EVERETT — It’s considered hockey’s Holy Grail. The sport’s transcendent moment. Game 7. One game, winner takes all.
And for the Everett Silvertips it’s a venture into unknown territory.
The Silvertips and Kelowna Rockets step onto hockey’s grandest stage when they face off in Game 7 of their first-round, best-of-seven playoff series tonight at Comcast Arena. The winner heads into the second round, the loser packs up for the offseason.
And the Game 7 experience is virtually brand new to Everett, not just for the players but also for the fans.
“Game 7s are the best thing in hockey,” Everett coach Craig Hartsburg said. “It’s the most exciting part of hockey. If you can’t get ready and excited to play your best hockey in Game 7 it’s unfortunate.”
Everett has been involved in just two prior Game 7s in its seven-year history, with both taking place before any of the Tips’ current players were even in the league. Everett defeated Kelowna 2-1 in Game 7 of the 2004 Western Conference finals, then the Tips beat Portland 3-2 in Game 7 of their first-round series in 2005.
This is also the first time Comcast Arena witnesses a Game 7 as Everett’s previous two Game 7s were both on the road.
“This is it, this is the season on the line, everything we’ve worked for,” said Everett captain Zack Dailey, who’s playing in his first Game 7 in his five seasons with the Tips. “We just have to make sure we go out and do things right, keep it simple and play hard.”
Dailey isn’t the only Tip who’s seeing his first Game 7. Indeed, only one Everett player has ever been involved in a Game 7 in the WHL. Center Chris Langkow had a goal and an assist for Saskatoon when the Blades lost 5-3 to Lethbridge in Game 7 of the first round last season.
Kelowna wasn’t forced into any Game 7s during its march to the WHL title last season. However, a handful of Rockets have appeared in a Game 7. Forwards Brandon McMillan, Lucas Bloodoff and Evan Bloodoff and defensemen Tyson Barrie and Collin Bowman all took part when Kelowna fell 4-2 to Seattle in Game 7 of the first round in 2008. Also, winger Geordie Wudrick appeared for Swift Current when the Broncos lost 4-1 to Medicine Hat in Game 7 of the first round last year.
“It’s Game 7, so there’s going to be a lot of excitement in both groups,” Barrie said. “If you can’t get up for that, then just stay home because these are the games that are fun to play in, these are the games you want to be a part of. You have to realize what’s on the line: This is a chance for a lot of guys to show what they have, and the better the team does, the better you do individually.”
It’s appropriate that this series is going to Game 7 as it’s been a dogfight, with the games split right down the middle. The home team won each of the first six games, and the home team generally was the superior team. Two games have gone to overtime, one in each building.
“This series has been a roller coaster, really,” Hartsburg said. “It’s been a great series. I think both teams have competed hard and played desperate, and that’s why it’s been a roller coaster. One team can’t dominate the other very long, so it seems to go back and forth.”
The Tips hope the trend of home-team success carries over tonight, and Everett has looked strong at home in the series. In Game 1 at Comcast Arena the Tips needed overtime to prevail. However, in Games 2 and 5, also in Everett, the Tips were noticeably the better team, winning 5-2 in Game 2 and 4-0 in Game 4.
Being at home gives Everett one distinct tactical advantage. The home team gets the last line change at stoppages, which means the Tips will be able to choose its personnel based on the players Kelowna has on the ice. That’s particularly important given Everett has injuries on defense. Top-four defensemen Radko Gudas and Chris de la Lande each missed the previous two games because of upper-body injuries. By having the last line change the Tips can make sure their best available defensemen are usually matched up against Kelowna’s best forwards.
And then there’s the fans. The Tips credited the enthusiastic home crowd for part of their success in their previous home games, and they’re looking for a large and boisterous crowd to provide assistance again tonight.
“It would be nice if we can get more than 4,000 people in the building, but the 4,000 people who have come have been unbelievable in the playoffs,” Hartsburg said. “I can’t say enough about what they’ve given us.
“Now we have to play our best hockey,” Hartsburg continued. “We’re fortunate to have it in our building, but it doesn’t matter where you play. You’ve got to play your best because we have to anticipate Kelowna’s going to play its best.”
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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