EVERETT — The major junior hockey world has taken notice of the Everett Silvertips, who have stormed out to a 12-2-2-0 record to start the season.
That’s good for first in the U.S. Division and second in the Western Conference behind Prince George — a team the Tips have twice beaten. But don’t expect the Tips players and coaches to be paying too much attention to the attention they are receiving.
“We’re a process-oriented group rather than a results-oriented group, so the results are a by-product of the process,” head coach Kevin Constantine said. “If the process is right it puts you in a better position to have results. So what you’re always going back to is the process and our process is play, review, adapt through practice what we’re reviewing, and play again. And that happens on an individual basis, a line or D-pair basis, or a group basis.”
The Tips have managed this impressive start despite suffering a slew of injuries and illness early this season. Various ailments kept about a half-dozen Everett players off the ice on Friday.
“We gotta grind our way through it,” Constantine said. “You hope just in life that it all balances itself out during the year, that it’s not a season-long thing. But the good news is everyone who has stepped in the lineup has been able to work hard and get the job done.”
Everett takes a four-game winning streak into tonight’s 7:05 match-up against Portland. The Winterhawks took an 8-8 record into their game Friday at Tri-City. Tonight’s game will be the second meeting of the season between the two teams with the Tips claiming a 3-1 win at Portland on Sept. 28.
There is no lack of familiarity between the teams, however, as they’ve played one another 10 times each of the last two seasons and another nine times in the last two postseasons. In 2015-16 Everett and Portland played four times in the Tips’ first 10 games.
“You felt like you were in a mini-playoff series against them and you needed to learn fast and apply what you’re doing against the other team,” Constantine said. “So it’s a little different this year because this will only be our second meeting. But (after) we play them (tonight) they’re also our next opponent after that so we play them back-to-back now.”
Entering Portland’s game Friday, Cody Glass had 16 assists and 23 points, both tied for third in the WHL. Skyler McKenzie had scored 10 goals with 10 assists. A half-dozen additional Winterhawks players have 10 or more points.
Under head coach Mike Johnston the Winterhawks have tried to employ a wide-open, high-scoring offensive attack.
“(Are) there some tendencies that are characteristic of organizations, certain coaches? Yeah,” Constantine said. “So I think there are things both teams are aware of and each year each team has its own distinct flavor too based on there are different human beings implementing that system. So tomorrow will be some combination of us trying to do our thing, but we’re aware of a couple things they do and you have to be hopefully prepared for that also.”
Riley Sutter has seven goals to lead the Tips. Patrick Bajkov, Dominic Zwerger and Graham Millar all have six goals. Bajkov leads the team in points with 19.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
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