Hockey fans in the Western Washington area have a number of games to choose from this weekend, to get that fix. If you’ve made a resolution to experience a hockey game for the first time, you’re in luck too. You can start out by catching the Seattle Thunderbirds face off against a strong Portland Winterhawks team in Portland. The Western Hockey League (WHL) will air this game LIVE on FoxSports NW at 7:30 tonight. Like what you see? Then head to ShoWare Center in Kent tomorrow night to see the two teams in action (in Game 2 of a “Home and Home” series). The puck drops at 7:05. You can find more information about the T-Birds and buy tickets by visiting their website. Just click here. You can also listen to all T-Birds games on the radio- at 104.9 FM Funky Monkey.
Head up I-5 to Everett tomorrow night to catch the red-hot Everett Silvertips in action against the Spokane Chiefs. The ‘Tips will be looking for revenge against the team that snapped their 14-game winning streak on Wednesday night in Spokane. Tomorrow’s game is also Firefighter Appreciation and Public Safety Night, so get there early to enjoy any pre-game activities at Comcast Arena. Find more information about the ‘Tips and buy tickets. Here’s the link to their website. You can listen to every Silvertips game on the radio- at NorthSound 1380 AM – KRKO.
The Seattle Junior Totems are dominating the Northern Pacific Junior Hockey League (NORPAC). They face off against the Rogue Valley Wranglers tonight and tomorrow night at Olympic View Ice Arena in Mountlake Terrace. There is absolutely no love lost between these two teams and what’s more, a ticket to see the action up close is just $5. For more information, click here to be linked to the Junior Totems website.
If you feel like catching some hockey, Canadian-style, take in an Abbotsford Heat game. The Heat are the AHL affiliate of the NHL Calgary Flames and play at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre. Tomorrow night, they take on the Chicago Wolves (the Atlanta Thrashers’ AHL affiliate). The puck drops at 7:30pm. Click here for schedule, roster and ticket information. (Note: Former Everett Silvertips players Riley Armstrong and Leland Irving play for Abbotsford. Former NHL great Chris Chelios is in the Wolves’ lineup.) Check the Heat’s website for suggestions on how to watch or listen online.
The Victoria Salmon Kings feature up and coming players within the Vancouver Canucks’ organization (representing the ECHL). Tonight and tomorrow night, they drop the puck against the Utah Grizzlies, who are affiliated with the New York Islanders and the Calgary Heat. Both games start at 7:05 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Center. For more information, click here. One fun way to take in the Victoria experience is to take the Victoria Clipper, have high tea at the Empress Hotel, take in the beautiful Butchart Gardens then cap off the day by cheering on the Salmon Kings.
In addition to junior and minor league, there’s plenty of hockey featuring a great number of talented youngsters across Western Washington. Contact your local ice arena for more information.
Our favorite pugilistic poet has a new blog up on the KING 5 site. In his latest post, Mitch Love talks about how he spent his time during the AHL All Star break and reminisces about breaks in years past. Mitch and the Peoria Rivermen took on the Rockford IceHogs tonight in Rockford for "Pink the Rink" night. The Rivermen lost, but Mitch dropped the gloves and engaged in a little "debate" with IceHogs Captain Jake Dowell. I'm sure someone will post photos of this tilt.
Tomorrow night, Mitch and the Rivermen will face his former team, the Houston Aeros. I look forward to a recap from our friends at The Third Intermission (http://thethirdintermission.blogspot.com/) for a full recap of the game.
Many people fear the number 13. Not the Everett Silvertips. In just a few minutes, the ‘Tips will hit the ice at Comcast Arena gunning for their 13th straight win as they face the Portland Winterhawks. The Winterhawks sit just behind the Silvertips in the WHL's Western Conference standings and will work hard to break the Silvertips' winning streak.
Everett has been on fire since 2010 began, tearing through the WHL, leaving a string of victims in its wake. Their last loss came on New Year's Eve, when they fell 2-1 to the Saskatoon Blades. For those of you who haven’t been keeping track, here’s a quick recap of the Silvertips’ scoring frenzy in the new year:
January 2: ‘Tips defeat the Tri City Americans 6-5 in a shootout in front of a vocal home crowd. Captain Zack Dailey and forward Tyler Maxwell each scored twice in regulation. Shane Harper also scored in the game, which ended in a 5-5 tie in regulation. Overtime ended with no score, setting up the shootout, which went seven rounds. Maxwell, Dailey and Byron Froese scored in the SO, one more than Tri City, claiming the victory for the Silvertips. (Note: a number of Silvertips registered “assists” in this game, including: Scott MacDonald, Clayton Cumiskey, Shane Harper, Chris Langkow (2), Radko Gudas, Alex Theriau, Zack Dailey and Chris de la Lande) Click here for highlights (select 1/02/10).
