New Interviews with Zach Hamill and Graham Potuer

I love talking to people, but I love talking to people and sharing it with the world even more. Recently, I got to chat with a couple of former Everett Silvertips. Well, one is more "former" than the other. Zach Hamill played this past season with the Providence Bruins (Boston's AHL team) and is at Boston's prospects camp right now. Graham Potuer wrapped up his 5th and final season with the 'Tips this year. He's now working a summer job and waiting to start school in the fall. He's committed to play for the University of Calgary's hockey team and study.

Of the two players, I think I'll miss Graham more, mainly because I didn't start really going to Silvertips games until this past season and Zach was already gone. I did see Graham play each time I went, and he played the same each time: all out, leaving everything on the ice. He and Taylor Ellington made such a great defensive team on the ice, it's sad to see them both go.

Both Zach and Graham were fun interviews, very talkative and extremely nice. I've posted links to the interviews below and as always, welcome your feedback.

Graham Potuer/Photo: SPMsportspage.com

Graham Potuer interview

http://blogs.king5.com/sports/2009/07/whl-catching-up-with-former-si.html

Zach Hamill/Photo: Providence Bruins

Zach Hamill interview

http://blogs.king5.com/sports/2009/07/ahlwhl-catching-up-with-former-1.html

Silvertips lose crucial Game 4 to Tri City, 4-1

The Everett Silvertips find themselves in a very precarious position this morning. Like their brethren down I-5, the Seattle Thunderbirds, the 'Tips are down 3 games to 1 in their playoff series against the Tri City Americans. Tonight, they face the daunting task of trying to win on Tri City's home ice to force a Game 6 back at Comcast Arena.

Tri City, on the other hand, has a more pressing matter to deal with. Rookie Spencer Asuchak hit the boards hard in the final minutes of the game- and after lying on the ice for a frightening ten minutes, was carted off on a stretcher, loaded into an ambulance and taken to the hospital for evaluation. We still don't know the extent of his injuries. I will post an update as soon as I find out.

Now, back to the game. It started out well enough. From my vantage point right behind Everett's bench, I could see the determination on the Silvertips' faces and they played with determination as well. Maybe they started out with a little too much. Captain Zack Dailey was called for checking from behind about 1:30 into the first period. There was a mad scrum around Everett's net two minutes later, and the puck hovered dangerously close to Silvertips' goalie Thomas Heemskerk's feet and no one seemed to notice it for several long seconds. Then an Everett stick swept the puck out of danger.

There were several Tri City penalties in succession but Everett could not capitalize on the power play until the ten minute mark. Daniel Bartek deflected a hard shot by Tyler Ellington right past Tri City goalie Chet Pickard to put the Silvertips up 1-0. Chris de la Lande also assisted in the goal.

The rest of the first period featured a lot of action at Everett's end of the ice. Thomas Heemskerk made a number of good saves, including one at 16:43 as he fell on the puck. Jesse Burt, Zack Dailey and Tyler Maxwell delivered some monster hits, along with d-men Graham Potuer and Tyler Ellington. In the final minute of the first period, Daniel Bartek made a great run at Tri City's net, but Chet Pickard blocked him. Dan Iwanski slapped two hard shots at goal with 20 seconds on the clock, but Pickard turned those away, too. The first period ended with Everett on top 1-0.

The second period had barely gotten under way when Tri City found itself in penalty trouble. Taylor Procyshen was called for checking from behind at 1:04. A minute and a half later, teammate Riley McIntosh went to the box for tripping. The Silvertips' two man advantage didn't last long, though, as Tyler Maxwell was called for goaltender interference at the 3 minute mark.

It took less than a minute after that for Tri City to finally get on the board, albeit in a controversial way. A flurry of activity around Everett's goal seemed to knock the net slightly off its moorings. At the same time, another player ended up going INTO the net with the puck. The referees called for an instant replay. (NOTE: Instant replay is not used during regular season WHL games, but is being used during the playoffs) Guess what? It counted! Johnny Lazo got credit for the goal. Mitch Fadden and Lane Werbowski were credited with assists. Comcast Arena erupted into a chorus of 'BOO's at this point; the crowd, definitely not happy with the call.

Everett tried a few good runs at Tri City's net, urged on by the thousands of cowbells in the arena. But the 'Tips ran into penalty trouble again. Tyler Maxwell went to the box for tripping at 5:53. Zack Dailey was called for interference at 7:45. Thomas Heemskerk really stepped up, blocking shot after shot after shot. In fact, my notes read: "good stop Heemskerk @ 7:25", "good catch by Heemskerk @ 8:50", "good set-up by TC, better stop by Heemskerk @ 9:29".

