WHL Everett Silvertips

Silvertips Continue Record Season With Win

Published on March 10, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Everett Silvertips News Release


Portland, Ore. - The Everett Silvertips defeated the Portland Winter Hawks 3-0 on Friday night in the final meeting of the season between the two teams. With the victory, they assure themselves the distinction of posting the Western Hockey League's best record for the regular season. As for the season series against Portland, they win it 8-2; that includes going 5-0 in Portland. Everett's record overall is now 53-12-1-2 (109 pts) and 23-9-1-1 on the road.

Along with winning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy, the Silvertips produced yet another new milestone. Goaltender Leland Irving's tenth shutout of the season tonight not only ties him with former team goalie Michael Wall for most shutouts in one season, but his number - combined with fellow Tips net minder David Reekie's three - makes for a combined total of 13 breaking the previous record of 12. That was established during the 2004-2005 season when Wall posted ten shutouts and Irving recorded two. The 13 shutouts also mean that the Silvertips are now tied for third in the WHL record book for most shutouts in one season. They share that spot with the 2004-2005 Medicine Hat Tigers.

The opposite end of the spectrum from all of that though is goal scoring and the Silvertips got things rolling in that regard right off of the opening face-off tonight. They were able to produce some threatening chances within the first couple of minutes, and produced a goal to show for it at the 2:20 mark. Brandon Campos shuffled the puck to the front of the net where teammate Lukas Vartovnik was standing by. Vartovnik then slid the puck underneath the pads of Portland goaltender Kurtis Mucha. Along with Campos' primary assist, Dane Crowley was credited with the secondary.

The second period also saw Everett score an early goal. This time around it was at 4:14 and came as a result of a face-off. Shane Harper took the draw in the right circle of the Portland zone and won the puck back to Graham Potuer. From the point, Potuer fired a shot that made its way past Mucha. It was the first goal of the season - third of his career - for the defenseman.

Neither team was able to establish a solid advantage in the final 20-minutes. Everett successfully killed off a pair of Portland power plays throughout the period before Zach Hamill iced the win. The Winter Hawks pulled Mucha for the extra attacker to try and breakup Irving's shutout bid. However, Hamill was able to win a defensive zone face-off down the length of the ice to score the empty netter at 17:50.

The team stays on the road for their next game tomorrow night, March 10th, against the Tri-City Americans. The game will be the seventh of eight this regular season between the two teams, and it will also be the third of four meetings to be played in Kennewick, Wash. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:05 p.m. inside of the Toyota Center.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 10, 2007


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