January 3: ‘Tips defeat the Portland Winterhawks 2-1 at Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Forwards Clayton Cumiskey and Byron Froese scored for Everett. Curtis Kulchar, Tyler Maxwell, Chris de la Lande and Scott MacDonald registered assists. Goaltender Thomas Heemskerk stopped 32 of 33 shots to keep the Silvertips in the “Win” column.
January 5: ‘Tips defeat the Kamloops Blazers 5-3 at the Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops. Five different Silvertips scored in this game: Defensemen Curtis Kulchar and Rasmus Rissanen, Right Wings Kellan Tochkin and Shane Harper, and Center Byron Froese found the net for Everett. Assists went to: Scott MacDonald, Clayton Cumiskey, Shane Harper, Chris Langkow (2), Radko Gudas, Alex Theriau, Zack Dailey and Chris de la Lande. Thomas Heemskerk stopped 27 of 30 shots for Everett.
January 6: ‘Tips defeat the Kelowna Rockets 6-2 at Prospera Place in Kelowna. Again, different Silvertips players stepped up to score: Zack Dailey, Josh Winquist, Byron Froese, Kellan Tochkin, Shane Harper and Chris Langkow. Many of the same players also showed up in the “Assist” column: Dailey and Harper had 2 assists each, along with Tyler Maxwell. Langkow notched an assist, as well as Rasmus Rissanen, Radko Gudas, Clayton Cumiskey, Ryan Murray and Alex Theriau. Kent Simpson was stellar in net for Everett, stopping 23 of 25 Kelowna shots.
January 8: ‘Tips shutout the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-0 at ShoWare Center in Kent. Josh Winquist, Shane Harper and Alex Theriau scored for Everett, assisted by: Scott MacDonald, Chris de la Lande, Clayton Cumiskey and Zack Dailey. Winquist also had an assist in this game. San Jose Sharks prospect Thomas Heemskerk stopped all 21 Seattle shots to notch his second shutout of the season.
January 10: ‘Tips defeat the Spokane Chiefs 4-3 in a shootout at Comcast Arena. Byron Froese, Scott MacDonald and Ryan Murray scored for Everett in regulation. Tyler Maxwell assisted on all three goals. Rasmus Rissanen, Alex Theriau and Kellan Tochkin also had assists. Maxwell and MacDonald scored in the shootout to keep the Silvertips’ winning streak going. Thomas Heemskerk stopped 33 of 36 shots- and 3 of 4 shootout attempts by the Chiefs. Click here for a highlight.
January 15: ‘Tips defeat the Chilliwack Bruins 3-2 at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack. Byron Froese, Chris Langkow and Kellan Tochkin scored for Everett. Tochkin and Langkow also notched assists, along with Shane Harper (2), Rasmus Rissanen and Zack Dailey. Thomas Heemskerk continued his winning ways, stopping 28 of 30 Bruins shots. Click here for a highlight.
January 16: ‘Tips defeat the Chilliwack Bruins 5-1 before a home crowd at Comcast Arena. Just 24 hours after beating the Bruins in BC, the Silvertips added to their winning streak by dismantling Chilliwack in Everett. Chris Langkow and Byron Froese each scored twice, and Kellan Tochkin added a goal and an assist. Zack Dailey, Shane Harper and Tyler Maxwell each had 2 assists. Froese and Tochkin each had one, along with Radko Gudas. Kent Simpson was excellent in goal for the Silvertips, stopping 19 of 20 Chilliwack shots. Click here for a highlight.
January 17: ‘Tips defeat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in overtime at Comcast Arena. Shane Harper had two goals on this night, including the overtime winner. Josh Winquist and Markus McCrea also scored for Everett. McCrea also registered an assist, along with Chris Langkow, Radko Gudas (2), Ryan Murray, D. Jay McGrath and Captain Zack Dailey, who assisted Harper’s OT goal. Thomas Heemskerk stopped 29 of 32 Seattle shots and continued his stellar net minding in the overtime period. Click here for a highlight.
January 20: ‘Tips defeat the Vancouver Giants 3-2 at Comcast Arena. Clayton Cumiskey, Byron Froese and Shane Harper scored for Everett, with help from: Scott MacDonald, Josh Winquist, Kellan Tochkin, Tyler Maxwell and Radko Gudas). Kent Simpson handled goaltending duties, and handled the Giants fairly well, stopping 28 of 30 shots. Click here for a highlight.
January 22: ‘Tips defeat the Portland Winterhawks 4-3 in Portland. Shane Harper, Ryan Murray, Alex Theriau and Byron Froese scored for the Silvertips on this night. Assists went to: Theriau, Harper, Zack Dailey, Chris Langkow, Josh Winquist, Radko Gudas and Tyler Maxwell. Kent Simpson walked away with the victory, stopping 28 of 31 Winterhawk shots.