Just after the halfway mark of the second period, Tri City's Jarrett Toll found a second home in the penalty box. At 11:43, he was called for high sticking. He had just left the box when he was sent back for interference. Five minutes later, he visited the box again, this time for delay of game, after flipping the puck right over the glass and into the crowd.

The Silvertips could not capitalize on any of their power plays, even though they had some good scoring chances. On the other end of the ice, Heemskerk continued his stellar play, stopping several shots and denying Tri City any opportunities to pull ahead. Chet Pickard made a key save for the Americans at the 19 minute mark, and the second period ended with things all tied up at 1-1.

I became a little distracted during the third period by a group of fans sitting to my left. Let's just say they were really enjoying themselves and had imbibed maybe a little too much. Unfortunately, they became very rowdy, surly and abusive. And very loud. The others around me and I tried to ignore them as best we could and follow the game. I was surprised that the team could ignore them. We were right behind their bench and some of the unruly fans had extremely loud and piercing voices, including one woman who seemed bent on teaching every child in her general vicinity some choice new words.

Back to the game. Just under two minutes into the third period, the puck flew toward the Everett bench and nearly hit a photographer in the head. He ducked just in time and laughed off the close call. The play was very aggressive this period, right off the bat. Silvertips hit everyone they came across and their feeling of frustration was palpable. The faces sitting on the bench in front of me were grim, determined.

At 7:32, Tri City's Johnny Lazo drove the puck toward Everett's net so hard, he ended up skating into goalie Thomas Heemskerk. The refs quickly stepped in as Silvertips converged around Lazo, but oddly, did not call him for goalie interference. Heemskerk made several good stops as action continued down in Everett's end before the Tips found a way into Tri City's zone. Chet Pickard stopped two successive shots at 9:35; the first by Dan Iwanski, followed by Zack Dailey with the rebound. Dailey was a human cannon ball. He skates so quickly, he's a blur. And the shots he leveled last night, belie his small stature (the roster lists him at 5'6" tall). Thomas Heemskerk made a good save at 12:05, and before Tri City could attempt another shot, Cameron Abney was there to knock a player and the puck away from Heemskerk.

Tri City found the net again at 12:50. Tyler Schmidt took a blocked shot and rebounded it into an open area of the net on Heemskerk's left. 36 seconds later, Mitch Fadden scored the exact same way, after assisting Schmidt on his goal. Jason Reese also got a helper for both goals. With just under six minutes to play, d-man Graham Potuer took a hit or something that sent him crumpling to the ice. I watched him try to get up and fall again. He finally crawled to the Everett bench, where another player helped him off the ice. A trainer took over and helped Potuer to the locker room. I don't know thow badly he's hurt.

Play grew even more aggressive in the final five minutes of the third. Once again, Everett got into penalty trouble and Tri City took advantage. Taylor Ellington was called for holding at 15:25. A minute later, Jason Reese scored on the power play. Taylor Procyshen and Tyler Schmidt were credited with the assists.

With 2:29 left to play, rookie Spenser Asuchak hit the boards hard, and fell onto the ice. I saw him propped up on his elbows, talking to the trainer. Then he went limp and lay still as Tri City and Everett's trainers looked him over. His right foot wriggled several times, then stopped. The crowd was silent as we watched a player skate out with a backboard, which they placed on the ice next to Asuchak.

Several more long minutes passed, broken up by some very loud and crude comments by a woman sitting behind me. There was no doubt that everyone inside Comcast Arena heard the things she said, the tamest of which accused Asuchak of not being hurt, and calling him a few rude names. In hindsight, I should have turned around and asked this woman her name so I could print it here. That way, anyone who knows her would be able to tell her just how stupid, rude and nasty she was last night.

Paramedics arrived ten minutes after Asuchak's fall, and gingerly placed him on a stretcher, making sure his head and neck were fully braced. Then, they wheeled him slowly off the ice and into a waiting ambulance, as the crowd at Comcast Arena applauded and players banged their sticks in support.

Asuchak's injury and Tri City's three goals seemed to take the wind out of the game for the Silvertips. They tried a last push at Chet Pickard with no success, and time ran out. Final score: Tri City 4, Everett 1. The shots on goal really tell the story here. Chet Pickard stopped 23 of 24 shots for Tri City. Thomas Heemskerk stopped 51 of 55 shots for Everett. He was named the Number One Star of the Game. Number 2 was Mitch Fadden and Number 3, Jason Reese, both from Tri City.

