EVERETT – As Shaun Heshka stepped off the ice at the Everett Events Center following Tuesday’s practice, he continually repeated a single phrase in sing-song fashion:
Kevin Nortz / The Herald
“On the road again.”
For the last month the Everett Silvertips have been living comfortably at home. But beginning tonight in Kelowna, the Tips become abruptly reacquainted with the road.
“You betcha,” Heshka said. “It’s kind of a good feeling, actually. We’re just trying to get a little hockey atmosphere back, and I’ve never really played that many home games in a row before. It’ll be good to get back on the road, see some other rinks and get back at it.”
Everett has essentially spent the entire second half of the season to date at home. Of the Tips’ 13 games since the Christmas break, 11 were at home. And the farthest Everett had to travel was to Tri-City, meaning the Tips haven’t spent a single night in a hotel since Christmas. The Tips went 8-3-1-1 during that stretch.
Beginning today that all changes drastically. Everett’s next four games are on the road, and 14 of the Tips’ final 23 games are away from the friendly confines of the Everett Events Center.
Everett has been better at home than on the road, but not exceedingly so. The Tips are 17-9-0-1 at home and 12-8-2-0 on the road.
“It’s always harder to go on the road and win, but the bottom line is we don’t view February as anything other than hockey games we need to win,” Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. “You probably write a whole lot more about that stuff than we think about it. We just try to win games.”
In fact, the players are looking forward to experiencing a few road trips again.
“It’s nice to be able to go out after a game, have a quick meal, then head home and sleep in your own bed,” captain Torrie Wheat said. “But we’re all excited to get back on the road again. That’s where the team really gets a chance to bond and I think all the guys are looking forward to Kelowna.”
Still no Mueller: The Silvertips aren’t getting star center Peter Mueller back just yet.
Mueller, who has 42 points in 36 games, has recovered fully from the concussion that forced him to miss Everett’s past three games. However, Mueller has since come down with illness and is not making the trip to Kelowna.
On the plus side, centers Mark Kress and Ryan Sawka could be back in the lineup tonight. Kress, who missed the past nine games with a shoulder injury and Sawka, who sat out the past 11 with a knee injury, both practiced at full speed Tuesday. Constantine said he was hopeful both would be available tonight.
Left wing Karel Hromas is out at least another two weeks with a cracked collarbone.
Scouting report: It’s been a long time since the Tips last faced defending WHL champion Kelowna. The only previous meeting came back on Oct. 2, a game won 3-1 by Kelowna at the EEC.
Kelowna is once again one of the premier teams in the league. The Rockets (30-15-1-2) may be in third place in the B.C. Division, but they have a better winning percentage than the U.S. Division-leading Tips (29-17-2-1) and are coming off Saturday’s 6-0 thrashing of Kootenay, which had been virtually unbeatable home.
Kelowna has a roster laden with experienced 19-year-olds. Left wing Justin Keller leads the league in goals with 38, Mike Card is third in the league in scoring among defensemen with 40 points, right wing Blake Comeau (15 goals, 34 assists) was a key member of Canada’s gold medal-winning team at the World Junior Hockey Championships, and goaltender Derek Yeomans (20-10-0-1, 2.35 goals against average, .915 save percentage) has been solid.
Tonight’s game also pits the top two power plays in the league. Everett is ranked first at .209 and Kelowna is right behind at .208.
Around the WHL: Everett held steady at No. 7 in this week’s Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association poll. Calgary cemented itself in the top spot, earning all 18 first-place votes. Medicine Hat and Vancouver each jumped one spot to second and third, respectively. … Vancouver forward Mitch Bartley was named the WHL Player of the Week for Jan. 23-29. Bartley had four goals and three assists in four games, helping the Giants go 3-1. … The Portland Winter Hawks are in the process of being sold. Portland general manager Ken Hodge confirmed in the Oregonian that negotiations are currently under way, and a purchase agreement is expected to be presented to the league’s board of governers by Monday. The purchasing group was not identified, but Hodge said there were no plans on moving the team.
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