January 24: ‘Tips defeat the Spokane Chiefs 3-2 at Comcast Arena. Shane Harper opened the scoring, and Kellan Tochkin notched two goals in the Silvertips’ victory. Zack Dailey, Ryan Murray, Curtis Kulchar, Tyler Maxwell, Chris de la Lande and Alex Theriau registered assists. Kent Simpson marked his 15th win of the season, stopping 34 of 36 Spokane shots. Click here for a highlight.
As I wrap up this update, the time is 7:18pm. The puck drops between the Silvertips and Portland Winterhawks at Comcast Arena at 7:35pm. Will Everett pull out its 13th straight win? If you can’t make it to the arena in time to see the game in person, you can listen on the radio: KRKO-AM – NorthSound 1380. You can also find a link at the Silvertips website to listen online. Just click here. What's your favorite moment of the Silvertips' run? Please share them below!
I was going through my email tonight, clearing stuff out and reading things I had flagged but hadn't looked at yet. I came across an email from my friend who runs the hockey blog "I Mean, We Got Guys." It contained a link to a recipe for cookies shaped like hockey sticks - with pucks!
Now, she sent the email around Christmas, a time when we all dust off our aprons and give holiday baking a shot. Well, I didn't. (I didn't even decorate, but that's another story). ANYWAY... I took a look at the recipe and the pix and well... I'm kicking myself for not looking before! I plan to give this recipe a shot this week, in between articles and promoting my novel.
Calvin (L) & Chet (R) Pickard (Photo: Cathy & Bill Pickard)
The name “Pickard” instills excitement in many hockey fans… and apprehension in many hockey players, and it doesn’t matter which first name you pair with it.
Chet Pickard (Photo courtesy: Scott Paulus/Milwaukee Admirals)
Chet – the WHL’s Goaltender of the year in 2007-08 and 2008-09. One of two goaltenders for Team Canada at the 2009 World Junior Championships. Named to the WHL West First All-Star Team in 2008 and 2009 for his stellar play in net for the Tri City Americans. Drafted 18th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators. Now making his mark with the Preds’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
Calvin Pickard (Photo Courtesy: Mick White/Kent Valley Sports)
Calvin – member of Canada’s Under-18 Team that took gold over the summer at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. One of two goaltenders who helped Team WHL pull of a series sweep at the Subway Super Series tournament in Victoria in November. Just selected to play in the NHL Prospects game on January 20 in Windsor, Ontario (more information here). Currently ranked #1 among WHL goalies by Central Scouting for his amazing play in net for the Seattle Thunderbirds, including two memorable (some would say “amazing”) games against his brother’s old team, Tri City.
October 2, 2009. Calvin stops 57 out of 57 shots to help the T-Birds beat the Americans 1-0 and earn his first shutout of the season. (We’ll talk about the second game a little later).
When asked what he remembers about that 57-stop game, Calvin says, “It was one of those nights where everything kind of went well for me: got some calls, got some blocks, our defense played pretty well, clearing out rebounds so everything just clicked.”
Chet’s amazed about his brother’s feat, but not surprised. “It’s pretty impressive. You’re not going to see many of those around. I don’t think many people out there can do that. Calvin’s a really good goalie. Calvin’s been good since the first day he put on the pads.”
That’s high praise coming from a guy known for his cool play between the pipes. But Chet will quickly tell you that he believes Calvin has more natural ability in goal, while Chet has had to work hard to hone his skills. Calvin agrees that he is the more natural athlete, but says he learned a lot from watching his brother. “He’s got a great work ethic and he’s really disciplined. He’s earned everything he’s gotten to this day.”
Their father Dan says Chet and Calvin have different strengths – and have been able to help each other fill a void. “At a younger age, Calvin showed a lot more, I’ll call it, stronger mental game than his older brother, and his older brother had a stronger physical game than his younger brother. It’s kind of an interesting dynamic that we watched take place. Calvin is much more into the physical aspect and preparation in his game now and Chet is much, much stronger in the mental part of his game than he was when he was younger.”
Chet, being two years older than his 17 year old brother, made the first foray into net around the age of 7 or 8, while playing for a Timbits team in New Brunswick. “I just remember playing at that age when everybody had to be the goalie for a game and when my turn came around, I really enjoyed it.”
Dan says Chet’s future was sealed with help from a little mix-up at hockey camp that summer. “We showed up at camp with his little bag of hockey gear and the guy who was organizing the camp said, ‘We have him down as a goaltender.’ I said, ‘Well, he’s not a goaltender, he played only one game.’ And Chet looked up at me and said, ‘I’d like to play in goal.’” The man running the camp owned a second hand equipment store and got Chet some goaltending gear. At the end of camp, the organizers told Dan that Chet showed a natural ability in net, noting, among other things, “He doesn’t twitch when the puck is shot at him.”