The Silvertips travel to Kennewick tonight for that crucial Game 5 against Tri City. The puck drops at 7:05pm. If you cannot make the drive to the Tri Cities for the game, tune your radio to North Sound 1380AM for Jon Rosen's stellar play by play coverage.

Bittersweet Loss for Silvertips; Fall 3-2 to Chilliwack

Emotions ran high on the ice and in the stands at Comcast Arena last night for the Everett Silvertips’ final home game of the regular season against the Chilliwack Bruins. The game was sold out, yet people braved the icy wind blowing outside the Arena, hoping to score a ticket.  I thanked my lucky stars that I had bought my ticket earlier in the week.  I ended up in a great location, Section 108, Row 6, Seat 10. It’s four rows up from center ice in what the arena calls the “club section.”  (One perk, you don’t have to get up to buy food; someone can do that for you, so you don’t miss a second of action).  

I ended up next to a nice woman whose family have been season ticket holders for years.  She knew all of the players and had a great grasp of the game.  At first, she thought I was a Chilliwack fan because I was there alone.  I quickly pointed out my green shirt and white tank top, Silvertips colors.  The Bruins are black and gold, like the Boston team for which they’re named.  Once we got that settled, we sat back to enjoy the game.

Right off the opening puck drop, both teams played at a furious pace.  The puck seemed to whiz from one end to the other, players racing to keep up with it.  I noticed lots of hits being leveled by both teams.  Early in the period, the pace of play sent a Chilliwack player crashing into Everett’s net, knocking goalie Kent Simpson flat.  About four minutes into the period, a play near the Everett net knocked Chilliwack’s Ryan Howse (#22) to the ice.  He remained on the ice for several minutes while trainers checked him out.  Two of his teammates lifted him to his feet and one helped him skate off the ice into the locker room.  I noticed that he kept his right leg lifted and just let his teammate glide him off the ice.  The bad thing about injuries is that you never hear exactly what’s wrong, because coaches don’t want to tip off opponents to any perceived weaknesses.  I’m going to guess he will end up having a “lower body injury”, when all is said and done.  It looked like an ankle or knee problem to me.

Play got pretty chippy here.  Players were hitting each other all over the place. I mean, every player was leveling hits any chance they could get.  Chilliwack got on the board first, about 12 minutes into the first period.  David Robinson (#18) snuck it past Simpson. Kevin Sundher (#9) was credited with the assist.  The Bruins struck again, with about six seconds left in the period, when Everett’s Ryan White went to the box for interference.  This time, Sundher scored, with help from David Robinson and Dylen McKinlay (#19).  The first period ended with Chilliwack up 2-0.

*Interesting note:  the referees left the ice to the left of where I sat.  As they walked past, I noticed one ref pull a puck out of his pocket and hand it to a young girl who was peering over the railing.  The girl looked to be about 4 years old.  I thought that was a sweet gesture from someone who spends pretty much every hockey game being booed.

The second period started with a change in net for the Silvertips.  Kent Simpson was out, replaced by Thomas Heemskerk.  This period featured more hitting and a faster pace, if this could be possible.  Heemskerk made a few good saves and took a hit, when teammate Mike Alexander accidentally knocked fellow Silvertip Campbell Elynuik into the net.  Everyone shook themselves off and play continued.  At the 9:07 mark, Chilliwack’s Brandon Manning (#32) was called for cross-checking, setting Everett up on a power play.  Kellan Tochkin rose to the occasion, finding the net a minute later and sending the puck through.  Tyler Maxwell got the assist.

More hits, pushing and shoving ensue here.  The Bruins’ David Robinson (#18) seemed to be spoiling for a fight and tried to pick on with Ryan White.  The refs stepped in and separated the two, and dispersed other players who had converged around them.  Shortly after that, Chilliwack’s Matthew Ius (#27) went to the box for roughing and the Silvertips wasted no time taking advantage of the situation.  This time, D-man Taylor Ellington sent a shot flying into the net, on a pass from Byron Froese and Kellan Tochkin.

Chilliwack got called for two more penalties and Everett went to the box for one, but neither team could capitalize on their respective power plays, so the second period ended with things all tied up at 2-2.

