To say the Everett Silvertips have had their struggles this season would be putting it nicely.
Everett is 5-18-0-4 (14 points) and has the worst record in the league. The Tips dropped a 5-1 game to Portland on Friday and have lost five in a row. To compound their woes, they have lost 11 of their last 12 games.
On the bright side, of Everett’s five wins, one is against Tri-City (6-3), back on Oct. 16 at Comcast Arena.
On the not so bright side for the Tips, it’s Teddy Bear Toss night at Toyota Center, where the Americans (20-7-0-0, 40 points) have won nine games and tied one in the last 10 years. Everett has been on the losing end of this game twice (2005 and 2003). Everett assistant coach Mitch Love played in the 2003 game, as a Silvertip — and had a goal, which was meaningless as Tri-City led 4-0 at the time.
Everett head coach Mark Ferner, who spent two years at the helm in Kamloops (2004-06), has never won a game at Toyota Center as a head coach. In 2004-05, his Blazers were 0-1 with a tie. In 2005-06, his team went 0-2.
Tri-City comes in having won its last five on home ice and 8 of its last 10 games overall. The Americans are 11-2-0-0 at home, and have the best home winning percentage in the league at 84.6 percent.
The Americans have a two-point lead over Portland in the U.S. Division and a one-point lead over Kamloops in the Western Conference. The Winterhawks get a dose of Seattle and Calvin Pickard tonight, while the Blazers host Victoria.
Adam Hughesman leads Tri-City with 20 goals and 48 points in 27 games. At 1.78 points per game, Hughesman is on pace to score 128 points this season. There hasn’t been a 100-point man for the Americans since Eric Johansson had 44 goals and 103 points during the 2001-02 season.
Looking around the rink, there are some BIG stuffed animals waiting to go home with a deserving child. Below the press box is Tigger, across the way, there is a bear that needs its own seat and there are Christmas themed animals all over the place. Robyn, who runs the team computer, has a peace-loving bear and a striped monkey. Both are the size of a 2 year old. Cliff, who sits to the right of the press box, came in with his arms full of soft creatures, but stopped by the Fred Meyer table to buy a couple more. Walter is serving the second of a 6-game suspension
On to tonight.
The Americans are starting Eric Comrie in goal, while Zach Yuen, Justin Hamonic, Lukas Walter and Marcus Messier are scratched. Haven't said much about Marcus missing the last two games, but during the Americans last home game with Regina, he blocked two pucks back-to-back with his mid-section. These guys are tough, but that's just got to hurt.
Everett has Kent Simpson in goal, while Manraj Hayer (lower body), Zach McPhee (lower body), Darian Henry, newly acquired Josh Caron, Ryan Murray (lower body) and Jesse Mychan (suspension, 6th of 10 games) are out. Caron, who was here a couple of weeks ago with Kamloops, played Friday against Portland, but is out with the flu tonight.
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Cody Fowlie and Kohl Bauml gave Everett a 2-0 lead in the first 8:58 of the game, but Jordan Messier put the Americans on the board at 11:58 on the power play to brings down a shower of furry critters.
Funny thing, no one gave Big Mess a vote on the Red Light District blog to score the most fun goal of the season.
Everett 2-1 at the end of 1.
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Wow, there are some nights I can't keep up with this.
Anyway, the Americans tie the game on a Derek Ryckman goal — his first as an American — early in the third. The Tips go out front once again, but Brendan Shinnimin makes it 3-3 and OT was in order.
There was no scoring in the OT, bringing about a shootout — the first for Ams rookie goalie Eric Comrie.
Comrie stopped all three Everett players, and Adam Hughesman put the game-winner in the net for Tri-City. Comrie finished with 24 saves.
Everett goalie Kent Simpson had 46 saves in a brilliant performance. The Tips certainly played well enough to win, but as they say, good teams find a way to win.