Calvin says he decided to try goaltending because Chet played goalie, but Dan says Calvin could have played any position. “He was a very talented player no matter whether he played forward or defense.” Calvin played goal through his team’s playoffs, and when he tried out for an elite team the next season, Dan was told Calvin would have to choose which position to try out for. “That was when Calvin decided he wanted to become a goaltender full time.”
Calvin at 10 years old (Photo Courtesy: Cathy & Bill Pickard)
Dan says it was easier to raise two goaltenders, even though Chet and Calvin grew up playing on different teams. “It was easy for them to bounce thoughts and ideas and have a healthy relationship competitive-wise and healthy respect for each other. It made it easier for my wife and I to deal with both of them because we could compare and support them both the same way.”
The biggest challenge? Juggling schedules and games, but Dan and his wife Cathy seem to have made it work. “We tried to have one parent at every one of their games. I’m a bit of a hockey… I wouldn’t say fanatic but very dedicated to the sport, so I went to most practices. At least one of us would be at every game, depending on what our travel or work schedules would be.”
Last season, they had a difficult decision to make: Who would go see Chet play with Team Canada in the World Junior Championships in Ottawa, and who would go to Port Alberni to watch Calvin play with Team West in the World Under-17 tournament? Dan thought Cathy would opt for Ottawa, since she has family there, but she surprised him.
“My wife said, ‘I’m going to watch Calvin if Chet makes World Juniors.’ My daughter came with me to Ottawa and we watched Chet in the World Juniors.”
Chet and Calvin say they don’t have the words to express their gratitude. Says Chet: “My parents are unreal with the support they gave us. They put a lot of miles on their cars and a lot of money out of their pockets for us. Hopefully one day we can reward them by both playing in the NHL and sending them on a cruise somewhere.” (Chet laughs) “It’s exciting to have the biggest hockey parents around. They love us and they take care of us and they support us no matter how tough of times we go through.”
Calvin agrees: “I give them so much credit, for driving us to the rink, being there for every little situation we had with hockey, to things like making us food, paying the gas bill to drive us everywhere. Having Chet and me both being goalies, you don’t see that too often. We love our parents, they’re good people and everything we did together was happy and they had fun doing it.”
With such a close-knit family, how hard was it for Chet and Calvin to travel so far from home to play junior hockey? Dan said both boys looked forward to the adventure. “In Chet’s case, he did not want to be close to home. He wanted to be further away. In Calvin’s case, he wanted to go to a big city. It just so happened that both boys got drafted to the same state.”
Chet loved playing for Tri City. “It was really good for me, right from Day One. The whole organization, from the owners to the coaches, they all really supported me. They gave me all the chances in the world. When I was 18 and finally took over the starting job (after Carey Price left to play for the Montreal Canadiens), they prepared me well. I’ve got a lot of respect for what they do there in the Tri Cities. Everybody is first class and they really treated me well and supported me well, even through the tough games.”
What’s his best memory with the Ams? “That one year when we finally hung our first banner there (US Division Champions 2008) and how excited everybody was when we beat Spokane in the final game of the season, to raise that banner. It was an exciting season, not only for the players but the fans, who have stuck around for the 20-odd years they’ve been there.”
Calvin says his transition from home to the WHL has also been smooth. “Since the whole organization has played such a huge role in making this a comfortable spot to play, I feel the transition has been rather easy. The coaching staff, Paul Fricker, my goalie coach, have been a great help for me physically on the ice and mentally. Lastly, I could not possibly have better teammates then what I have right now. They are always in good spirits and a pleasure to be around.”
Both say they benefited from having wonderful and supportive billet families, who remain close with all the Pickards.
Chet says his biggest challenge in moving from the WHL to AHL is the lifestyle change, both on and off the ice. “You get to a level like this and everybody’s quicker, everybody can shoot the puck harder. My biggest thing is, I’ve gotta be quicker. I’m working on agility drills off the ice and when it comes to being on the ice, just pushing myself every day and getting out of my comfort zone.”
Chet says he looks to former Tri City teammate and friend Carey Price for inspiration. “Carey’s a unique guy. Most goalies don’t play in the NHL right after their last year in juniors. Carey was in a situation where he could do that. He’s got a lot of pressure on him in Montreal but the first two games of this year, he stood on his head and won the games for his team. I look up to Carey. He’s a great goalie and a great friend and he’s helped me out so much.”
Chet’s using his time in Milwaukee to prepare and give himself the best chance to play well, once he reaches the NHL. “I’m here to work hard every single day, just do what I do, control what I can control and see what happens.”
He’s also learning to live on his own. “I’d say that’s one of the biggest adjustments – managing your own time, cooking your own meals, paying the bills and all that. You’ve got to manage your time and manage what you do. It’s a big change but I’m getting used to it.”
