Silvertips week in review: Goncalves shows potential

Here’s a quick rundown of the week that was for the Everett Silvertips:

GAMES

The Tips had two preseason games over the weekend, both in Langley, B.C., which is the home of the Vancouver Giants. Everett was playing severely short-handed, with four players away at NHL training camps and another four held out of action, meaning the Tips dressed just 16 skaters (eight forwards, eight defensemen) in each game, and the results were drastically different from one night to the next:

Victoria 7, Everett 1

Everett 4, Vancouver 0

The Tips are now 2-1-1-1 in the preseason and have an even goal differential having both scored and allowed 15 goals.

STANDOUTS

C Gage Goncalves — The 17-year-old rookie had a breakout weekend, assisting on Everett’s lone goal against Victoria, then scoring twice in the Tips’ victory over Vancouver. Everett has a lot of offense it needs to replace from last season, and it would be a major bonus if Goncalves, who was second in the B.C. Major Midget League in scoring last year, can provide a little of that.

Vitelli (Goncalves 🍏) got his second of the preseason today.

Recap: https://t.co/5G58rzbzJ4 pic.twitter.com/7IfEkoCaP2

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) September 9, 2018

Highlights: where we include 4 goals, Wolf, and sweet guitar riffs. 👓#LetsGoTips pic.twitter.com/Tfp3B4X0Rt

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) September 10, 2018

D Gianni Fairbrother — Fairbrother had a power-play goal against Vancouver and finished a plus-2 for the weekend. He also had nine shots on goal between the two games to lead the team, indicating he could step up and be an offensive factor from the blue line this season.

G Dustin Wolf — Another weekend, another shutout for Everett’s heir apparent in goal as he stopped all 22 shots he faced against Vancouver. He has a 1.62 goals against average and .928 save percentage in four preseason appearances.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Everett plays its final two preseason games this week, both against the Seattle Thunderbirds. The first is Tuesday in Kent, the second is Saturday at home.

—- UPDATE, 7:30 p.m.

ROSTER MOVES

The Tips made a trade Monday, sending 19-year-old defenseman Jameson Murray and a 10th-round pick in the 2019 bantam draft to Victoria in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2019. Murray, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, appeared in seven games for Everett.

This trade, along with the Tips reassigning goaltender Danton Belluk last week, leaves Everett with 25 players on its roster: 14 forwards, nine defensemen and two goalies.