EVERETT — Though there were not many positives to be gleaned from Wednesday night’s 4-1 home loss to Tri-City, the Everett Silvertips can take solace in the fact they get another chance Friday night when they play host to the Prince George Cougars at 7:35 p.m. at Xfinity Arena.
“If you having a winning attitude you always want to get on with what’s next,” head coach Kevin Constantine said. “It’s kind of like losing in a game of cards. The winners smile and the losers say ‘deal the next hand.’ We should be excited about an opportunity to respond.”
The Tips (14-8-0-2) have been impressive in their responses this year. Only once have they lost more than two consecutive games.
The three-game losing streak came at the conclusion of Everett’s stretch of four games in five nights during its Central Division road trip to Alberta two weeks ago. This week features three games in four nights, but Constantine doesn’t expect that to be a factor.
“Three in four is taxing and it will chew up some energy, but I think four in five nights was much more difficult, not only because it is four in five nights, but you’re traveling during all of that,” Constantine said. “You’re not sleeping in your own bed. It’s a challenging week, but not the way the Alberta trip is.”
The scoring of overage center Remi Laurencelle has been a significant factor in helping the Tips respond to defeats.
However, Constantine said that Laurencelle’s points are a result of focusing on the process of doing the job he’s assigned on each particular shift, rather than thinking about the outcome of goals and assists themselves.
“He’s getting them in bunches partly because he’s not worrying about it that much, and I really believe that,” Constantine added. “I believe that Remi is just competitive and really cares about the team and the way we do things and his mind is so into that, that I think that in a positive way is helping him get points right now because he’s not thinking about it.”
Laurencelle, whose nine-game point streak came to an end in Wednesday’s loss, echoed his head coach when asked about his point production.
“Honestly what’s crucial is getting the two points (for the team victory),” the assistant captain said. “You don’t worry about your own points, you worry about the outcome of the game, and winning games is what we need.”
The Tips will get a chance to do that tonight as they wrap up their four-game season series against the Cougars. Everett split its season-opening two-game away series in October and defeated Prince George 2-1 in overtime at Xfinity Arena Nov. 6.
The Cougars (15-9-1-1, 32 points) are in third place in the B.C. Division and fourth in the Western Conference standings. They haven’t lost in regulation since a 3-1 setback at Calgary on Nov. 18 and are 7-2-0-1 in their last 10 games.
Left wing Jesse Gabrielle is Prince George’s top scorer with 16 goals and nine assists. Brogan O’Brien (nine goals, 10 assists), Chase Witala (11 goals, seven assists), Brad Morrison (seven goals, 11 assists), Jared Bethune (10 goals, six assists) and Tate Olson (two goals, 14 assists) are also offensive threats.
Jansen Harkins (five goals, 12 assists) is one of the Cougars’ top players and was out due to illness the last time Prince George visited Xfinity Arena.
Goaltender Ty Edmonds (8-4-1-0, 2.18 goals-against average, .934 save percentage) has been one of the top net-minders in the league this season. Nick McBride (4-2-0-1, 2.75 GAA, .903 percentage) has appeared in eight games for the Cougars.
The Tips are 6-3-0-1 in their last 10 contests. Friday marks the second game for newest Silvertip Brycen Martin (three goals, 21 assists) who was acquired Monday from Saskatoon. Laurencelle is the only Everett player with double figures in both goals (12) and assists (11). Patrick Bajkov and Carson Stadnyk each have four goals and a dozen assists.
Carter Hart, the reigning WHL Goaltender the Month and WHL Goaltender of the Week, is 14-7-0-2 with a 1.74 GAA and a .934 save percentage.
Saturday the Vancouver Giants come to Everett for the second time this season. Entering tonight’s game against Kootenay the Giants were last in the Western Conference at 7-16-2-2.
“I think right now it’s all about playing simple and not getting too high about ourselves and thinking we’re better than we are,” Laurencelle said. “We’ve got to play like we lost.”
That won’t be a problem Friday night.
For all the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