These are things that Calvin will also have to get used to. He’ll turn 18 in April and is eligible for the NHL Entry Draft, which takes place in Los Angeles in June. If he continues his stellar play, there’s no doubt that he will be drafted high in the first round. He’s on everyone’s radar and has been featured in a number of articles, including a profile on nhl.com. But Calvin is trying to remain level headed about things.
“You try and not let yourself get overwhelmed by those things. I want to have the attitude I’ve had all my life – just go out and play every game, treat every game the same, prepare the exact same way, just be the best goalie you can be every day and at the end of the day, it will hopefully fall into place.”
How did a 17 year old get so level-headed? Father Dan says watching the hoopla that surrounded Chet helps, but that Calvin has always been on an even keel. “One thing they both understand is that it’s very fleeting. It’s all about work and it’s all about productivity. I think he (Calvin) knows how to keep it (the attention) separate from what he knows his day-to-day job is, which is stopping pucks for Seattle.”
Speaking of stopping pucks, remember that amazing game against the Tri City Americans on October 2, where Calvin stopped 57 shots for a 1-0 shutout win? The Ams traveled to ShoWare Center in Kent again on December 11th. This time, Calvin stopped 54 out of 55 shots to help the T-Birds win 5-1. His save percentage is 0.924, second highest in the WHL, behind James Reid of Spokane.
And Chet? He’s finding his feet in Milwaukee and gaining confidence. His save percentage: a respectable 0.910. Calvin has no doubt his brother will shine in the pros. “Chet’s an unbelievable goalie. He tore up this league (WHL) for the past couple of seasons in Tri City and was part of the reason they were so good. There’s no reason he can’t do it at the next level and then soon to be the NHL, too.”
Dan and Cathy and daughter Kelly are content to watch Chet and Calvin use their passion and talent to their best ability. “When you think of the numbers of kids that are playing, and being able to have that level of success for one, let alone two, is just crazy. It’s really kind of unbelievable but we give all the credit to their coaches, to the boys themselves for the work effort and the passion they put into the game. I end every one of my text messages, ‘Good luck and have fun.’”
The Pickards are busy planning their travel schedule for the rest of the season. They won’t have to go far to see Chet play in January: the Admirals travel to Winnipeg play the Canucks’ AHL team, the Manitoba Moose. In the meantime, they’ll keep in daily touch with Chet and Calvin by phone, text and internet… and maybe dream of a little California sunshine in June.
The Seattle Thunderbirds notched a victory on the road in Spokane, beating the Chiefs 3-2 in overtime. Spokane got on the board first, as Mitch Wahl scored late in the first period, assisted by Kenton Miller and Tanner Mort. The T-Birds tied things up early in the second period, on an unassisted goal by Mikhail Sentyurin (his second of the season).
Prab Rai put Seattle ahead early in the third, scoring his 21st goal, with help from Lindsay Nielsen and Erik Fleming. The Chiefs came back to tie things up halfway through the period. Anthony Bardaro found a way past Calvin Pickard at 11:06. Brady Brassart and Corbin Baldwin got the assists.
The game headed into overtime and it looked as though it would end in a shootout, but with 23 seconds left on the clock, Charles Wells teamed up with Jeremy Schappert and Brenden Dillon put the puck past Spokane goaltender James Reid, to give the T-Birds a win over a strong Chiefs team. Final score: Seattle 3, Spokane 2. Shots on goal: Seattle 30, Spokane 25. Three Stars of the Game: 1. Mitch Wahl (Spokane) 2. Prab Rai (Seattle) 3. Charles Wells (Seattle).
The T-Birds return home to ShoWare Center in Kent tonight to face the Swift Current Broncos, their last game before the Christmas holiday. The puck drops at 7:05 and tickets are still available. Just click here for more information.
Tri City shuts out Everett 3-0
The Tri City Americans brought their physical, high-shooting game into Comcast Arena and shut out the Everett Silvertips. Justin Feser scored the first goal for the Ams 9:30 into the first period on a power play, as Daniel Iwanski sat in the box on a boarding call. Jordan Messier and Brooks Macek assisted. Tri City struck again late in the first. Johnny Lazo scored his 20th goal of the season on a shorthanded play at 15:14, while teammate Patrick Holland served a hooking penalty. Justin Feser was credited with the assist.
Lazo struck again in the final minute of the third period, finding an empty net. Sophomore goaltender Drew Owsley turned away all 32 of the Silvertips’ shots, while Everett netminder Kent Simpson did an admirable job blocking a majority of Tri City’s 40 shots. Final score: Tri City 3, Everett 0. Three Stars of the Game: 1. Drew Owsley (Tri City) 2. Justin Feser (Tri City) 3. Kent Simpson (Everett)
The Silvertips boarded a bus after last night’s game to travel to Chilliwack, BC. They face the Bruins tonight at 7:00 in their last game before the Christmas holiday. For more information on the ‘Tips’ home schedule, click here.
