WHL Everett Silvertips

Silvertips Win 14th Straight, Set Franchise Record

Published on February 2, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Everett Silvertips News Release


With a 2-1 victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers Saturday night, the Western Hockey League-s Everett Silvertips set a franchise record by winning their 14th consecutive game, surpassing the 13-game winning streak set early in the 2006-07 season. Everett finished January with a perfect 14-0 record, outscoring their opponents 54-32.

Under Vice President / General Manager Doug Soetaert and Head Coach Craig Hartsburg, the Silvertips enter play this week with a record of 33-16-2-1, compiling the second most points in the Western Conference.

-It-s been a team-wide effort. We-ve received solid goaltending every night, our defense has played really strong as a group, and our forwards have provided a good effort with timely goals from different people,- Hartsburg said.

The goaltending has provided a strong backbone for Everett-s recent play. Kent Simpson, 6-2 and projected as a late first round draft pick, was 7-0 with a 2.54 GAA and.913 save percentage, while Thomas Heemskerk, signed in September by the San Jose Sharks, was 7-0 with a 1.82 GAA and.936 save percentage in January. The Silvertips gave up more than three goals just once in January, a 6-5 shootout victory over the Tri-City Americans on January 2nd that started the 14 consecutive wins.

The defense has also proven to be amongst the stingiest in the Western Hockey League, ranking third in the league with just 139 goals allowed, an average of 2.67 goals against per game. Czech national and World Junior Championship participant Radko Gudas remains one of the toughest defensemen to play against in the WHL and has compiled a +30 rating, while his defensive partner, Ryan Murray, returned from Team West at the Under-17 Hockey Challenge to add two goals and five assists for seven points in eleven January games. Murray, who will not be draft-eligible until 2012, has recorded points in 19 of 32 games this season.

The Silvertips received several standout individual performances throughout the month, led by Byron Froese and Shane Harper, who both set a franchise record with goals in six straight games. Harper, a 20 year old forward out of Valencia, California, tallied 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points and a +12 throughout January and will look to become the first Silvertip in club history to score in seven straight games when Everett travels to Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena Wednesday evening to take on the Spokane Chiefs.

The Silvertips return home to Comcast Arena on Saturday, February 6th to host the rival Spokane Chiefs. For ticketing information, including group rates and packages, please call the Silvertips offices at (425) 252-5100. Silvertips information and analysis can always be found at www.everettsilvertips.com on Facebook at the Everett Silvertips Hockey Club fan page, and via Twitter at @WHLsilvertips.

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 2, 2010


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