Silvertips notebook: Team identity still ‘work in progress’

EVERETT — The Silvertips sit atop the U.S. Division with 18 points and a 9-3-0 record, yet Everett is still trying to discover its identity through 12 games.

“I still think it’s pretty early,” Silvertips general manager Garry Davidson said. “We’ve played 12 games and we’re certainly happy with our record at 9-3, but you’re only as good as your last game, so to speak, and I didn’t think we played overly well in Vancouver, by any means. I thought Dustin Wolf definitely did.

“I would still like to see us play four or five games where we have absolutely everyone in the lineup, just to see how the lines might mesh and all that. I’m still personally looking at it as a group that we’re still trying to figure out what we are. I think we’re a good team, but I have to figure out if we’re going to more than just a good team.”

The Silvertips won 3-2 at Vancouver this past Friday, despite not having top-line forward Cole Fonstad in the lineup. But Everett received a nice boost from import forward Martin Fasko-Rudas, who made his season debut on the road and scored a goal that helped spark the Silvertips’ two-goal comeback.

This was destined to be the case for the Silvertips in some ways, with a slew of new faces on the roster. But a lack of a concrete identity isn’t a cause for concern — it’s something younger teams often battle with in the early stages of the season.

“I think it’s still a work in progress and we need to continue to get better in others,” head coach Dennis Williams said. “… It’s something we’ve talked about as a team, what we want to be known for. It’s something we talk to our leadership group about and, again, I still think it’s a work in progress, but I think that starts to creep out when consistency starts to creep into your game. We have to be a little bit more consistent to find that I think.”

The upcoming weekend may be a nice litmus test for the Silvertips. Everett hosts Portland — which is one point behind Everett in the standings — followed by a home tilt with Kamloops, which leads the B.C. Division. The three-games-in-three-days stretch ends with a road contest at Spokane on Sunday, a team that many expected to finish first in the U.S. Division this season.

Zellweger departs

Rookie 16-year-old defenseman Olen Zellweger departed to compete for Team Canada Red at the World Under-17 Hockey Championships in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

Spooky skate

The Silvertips held their annual Halloween 3-on-3 tournament on Tuesday, where players dressed up in coordinated costumes. The winning team was the three 20-year-olds, Wyatte Wylie, Max Patterson and Bryce Kindopp.

Injury report

— Fonstad and 17-year-old forward Jacob Wright are day-to-day with upper-body injuries and are questionable for Friday’s game against Portland. Neither were cleared for full contact as of Tuesday.

Web extra

Follow along as Josh Horton breaks down Everett’s road win over Vancouver with video.

Who's in for some late-night #WHL and #Silveritps film review? I'm watching Everett's big win at Vancouver on Friday for the first time. Join me for some musings. #WHL

— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) October 29, 2019

Josh Horton covers the Silvertips for The Herald. Follow him on Twitter, @joshhortonEDH