks then killed it off with a pair of power-play goals off rebounds early in the third, Morrow scoring at 2:30 and Gabriel following suit at 3:33.
Slap shots
Everett reassigned four prospects following the game — forward Mitchell Loose, defensemen Evan Morden and Nicholas Walters, and goaltender Andy Desautels — leaving the Tips with 30 players on the roster. … Former Silvertip defenseman Jeff Regier had a goal and an assist to lead the Prince George Cougars to a 2-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans in the morning game. … Alex Wright stopped all 16 shots he faced as the Spokane Chiefs shut out the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-0 in the afternoon game.
Winterhawks 7, Silvertips 3
Portland1 33—7
Everett 111—3
First Period—1, Everett, Hunt 1 (McCrea, Poulter), 0:21. 2, Portland, Francis 1 (Niederreiter, Bobbee), 4:19 (pp). Penalties—Scherger, Everett (tripping), 3:15; Morrow, Portland (hooking), 5:17; Everett bench (too many men, served by Van de Velde), 7:38; Johansen, Portland (tripping), 8:17; Boychuk, Portland (holding), 10:35; Morrow, Portland (checking from behind), 12:31; Poulter, Everett (high sticking), 13:41.
Second Period—3, Everett, White 1, 8:22. 4, Portland, Aronson 1 (Schneider), 9:45. 5, Portland, Rattie 1 (Berglund), 11:28. 6, Portland, Rutkowski 1 (Boychuk, Gabriel), 17:42. Penalties—Hunt, Everett (tripping), 0:24; Schneider, Portland (interference), 3:24; Kopitar, Portland (hooking), 5:41; Boychuk, Portland (holding), 11:41; Morrow, Portland (hooking), 13:48; Poulter, Everett (tripping), 13:59; Froese, Everett (hooking), 18:34.
Third Period—7, Portland, Morrow 1 (Rutkowski, Berglund), 2:30 (pp). 8, Portland, Gabriel 1 (Boychuk, Rutkowski), 3:33 (pp). 9, Portland, Kopitar 1 (Morrow), 11:35. 10, Everett, McDermott 1 (de la Lande, McGrath), 11:59. Penalties—Scherger, Everett (holding), 1:10; Hunt, Everett (high sticking), 2:30; Francis, Portland (slashing), 4:08; McGrath, Everett (boarding), 6:38; Scherger, Everett (interference), 8:11; Morrow, Portland (roughing), 11:35; White, Everett (roughing), 11:35; Ross, Portland (interference-roughing-roughing-10-minute misconduct), 16:35; Theriau, Everett (roughing-10-minute misconduct), 16:35; Dunstall, Everett (roughing-10-minute misconduct), 16:35; Bobbee, Portland (tripping), 17:10.
Shots on goal—Portland 13-16-13—42. Everett 12-4-12—28. Power-play opportunities—Portland 3 of 10. Everett 0 of 11.
Goalies—Portland, Curtis 1-0 (28 shots, 25 saves). Everett, Simpson 0-1 (29 shots, 25 saves), Siemens (13 shots, 10 saves).
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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