TALKING POINTS
We have a race again.
Everett treated the sellout crowd at Xfinity Arena to a high-quality performance that included a 20-1 shots advantage in the first period, and Portland lost to Prince George 6-5 in a shootout. That means the Tips’ lead over the Winterhawks for first place in the U.S. Division is back to the four points it was prior to Wednesday’s debacle. Portland still controls its own destiny, because if both teams win out the Winterhawks will take the title on a tiebreaker. But I figured Portland had it in the bag after that 6-1 victory over Everett on Wednesday that put the Winterhawks in the driver’s seat. It’s not quite that simple anymore.
Everett really came to play tonight. The Tips controlled the shot clock in the first period in a way I can’t remember them ever doing before, as Seattle’s first shot on goal didn’t come until there were four seconds remaining in the period (though I think the shot counters missed at least one Seattle shot during an earlier sequence). However, the Tips didn’t put any of those shots in the net until the final minute of the period (see below).
However, the Tips made sure it didn’t matter that they only had one goal to show for that first period as they kept up their quality play the rest of the game, scoring both early and late in the second to consolidate their lead. Seattle didn’t get on the scoreboard until there was 1:12 remaining, by which point it was too late.
Everett’s power play was back Saturday. The WHL’s third-ranked unit had gone through a dry spell, scoring just once over the previous six games. But the Tips were much crisper with the advantage than they hard been recently, scoring twice on the power play.
Lastly, there will be two new arrivals in Everett on Sunday as prospects Jantzen Leslie and Bryce Kindopp are joining the team. Leslie and Kindopp, Everett’s first two picks in the 2014 bantam draft, just had their season with the Lloydminster Bobcats of the AMHL come to an end. Leslie, a defenseman, had one goal and nine assists in 32 games, while Kindopp, a winger, had 12 goal;s and 17 assists in 32 games. Both made their WHL debuts earlier in the season as call-ups. I’m told they’ll stay with the team the rest of the way.
TURNING POINT
Despite Everett’s domination on the shot clock, the Tips weren’t able to find the net in the first period until 45.8 seconds remained. Everett was on the power play when Ben Betker blasted a shot from the center point wide. The puck rocketed off the back boards and Remi Laurencelle dived to poke it in. That not only gave Everett the lead, it crucially gave them something to show for their shot-clock superiority.
THREE STARS
First star: Betker. One goal and one assist, and Everett’s defense really put the clamps down.
Second star: Cole MacDonald, Everett. Two assists, see the Betker comment.
Third star: Taran Kozun, Seattle. 39 saves, he kept the score from getting out of hand.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Nikita Scherbak, Everett. One assist, he was up for it tonight.
Further mentions: Pretty much everyone played well for Everett in this one, but I want to give special mentions to Jake Mykitiuk and Laurencelle. Mykitiuk was really energized by being placed on a line with Kohl Bauml and Carson Stadnyk and he responded with all kinds of good shots and even a goal that was waived off because of a goaltender interference penalty. Laurencelle was matched up with Seattle star center Mathew Barzal for much of the night and did a nice job of helping contain the former first-overall bantam pick.
BOX SCORE
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