The Everett Silvertips are in a slump. Wednesday’s 3-1 loss at Spokane meant the Tips have dropped six of their past nine games, and their lead atop the WHL’s U.S. Division has shrunk to two points over the Portland Winterhawks.
So did the coaches have the Tips bear down extra hard at practice Thursday? Quite the contrary, they took the exact opposite approach.
Everett conducted a light-hearted four-on-four scrimmage Thursday afternoon, including full participation by the coaches. Assistants Mitch Love and Brennan Sonne geared up to skate with the players, but the true bonus was seeing head coach Kevin Constantine don the goalie pads. Constantine a former goaltender, hadn’t put on goalie pads since Everett’s inaugural season, and it was just the third time since 1980 he’s played goal. He came equipped with a flimsy plastic mask that looked more like a promotional giveaway than protection.
Well, let’s just say that Constantine may be a tad rusty. But he kicked out a couple good saves, and he delivered one of the best hist I’ve seen this season when he destroyed Lucas Skrumeda in the corner. It was a chance for a few of the players’ parents, who arrived early for parents weekend, to see Constantine in a different light.
Maybe some smiles and a relaxed approach are what the Tips need. Everett is in the midst of its worst stretch of the season, and things don’t get any easier Friday when the Tips welcome the Calgary Hitmen to Xfinity Arena. Calgary is the hottest team in the league, having won 15 of its past 16 and outscored its opponents 79-29 in the process. The Hitmen have already beaten the other four teams in the U.S. Division.
But the game also represents opportunity for the Tips. With a victory over the Hitmen the Tips can gain a measure of ground on their rivals who already lost to Calgary. With it being parents’ weekend Everett’s player should be plenty motivated, and the Hitmen will be playing their fifth road game in eight nights. Winning that game may provide just the spark the Tips need to get back on track for the final stretch.
Despite losing six of nine, Everett’s play over the past three weeks hasn’t been disastrous. Here’s the real key. During those nine game Everett had a lead in eight of them, the Tips scored first in seven of them, and they led in the third period in six of them. I wouldn’t say Everett has played good hockey during this stretch, but being 3-6 despite having those leads seems something of an anomaly.
One thing I think this stretch illustrats is Everett’s challenges depth-wise. I’ve said many times before that the Tips fit together pretty well when everyone is healthy and at full strength, but that it only takes one or two key guys missing to throw everything out of whack. Everett’s been dealing with illnesses since its eastern swing in early January. When you add in the fact the Tips have just 22 players on their roster, I think Everett is a little worn down. Struggling to hold leads in third periods may be an indication of that.
We’ll have to see whether Thursday’s fun helps bring that energy back.
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