The third period featured more physical play, and both teams fighting to keep the play in their opponent’s end.  Neither team lost focus nor energy and it would only be a matter of time before one team scored to pull ahead.  On this night, Chilliwack would prevail.  Just under eight minutes into the third period, Dylen McKinlay got past Thomas Heemskerk, putting the Bruins up 3-2. No matter how hard the Silvertips tried, they could not find a way to tie things up.  They pulled Heemskerk late to give themselves an extra attacker on the ice.  But as time ran out, the score remained: Chilliwack 3, Everett 2.

As the Bruins celebrated on the ice, the Silvertips grouped together and skated around the rink, raising their sticks in salute to the fans who have supported them from Day One.  The crowd responded by cheering more loudly than I’d heard through the entire game (and believe me, they were pretty loud throughout the game).   

The 3 Stars of the Game:   1. Kellan Tochkin (1 goal, 1 assist), 2. Kevin Sundher (Chilliwack- 1 goal, 1 assist), 3. Taylor Ellington (1 goal).

Following the game, the ‘Tips remained on the ice.  First, the team paid tribute to three players who would not be returning next year, because they have reached the WHL age limit:

Defenseman Taylor Ellington (#3).  Ellington played his entire WHL career with Everett. This 20 year old was drafted 33^rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.  He’ll most likely play for the Canucks’ ECHL affiliate, the Victoria Salmon Kings, which is good news for Taylor, as he’s from Victoria.  In an interview earlier this week, Taylor told me about being drafted by his favorite team (Vancouver). You can read the interview by clicking here.

Defenseman Graham Potuer (#8).  Potuer also played all four years in Everett. This 20 year old was an Alternate Captain for this year’s Silvertips, along with Ellington.  The native of Red Deer, Alberta, has not decided on the next move in his hockey future, although college remains a consideration.

Center Daniel Bartek (#29).  Bartek joined the Silvertips at the start of this season in a trade with the Brandon Wheat Kings, for a fourth round draft pick in the 2009 Bantam Draft.  The 20 year old is from Olomouc in the Czech Republic.  It’s not clear what he plans to do next, although I’ve heard that college is also possibly in his future.

The tribute was followed by presentation of player awards. 

MVP:  Two players received this award:  Right Wing Shane Harper (#11) and D-Man Taylor Ellington (#3).  Harper has played an amazing regular season.  In 70 games, he’s amassed 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points.  That surpassed the team record for most points scored by a Rookie, which was held by Kyle Beach.  Ellington was honored not only for his amazing play, but also his leadership and for being such a wonderful mentor for younger players. 

Rookie of the Year:  Right Wing Kellan Tochkin (#16).  Tochkin leads the WHL in Rookie scoring. In 70 games, he has 20 goals and 54 assists for 74 points.  If you haven’t seen this kid play, you need to. His star is rising quickly.  Tochkin was the first Silvertip I interviewed this year. You can read about his journey to the WHL by clicking here.

Most Improved:  Right Wing Cameron Abney (#26). This 17 year old has worked hard to improve his skating and puck handling skills.  Extra training sessions before and after practice have paid off for this hard hitting player, who ends the regular season with one goal and 3 assists.  In an interview two weeks ago, Cameron told me about his extra training sessions and his desire to be more than a hitter.  You can read that interview by clicking here.

Unsung Hero:  Defenseman Graham Potuer (#8).  He led the team in blocked shots and pretty much makes an impact every time he steps on the ice.  Last night, the announcer said his number may not be on many fans’ jerseys, but he is the backbone of the team.  Funny thing. I saw more Graham Potuer jerseys where I was sitting than anyone else.

Coaches’ Award:  Center Byron Froese (#14).  Byron joined the Silvertips on September 18, 2008 and made his impact felt right away. He’s been a key player all season and has 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points. 

Iron Man Award:  Four players were recognized for playing in the first 71 games of the season: Center Zack Dailey (#21), RW Kellan Tochkin (#16), C Byron Froese (#14), RW Shane Harper (#11) (Read interview with Shane Harper here)

Scholastic Player of the Year Award:  This was given to Center Tyler Maxwell (#9) for his achievements in high school.  Several players are still in school and must combine a grueling playing schedule with classes and work hard to keep their grades up.  Byron seems to have had the most fun in Drama.  To see what happened when KING 5 cameras went to class with Byron and several other ‘Tips, click here.

Community Relations Award:  The was presented to C Byron Froese and D-Man Shayne Brown (#5) shared this award, which highlights their work in the community, which ranged from reading to elementary children to other appearances within the community.

The Silvertips wrap up the regular season tonight against the Seattle Thunderbirds at ShoWare Center.  The puck drops at 5:05pm. And I'll be there.