EVERETT – Were those really the Everett Silvertips last Saturday in Kamloops?
The same Silvertips who finished second and fifth in the Western Hockey League in fewest goals allowed the past two seasons?
The same Silvertips who finished first in the entire Canadian Hockey League last season in penalty killing?
Indeed, it was those same Silvertips who gave up six goals in their season-opening loss to the Blazers in what was an uncharacteristic performance for a team that built its reputation on defense.
“I definitely don’t want to see that again, especially with our team being defensive,” defenseman Shaun Heshka said of Everett’s 6-4 loss to Kamloops. “Six goals, especially when you’re up 3-0 in the first, kind of hits the alert button. Hopefully that’s just one game, we can get past that, and then do well Saturday (in Everett’s home opener against Prince George).”
The Silvertips suffered breakdowns in virtually every aspect of the defensive game. Seventeen-year-old goaltender Leland Irving, making his first start as Everett’s No. 1 goalie, did not turn in his best performance, surrendering five goals on 29 shots.
“It wasn’t my best game, that’s for sure,” Irving said. “I’ve got things I need to work on. They did a good job of putting guys out front and I was having trouble seeing the puck.”
Everett’s defensemen also struggled, with defensive turnovers leading to two goals. And Everett’s vaunted penalty-kill unit was a mere shell of it’s normal self. The Silvertips, who killed off 88.8 percent of the penalties they faced last season, gave up two power play goals on six chances, and a third Kamloops goal came moments after a penalty expired.
“Our penalty kill isn’t working too well right now,” Heshka said. “Our penalty kill has kind of been our bread and butter the last couple years, and last game it was kind of scary the way we were playing.”
However, the Silvertips are far from panicking based on one game, and they expect to be back to their normal selves soon.
“We’ve just got to pay attention to details mostly, not give up little mistakes and odd-man attacks,” Heshka said. “We’ve got to get the puck in deep when we can and not turn it over, and then play sound on the penalty kill, too. If we fix that up we should be all right, and hopefully Saturday night we’ll be a finely-tuned machine.”
Alic dropped from roster: The one local hopeful for making the Silvertips this season has been reassigned. Kent resident Damir Alic has been returned to the Washington Totems of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League, though he is continuing to practice with the Silvertips.
“He’s just practicing with us, and if we run into any injuries the potential to play is there,” Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. “But he’s skating with the Totems and going to play game with the Totems. So he’s going to play Junior B and practice with us and see how it goes.”
Alic, an 18-year-old center, played with the Totems last season and was the third-leading scorer in the PIJHL, compiling 21 goals and 37 assists in 48 games.
With Alic removed from the roster, Everett is left with 27 players – 15 forwards, 10 defensemen and two goaltenders.
Around the WHL: Everett’s lofty position in the Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association poll was short-lived. Following the loss at Kamloops, the Silvertips plummeted from third to 10th in this week’s poll. Portland, after beating preseason No. 1 Kelowna on the road, took over the top spot, garnering 11 of the 16 first-place votes. Calgary was second and Moose Jaw was third. … If the first weekend was any indication, the rule changes put in place to increase scoring are working. In the 18 games played Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a total of 120 goals were scored, good for 6.67 per game. That’s a significant increase from last season, when an average of 5.43 goals were scored per game.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