The Swift Current Broncos don’t visit Western Washington often, but they’ve left their mark on Comcast Arena, beating the Everett Silvertips the last two times they played here. Last night, the Silvertips made sure the third time wasn’t a charm for the boys from Saskatchewan.
The first period featured a lot of aggressive play by both teams, but not a lot of pressure for Everett netminder Kent Simpson, as the ‘Tips did a great job of shutting down the Broncos’ strong offense. Everett also kept Swift Current goaltender Mark Friesen busy, as they outshot the Broncos 2-to-1. All that shooting paid off. Daniel Iwanski found the back of the net 12:20 into the period. D. Jay McGrath got the assist. On the very next faceoff, Shane Harper teamed up with Chris Langkow to put the ‘Tips up by 2. (For anyone who’s counting, those two goals came 39 seconds apart). When the first period ended, the score remained: Everett 2, Swift Current 0. Shots on goal: Swift Current 6, Everett 12.
The second period featured more pushing and shoving, especially in front of each team’s net, and a number of hard hits into the boards, but this 20 minute block went by pretty quickly, as neither team seemed to be able to find a chink in the opposing goaltender’s armor. That is, until the final five minutes of the period. Everett center Chris Langkow slipped one past Mark Friesen at 15:55, with help from Daniel Iwanski and Scott MacDonald. The Silvertips rode a 3-goal lead into the locker room at the 40 minute mark. Shots on goal: Swift Current 6, Everett 9.
Swift Current came alive in the third period, dominating the ice and driving the action down to Everett’s end again and again. It seemed inevitable that the Broncos would eventually score, and about 8 minutes into the period, Cody Eakin finally got the best of Kent Simpson and put the Broncos on the board. Justin Dowling and Travis Bobbee were credited with the assists. Swift Current defenseman Jordan Evans scored his first goal of the season 7 minutes later on a power play, as D. Jay McGrath sat in the box, after being called for goaltender interference following a play where a Bronco apparently tripped McGrath, sending him crashing into Friesen. Many fans considered this an unfair penalty call and showed the referees their displeasure by booing loudly. The final four minutes of the third period turned into a major game of “keep away”, as the Silvertips fought to preserve their one-goal lead. Nearly every one of the 3738 people at Comcast Arena jumped to their feet to cheer on the ‘Tips during the final minute and with 5 seconds left on the clock, Swift Current desperately tried to tie things up, but the Silvertips prevailed. Final score: Everett 3, Swift Current 2. Shots on goal: Swift Current 8, Everett 2. The Three Stars of the Game: 1. Chris Langkow (Everett) 2. Daniel Iwanski (Everett) 3. Justin Dowling (Swift Current)
Notes: New Everett defenseman Curtis Kulchar joined the lineup for last night’s game. The Silvertips traded a 2011 5th round draft pick to acquire the 19-year-old from the Kamloops Blazers. According to a Silvertips news release, Kulchar has played with the Blazers, the Vancouver Giants and the Regina Pats. He’s from Martensville, Saskatchewan. Kulchar will have his work cut out for him, as several defensemen leave to take part in the World Junior Championships over the Christmas and New Year holidays, including standout Radko Gudas, who’s in the lineup for his home country, the Czech Republic.
For more information about the Everett Silvertips, click here.
The first time the Seattle Thunderbirds faced the Tri City Americans at home this season, goaltender Calvin Pickard played like gangbusters, stopping 57 of 57 shots to mark a 1-0 shutout win. That was back on October 2. Since then, Tri City has taken two from the T-Birds, including one that ended in a shootout. Last night, The Americans rolled back into ShoWare Center, looking for its third victory over Seattle. But they didn’t bargain on a team that’s been steadily improving, nearly 4,000 rabid fans… and Calvin Pickard. Pickard stopped 54 out of 55 shots, and a number of T-Birds stepped up to score, including two who recorded their first goals of the season.
Tri City got on the board first, just after 4 minutes into the first period. Neal Prokop scored, with help from Mason Wilgosh and Justin Feser. After that, the game turned into the T-Birds show. Mikhail Sentyurin scored his first goal this season, on a pass from Erik Fleming and Erik Bonsor. The first period went by pretty quickly, with Tri City nearly doubling Seattle in shots on goal (22-13), but Pickard and Tri City goaltender Drew Owsley stayed on their toes and both teams hit the locker rooms tied up 1-1.
The second period looked as though it would be a repeat of the first, with the Americans outshooting the T-Birds nearly 2 to 1, and Calvin Pickard blocking every shot. At the other end of the ice, Drew Owsley was playing just as hard and keeping T-Birds from scoring. More than half the period would go by before Seattle found a way past him. Prab Rai scored his 20th goal of the season at 13:05. Charles Wells and Jeremy Schappert assisted in this power play score. Scott Ramsay struck exactly four minutes later (at 17:05), notching his first goal in a T-Birds uniform, with help from Tyler Alos and Jeremy Schappert. The second period ended with Tri City still outshooting Seattle 18-9, but the T-Birds leading 2-1.
