The Game
Friday’s game in Prince Albert could easily have been a trap game for the Tips who were coming off three straight emotional wins, including over top-ranked Regina Tuesday and a shootout over Saskatoon Wednesday.
Instead the Tips scored three times in the second period and that was it until a Raider goal by Curtis Miske on a late third-period power play cost Carter Hart what would have been his league-best ninth shutout. It likely also cost Hart his third straight “first star” honors as he had to settle for the second star.
“I really liked our energy compared to Saskatoon,” Tips assistant Mitch Love said in a post-game interview with 1380 KRKO. “That was a big stressor today in team meetings – coming out with a little more energy, a little more passion for the game. (We) kind of lacked (that) a little bit in Saskatoon and I thought we did through 40 minutes (Friday). I didn’t really like our third period. I thought we spent a lot of time in our own end. I thought we looked very careless with the puck and I think our guys felt like the game was over when it was 3-0 going in, and PA didn’t go away.”
The Silvertips were 2-of-4 on the power play after entering on a 2-for-46 slide, something I mentioned in a blog post earlier Friday. Getting that confidence back on the man advantage is vital for a team that until recently often lived and died by its power-play scoring.
Brandson Hein was a late scratch so the Tips went with seven defensemen as Ian Walker saw his first action of the road trip. Defenseman Montana Onyebuchi and forward Cal Babych were healthy scratches.
That could change Saturday, however, as Love said afterward that forward Orrin Centazzo could miss some time. Centazzo took a hit up high in second period from Kolby Johnson and did not return. At first Johnson was assessed only a two-minute minor penalty, but it was eventually extended to a five-minute penalty and Johnson was issued a game misconduct and ejected.
Some in Prince Albert felt that was too extreme.
This used to be a body check, now it's a major penalty for charging apparently. Raiders' Kolby Johnson on Orrin Centazzo. pic.twitter.com/jJmF7zb7Vn
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) February 18, 2017
Here another GIF showing more of Johnson's approach. At the risk of homerism, this is 5 minutes and a suspension for being big and strong pic.twitter.com/ixCeRb2F7y
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) February 18, 2017
The Tips coaching staff did not as Love and Co. lobbied for, and were ultimately granted the five-minute power play.
The Turning Point
Eetu Tuulola scored the game’s first goal at the 5:14 mark in the second and immediately drew a penalty. The Tips capitalized during the man advantage to go up 2-0 on Riley Sutter’s goal and that proved to be the game-winner.
Three Stars
1. Everett F Patrick Bajkov: Bajkov put the Tips up 3-0 on a second-period power play and now has two goals in his last three games.
2. Everett G Carter Hart: A late goal cost Hart his league-best ninth shutout, but he finished with 26 saves on 27 shots.
3. Prince Albert F Curtis Miske: Miske broke up Hart’s shutout bid on the power play with less than two minutes to play.
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