TALKING POINTS
I fully expect to see an instructional video created out of Spokane’s third period tonight. The Chiefs put on a clinic on how to play with a one-goal lead on the road. Spokane kept the puck deep in Everett’s zone and never allowed the Tips a good chance at breaking out. As a re
sult, whenever Everett was finally able to get the puck into Spokane’s zone, the Tips had to go off on a line change because they expended so much energy just getting out of their own end. The Chiefs only led 1-0, but there was never any sense that Everett was going to tie it, and Spokane deserves all the credit for that.
Up to that point it was a pretty evenly-played game, with both teams creating some good scoring chances during the first two periods. Both goaltenders played well to keep the score down, and it was a power-play goal off a faceoff win that was the difference.
The regulation loss ended Everett’s string of six consecutive games earning at least a point. Kamloops was idle, so the Tips remained three points clear in seventh place in the Western Conference. However, Chilliwack rallied to beat Kelowna in a shootout, putting the Bruins in eighth on winning percentage.
Finally, I had to do a double take when the teams came out for warm-ups. Spokane played in their third jerseys tonight, which are blue. I was wondering whether I showed up on the wrong night as I’ve never seen the Chiefs in anything other than red or white.
TURNING POINT
Late in the first period Spokane’s Collin Valcourt came out of the penalty box just as Everett’s Scott MacDonald was steaming up the ice, and Valcourt laid MacDonald out with a huge hit that MacDonald never saw coming. The hit prompted Everett’s Clayton Cumiskey to jump Valcourt, giving the Chiefs a power play. Dominik Uher scored a tip goal just five seconds later to open the scoring.
HIT OF THE DAY
See above.
THREE STARS
First star: Mac Engel, Spokane. 23 saves, is this really the same goalie who allowed four goals in 1:12 against Portland on Wednesday? He sure plays well against Everett as the 17-year-old rookie, filling in for the injured James Reid, notched his second shutout of the season against the Tips.
Second star: Kent Simpson, Everett. 37 saves, he kept the Tips in it.
Third star: Ryan Murray, Everett. How much of the ice can one guy cover?
The Herald’s honorable mention: Spokane’s forwards. No individual standout tonight, but they’re the ones who kept the Tips hemmed in.
BOX SCORE
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