The Silvertips are embarking on their first stretch of four games in five days this season when the Tri-City Americans visit Xfinity Arena Wednesday.
There is also some travel involved, but it’s not too wretched: a trip to Langley, B.C., on Friday followed by a trip to Portland Saturday. Then it’s home for a quick turnaround against the Spokane Chiefs Sunday at 4:05.
At this point WHL teams have played anywhere from 25 games (Calgary) to 31 (Kootenay). The Tips (20-3-4-0) are right in the middle with 27 games played, so four in five isn’t unheard of.
“You gotta make them up somewhere along the way,” Everett head coach Kevin Constantine quipped Tuesday after practice.
First up is a Tri-City squad that has one regulation win and one overtime victory against Everett, and currently second to the Tips in the U.S. Division. The Americans (17-11-2-0, 36 points) are a big, physical bunch with an excellent power play keyed by probable 2017 NHL first-round draft pick Michael Rasmussen, who is third in the WHL with 21 goals and tied for second with 10 power-play goals.
“We played them a bunch early, but we haven’t played them for a long time, so we’ll refresh ourselves over the next 24 hours,” Constantine said. “Bottom line is our games against them are traditionally and this year very close.”
Oh, and the Americans recently got last year’s top returning scorer back as Jordan Topping returns after a high ankle sprain. So Wednesday could be an interesting evening for both teams.
THE WINTERHAWKS are holding their Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday and there appears to be some hand-wringing:
Kinda gutsy by the Winterhawks having their teddy bear toss against Everett on Saturday.
— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) December 6, 2016
Just realized Carter Hart won't play in this game, so that might make it easier for Portland to score. https://t.co/i9nW1cbqrc
— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) December 6, 2016
Mario Petit’s numbers are also impressive against Portland so we’ll have to see how this plays out.
YOU MAY HAVE READ my feature on Patrick Bajkov online already, but as usual I have some interesting leftover quotes that didn’t make the story.
A few hats remain from the @patrickbajkov hat trick on Friday: pic.twitter.com/PLZALSOq0O
— Jesse Geleynse (@JesseGeleynse) December 6, 2016
Constantine returned behind the Everett bench in 2013-14, the same year Bajkov stuck full-time as a 16-year-old rookie, so Constantine is a good source to reflect on his young winger’s career:
“From a growth standpoint it’s been very fun to watch Patrick grow as a player and a person,” Constantine said. “He’s made great strides in both areas and that’s the dream of a player coming here is that he becomes a better player and a better person, and there’s no doubt he’s done that in both areas.”
Matt Fonteyne came up with Bajkov in 2013 and has been a three-year linemate, so he also has a unique perspective:
“The biggest thing is you have to stay consistent if you want to last long in this league,” Fonteyne said. “So I think he’s done a pretty good job of working on that every game and going from there.”
SPEAKING OF FONTEYNE, the WHL announced Tuesday that Medicine Hat’s Zach Fischer has been suspended five games for “engaging with an unsuspecting opponent” when he punched Fonteyne in the face during the second period line brawl in Friday’s 4-3 win over the Tigers.
ALL THE TIPS are back from injury and skated in full contact practice Tuesday. That means forwards Brett Kemp and Graham Millar could find themselves back in the lineup at some point this week.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
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