The third period got pretty chippy, as the Americans fought to tie things up. A number of penalties and one big fight involving several players set the tone for the final 20 minutes of regulation. Tyler Alos scored about 8 minutes in to put Seattle up 3-1. Jeremy Schappert was credited with the assist, for his third point of the game. About 3 minutes later, T-Birds Captain Lindsay Nielsen teamed up with Prab Rai and Charles Wells to put Seattle up 5-1. Sixty seconds after that, a brawl erupted on the ice. When the referees regained control, four players were slapped with various penalties: The Americans’ Jordan Messier was called for clipping, while Cody Castro received a 5 minute major for fighting. Zachary Yuen also got 5 minutes for fighting, as well as a game misconduct. T-Birds Brendan Rouse and Sena Acolatse received 5 minutes for fighting. Acolatse also got a game misconduct.
With 8 minutes left to play in regulation, Tri City pulled Drew Owsley out of net and replaced him with Brett Martyniuk, who kept the T-Birds from scoring again. But the damage was done, and when the clock ran out, T-Birds fans headed for the doors, talking about another exciting Seattle win and the amazing play by their sophomore goaltender. Final score: Seattle 5, Tri City 1. Total shots on goal: Tri City 55, Seattle 28. Three Stars of the Game: 1. Calvin Pickard 2. Jeremy Schappert 3. Tyler Alos.
The Seattle Thunderbirds drive up to Everett tonight to face the Silvertips at Comcast Arena. The puck drops at 7:05pm. For more information, click here.
The Seattle Thunderbirds are losing one of their tough defensemen. Steve Chaffin has decided to retire from hockey. In a news release from the team, Chaffin said, “I have enjoyed my three years with the T-Birds but after suffering multiple concussions, I have decided not to risk further injury.”
Chaffin’s latest injury came during a very physical match against the Kamloops Blazers on October 20 at ShoWare Center. During the first period, he took a hard hit that sent him crashing into the boards. He left the ice and did not return.
T-Birds General Manager Russ Farwell is sad to lose his big d-man. “Steve was a valuable member of our team and will be missed,” he said in a news release. “But this decision is in his long term best interest and we support his decision and wish him well.”
Chaffin played 17 games this season and posted 5 assists and 21 penalty minutes. He has a +/- rating of +1. In his 3 years with the T-Birds, Chaffin played a total of 100 games and registered 7 assists. He also racked up an impressive number of hits and defensive plays.
He will take advantage of the scholarship program offered by the Western Hockey League (WHL). Says Farwell, “Steve will take the rest of this year to determine his field of interest and will move on to make use of the WHL Scholarship.”
WHL players who are not drafted by an NHL team or signed to a pro team after completing their 20 year old seasons can elect to go to college, fully paid for by the WHL, for each year that they played in the league. Hundreds of colleges and universities take part in the WHL scholarship program.
T-Birds fans will sorely miss Chaffin manning the blue line, but surely wish him good health and good luck in whatever he decides to tackle next.
For more information on the Seattle Thunderbirds, their players, schedule and special events, click here.
To learn more about the WHL and its programs, click here.
There's a new Mitch Love blog up at the KING 5 site. This time, the Peoria Rivermen tough guy talks about returning to Houston (as the opponent!) and facing off against former Everett Silvertips teammate Riley Armstrong and his new team the Abbotsford Heat.
Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips fans helped raise at least $10,000 Saturday night, to help benefit the Lakewood Police Department’s Independent Guild. The money will be used to help support the families of four Lakewood police officers gunned down on November 29th. The money was donated during the game between the T-Birds and ‘Tips, which Seattle won, 3-2. $10,000 is a pretty heft amount to collect at any time, but not for the T-Birds organization. They want to do more. And they’re making it easy for fans to help.
This Wednesday (December 9th) between 9am and 9pm, 100% of every ticket sold online to Friday’s game between the T-Birds and Tri City Americans, will go to the Lakewood Police Department. You did not misread this. The Thunderbirds and ShoWare Center are donating 100% of proceeds from every ticket sold between 9am and 9pm on Wednesday, December 9th. Just go to www.seattlethunderbirds.com for more information about the online ticket special.
This note: The Tri City Americans sit atop the WHL’s US Division, whereas the T-Birds are in last place, but don’t let this fool you. Seattle beat Tri City 1-0 early in the season, with a thrilling performance by 17 year old goaltender Calvin Pickard. Calvin stopped 57 shots to shut out the Americans. Many fans can’t wait to see what happens next.
(Photo Courtesy: Mick White/Kent Valley Sports) - See more pix of the game by clicking here.
