Seattle at Everett Preview

Just a short preview tonight. Seattle goes for its second win in a row over the Silvertips tonight. It will be a tall order coming up with a win in the Comcast Arena tonight (the cable box) as Everett has decided to hand out a few thousand "extra" cowbells tonight before the game.

As in most Seattle games this year the outcome will likely come down to shots on goal and the special teams units.

Everett is surprisingly not great on the Power Play at home, something that has been their trademark in the past several years. Everett ranks 12th on the PP at home (certainly not horrible) scoring 17 times in 90 chances (18.9%). That does rank in the top 7 in PP chances at home. Seattle must stay out of the penalty box tonight in order to win.

Seattle is horrible on the PP in opposing teams buildings ranking 20th in the league going 7 for 75 (9.3%). This fact is pretty much a non-factor in the ball game unless Seattle manages a couple of PP goals, which should signal a win.

In addition, Everett is excellent at killing the PP while at home having surrendered only 10 power play goals in 80 chances (87.5%). I wouldn't expect much from the Seattle PP tonight.

Seattle ranks 9th in killing penalties on the road having surrendered 12 goals in 69 chances on the road (82.6%). These numbers have slipped since Scott Jackson was injured, seeing Seattle fall from the top 3 in overall Penalty Kill to 8th in the WHL.

-Jackson is a hot button issue for a lot of fans, but the fact is that this team has not played well since he went down with the high ankle sprain. Signs have pointed to Jackson returning for tonight's game and Todd Panchyson being released. However... Seattle has not issued any kind of press release and as I am writing this Panchyson is still listed on the Seattle roster.

-Who starts in goal tonight for Seattle?? Well I guess that might be up in the air. I would expect the older Helenius to be back in net for Seattle, but Jacob DeSerres has been very good lately and beat Everett in the shootout last weekend in Seattle. My guess... is still Helenius.

-Seattle is lead by Bud Holloway who has taken over the team lead in points with 10 goals, 11 assists and a +3. Thomas Hickey is 2nd on the team with 7 goals, 11 assists and a +5.

-Everett is lead by Kyle Beach who has 19 goals, 20 assists, a -4 rating and 99 PIM's. Zach Hamill also has 10 goals, 21 assists and a -6 rating.

-Everett is expected to get Dane Crowley and Dan Gendur back for the game as well. Everett is likely to have Shayne Barrie in goal with Leland Irving returning from the Canada-Russia Challenge game.