EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips are already aboard the tallest ride in the amusement park.
Today is when that ride crests over its steepest point.
Everett is smack in the middle of its busiest stretch of the season, a span of 10 games in 16 days. And beginning today that path becomes even more difficult as the Tips’ next five games are all against the Western Conference elite.
“It’s going to be probably the toughest part of our schedule for sure,” Everett defenseman Mike Alexander said. “Hopefully we can start off well (tonight) going into this weekend. If we play our game and play hard and compete, I think we’ll be fine all the way through.”
The Tips had these five games circled ever since the schedule first came out. The daunting stretch begins with a home game tonight against defending Memorial Cup champion Spokane. That’s followed by a brutal three-in-three road weekend, with games at U.S. Division-leading Tri-City on Friday, at Western Conference-leading Vancouver on Saturday, then all the way back to Tri-City again on Sunday. It finishes off with yet another home game against Spokane next Wednesday.
And Everett coach John Becanic is fully aware of how difficult these next eight days will be.
“Is it tough? Yeah. Did we look at it at the beginning of the year? Yeah. But if we look past (tonight’s) game it emotionally drains you just thinking about your potential opponents.
“We’re going to have to be sharp and not push too hard because we’re playing two World Juniors goalies (Spokane’s Dustin Tokarski and Tri-City’s Chet Pickard) and a goalie that’s won the Memorial Cup (Vancouver’s Tyson Sexsmith),” Becanic added. “They’re not going to give up a lot, so we’re going to have to be patient for our opportunities and not try to force things because they’re such good teams in transition.”
But while these games may represent Everett’s toughest stretch of the season, they also represent opportunity. Everett has one of the least experienced teams in the league, with 12 rookies on the roster. Stretches like this allow a young team to measure itself against the best, as well as gain some confidence should the Tips pull off a victory or two.
“We’ve beaten all three teams, maybe not in the manner we wanted to beat them, but it gives us an idea what we have to do to be a top team,” Becanic said. “For our young guys, the more we play the better teams the more they’ll realize the level they have to play at consistently.”
In memorium
The members of the organization who attended Jordan Mistelbacher’s funeral in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Monday have all returned.
Everett was represented by general manager Doug Soetaert, overagers Taylor Ellington and Graham Potuer, and Manitoba residents Dale Hunt, Paul Van de Velde, Chris de la Lande, Byron Froese and Paul Sohor. De la Lande and Sohor flew out early Sunday, missing Everett’s game against Kamloops, while the rest boarded owner Bill Yuill’s private jet immediately following the game. Those on the jet returned Monday afternoon, de la Lande and Sohor got back Tuesday.
Also in attendance were former Tips Kyle Beach, now with Lethbridge, and Jeff Regier, now with Prince George. They were all part of a crowd Soetaert estimated at 800-plus. Everett’s players were honorary pall bearers at the funeral.
“It was a very nice service,” Soetaert said. “It was very well run, and I thought the priest did an outstanding job.”
The rest of the team attended a private memorial service held Monday afternoon in Everett.
Surgery for Brown
Tips defenseman Shayne Brown goes under the knife this morning. Brown has been shut down for the season as he undergoes a procedure to repair a torn hip-flexor muscle.
The standard recovery time from this surgery is four months, so the Tips are hopeful Brown will be back at full strength for next season’s training camp in August.
“We’re very hopeful,” Becanic said. “That’s why we’re doing it now and not continuing to try and rehab it. We’re just moving forward and getting him healthy for next year hopefully as an overager.”
Tips trio ranked
The Tips had three players listed in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s mid-term rankings for the 2009 NHL draft. Froese, a center, was ranked 102nd among North American skaters, right wing Kellan Tochkin was ranked 105th and left wing Tyler Maxwell was ranked 152nd.
None of the three, who are all 17, had been ranked previously by Central Scouting.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