The sound of bagpipes evokes strong emotion among anyone who hears them. Lately, people living in Western Washington have heard that too much, as the community mourned the deaths of five police officers in the last two months. Last night, the sound of bagpipes filled ShoWare Center in a mournful song of remembrance, honor and tribute. Last night, the Seattle Thunderbirds invited the Lakewood Police Department’s Independent Guild to be part of their game against the Everett Silvertips. Last night, the T-Birds invited law enforcement officers from around the region to come to Kent and forget about their caseloads and their heavy hearts, even if only for a couple of hours. And last night, 4,694 fans showed their love and appreciation for the men and women who uphold the oath to “serve and protect.” (To see the story done by Tricia Manning-Smith and Michael Bachety of KING 5 TV, click here.)
Seattle struck quickly. Vancouver Canucks prospect Prab Rai teamed up with Lindsay Nielsen and Charles Wells to put the T-Birds up 1-0, just 6:19 into the first period. The three connected for the T-Birds’ second goal five minutes later during a power play, as Silvertip Tyler Maxwell sat out an interference call. The three dazzled with a tic tac toe effort that ended with Rai shooting the puck past Everett goalie Thomas Heemskerk. Seattle scored one more time in the first period, again on the power play. This time, Rasmus Rissanen sat in the box for hooking. This time, Brendan Rouse scored for the T-Birds, with help from Philadelphia Flyers prospect Sena Acolatse and Jonathan Parker. The T-Birds went to the locker room after the first period, sitting on a comfortable 3-0 lead. (SOG: Everett 8, Seattle 14)
The second period went by pretty quickly and with a lot of aggressive, back and forth play. The Silvertips drove the puck again and again into Seattle’s end and found a way past T-Birds goalie Calvin Pickard 3 minutes into the period. Los Angeles Kings prospect Tyler Maxwell drove up the ice and scored on an unassisted play. This period featured four penalties (2 for each team): Kellan Tochkin/Everett: high sticking at 5:01; Mikhail Sentyurin/Seattle: interference at 7:38; Zack Dailey/Everett: hooking at 17:32; Tyler Alos/Seattle: high sticking at 17:32. The second period ended with the T-Birds still in the lead, 3-1. (SOG: Everett 9, Seattle 13)
The Everett Silvertips really turned up the heat in the third period. They seemed to steal the puck again and again and keep the play in Seattle’s end. They even fired off some pretty dangerous shots at Pickard. A powerful one by Vancouver Canucks signee Kellan Tochkin hit the upper post of the net and bounced away. The T-Birds kicked up their play a notch to try to match the Silvertips’ aggressiveness. They found ways to knock the puck away from their net and into neutral territory. Players went toe to toe, digging for the puck. They missed passes, then regained control. The Silvertips found one more opportunity to score, on a power play at 14:22 while Brendan Rouse served a hooking penalty. Once more, Tyler Maxwell single-handedly took the puck to Seattle’s net and scored this 19th goal of the season. The ‘Tips were now within one goal of tying the game and had plenty of time in which do it. They turned on all the jets, but on this night, the T-Birds were not willing to lose their lead. Within the final minute and a half of the period, Prab Rai scored an empty-net goal that would have closed the door on the Silvertips’ efforts to tie things up, and give Rai a hat trick on the night. As a matter of fact, a few hats came flying out of the crowd before Tom Helm announced that the goal had been called back because the T-Birds were off-sides. That didn’t deter the T-Birds. And on this night, they would prevail. As the crowd counted down the final ten seconds in the third period, the Silvertips rushed the net. A T-Bird (I can’t remember who), got a piece of the puck and fired it down the ice. The game ended with the final score: Seattle 3, Everett 2. (SOG: Everett 11, Seattle 7. SOG for the game: Everett 28, Seattle 34).
A couple of notes: Prab Rai scored his 18th and 19th goals of the season. He’s riding a 9-game point streak and has scored in 7 of those 9 games. He leads the team with 35 points (19 goals + 16 assists), ten points ahead of Jonathan Parker, the next high scorer on the team. Tyler Maxwell is second in scoring for the Silvertips, with 19 goals and 11 assists for 30 goals. Shane Harper leads the team with 37 points (20 goals and 17 assists). Kellan Tochkin rounds out the top 3 scorers for Everett, with 25 points (6 goals and 19 assists).
The Seattle Thunderbirds have a week off, before facing the Tri City Americans next Friday, December 11 at ShoWare Center. You can find more information about the T-Birds’ schedule and players by clicking here. The Everett Silvertips welcome the Portland Winterhawks to Comcast Arena on Tuesday, December 8. You can find more information about the Silvertips’ schedule and players by clicking here.
Another note: After the game, the T-Birds invited all women at the game to come out onto the ice and shoot for a ham, courtesy of Fred Meyer. Hundreds of women took part in the challenge. I don’t know how many actually walked away with a ham.
