KHS Gauntlet

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Tips in Transition

Tips in Transition

For six years now, the Everett Silvertips have torn up the ice, making it to the play-offs every season since the team’s inception, as an expansion team of the WHL (Western Hockey League), in 2003. With the young and extremely talented team, the Silvertips see a bright future ahead.
Although this past season has been plagued with injuries, it gave way for more players to show what they are made of. Zack Dailey, the captain of the team, said “Taylor Ellington (alternate captain) has improved a lot over the season. He has a big impact.” Ellington, who was just recently signed with the Vancouver Canucks, is widely known as a fighter and a big hitter.
Another player known for great defense, big hits, and fights is alternate captain, Graham Potuer. He got his start in Red Deer, Alberta when he was three and a half years old.
“Personally, it has been a better year. I’ve stepped up my game more and I’ve gotten more points.” He says.
Potuer hopes to go to college in Canada, “college is very important because if you don’t go to school and you get hurt; you’re out of luck. I always put education in front of hockey.” He also hopes to play in upper leagues of hockey. One of the reasons Potuer fights is that he feels the need to protect his teammates, kind of like a big brother protecting his younger brothers. “Whenever there is a cheap shot on one of my teammates, you need to protect them.”
Zack Dailey got his start when he was six years old living in Alaska. He hopes to go to college and play hockey at places like the University of Alberta or the University of British Columbia and maybe even play hockey in Europe. As a team they play ping-pong and X-box. Dailey also likes to play basketball, where Potuer and Tochkin enjoy golf over the summer.
“I think I’ve improved offensively since playing (on the same line) with Shane Harper over this season. But the team needs to work on consistency.” Dailey stated.
Kellan Tochkin, whom plays right wing, agreed with Dailey saying, “I think we need to get a little more consistent.”
Kellan Tochkin, an eighteen year old right wing from Abbotsford, British Columbia, has had a great year. He won the Silvertips “Rookie of the Year Award.” The “kid line,” as named by the Everett Herald, is one of the most offensive lines on the Silvertips; it scored a total of six points on the March 13th winning game over Vancouver. The members of the “kid line” include Kellan Tochkin, Tyler Maxwell, and Byron Froese.
Head Coach John Becanic believes “the team needs to get a little stronger and compete to be more physical,” in general.
Since the plague of injuries began in early February, “the team has hit a rough patch with six or seven injuries.” Coach Becanic stated.
With so many injuries this past season only four players were given the “Iron Man Award” on March 14th’s ceremony. Those players were Shane Harper, Kellan Tochkin, Byron Froese, and Zack Dailey.
Although injuries are certainly not a good thing, they do help the other lines to improve and along with that came the discovery of Cameron Abney, a six foot four inch right wing from Aldergrove, British Columbia. He has shown himself to be willing to fight, willing to hit big, and has shown great skating ability.
Associate Head Coach, Jay Varady said “Abney is hard working and physical. He has a lot of talent that we are yet to see.”
“Cameron Abney and Byron Froese are some of the players that I’ve seen improve a lot over the season,” Coach Becanic pointed out.
Dailey, Potuer, and Tochkin all agree that (Shane) Harper has improved this past season.
“Harper has certainly stepped up his game this season. He is the second top goal scorer.” Potuer added.
With all of the injuries this season, the team needs the support of fans more than ever; it is a good thing then that the Everett Silvertip fans are known as the craziest and most loyal fans in the WHL.
Dailey explain that “it is nuts at home games. It gets loud. It’s lucky to have such great fans.”
Tochkin replied, “It helps and it is fun.”
Potuer agreed saying “we certainly have the best fans in the WHL. The cheers are so loud.”
Also when asked how he deals with the boos on away ice and even when opposing teams’ fans come to the home games, Potuer responded, “Our last coach, Coach Constantine, always told us that every boo was a cheer. Because when fans boo, it means that you are doing something that they don’t like, which is good.”
Now, some may wonder if the players actually get to read the signs that the fans make; and the answer is yes if you sit close enough they do get to see them. Dailey’s favorite sign was “when Kyle Beach came to play us after being traded to Lethbridge earlier this season, there was a sign over the opposing teams’ penalty box that said reserved for Kyle Beach.”
Kyle Beach was a major fighter when he played for the Silvertips and spent a lot of time in the penalty box. In Beach’s 2007-2008 season with the Silvertips, he spent a total of 222 minutes in the penalty box.
Tochkin’s favorite sign was even funnier. In 2008, the Spokane Chiefs won the Memorial Cup and while passing it around someone dropped it and it broke in half.
“I saw a sign once and it said if Spokane gets the cup, we all get a piece,” laughed Tochkin.
Each year, there are certain of number of players that leave the team for any number of reasons; one is that some players that are too old to play on the team. Daniel Bartek, Taylor Ellington, Graham Potuer are the players that, unfortunately, fall into this category, fans hate to see them leave, they have made a great impact on the team and on the fans.
“Pre-season is like an audition. We use the pre-season to see which player is going to fill which role,” stated Coach Varady.
But, for now, they are just focusing on the play-offs that start on Friday, March 20th against the Tri-Cities Americans on away ice.
“There are a lot of fights,” says Dailey as a response as to why Kamiak students should go out and support the Silvertips.
Even though the regular season is over, doesn’t mean you can’t support them next season!
-Erin Long

Friday, March 20, 2009

Lonely Island Videos!

Enjoy! [Warning: some material not appropriate for all ages.]

The Lonely Island Episode 1: White Power!
This exploration of the addictive power of teeth whitening is some of the Lonely Island’s earliest work. It has been viewed over a million times.

Hope
Casey’s choice! One word: inspirational.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLNcuVia9A0&feature=channel_page

Nintendo Cartoon Hour
Nineties-era video game characters resort to murder and general violence in this production by the Dudes.

People Getting Punched Just Before Eating
Julianne’s choice! This digital short from SNL features Andy punching unsuspecting victims who are---you guessed it---just about to eat. Ultimately it results in crazy zombie dancing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILvkEHQPHHg&NR=1

The 'Bu
The ‘Bu is an eight-part series that mercilessly mocks The O.C. and features a talking squirrel (voiced by Taccone). Sarah Chalke of “Scrubs” guest stars.

Ka-Blamo!
In one of their first songs, the Dudes classify things as “kablamo” and “not kablamo.” (Your mouthwash is gargly=kablamo. You majored in pottery=NOT kablamo.)

Bing Bong Brothers
Judd’s choice! The Lonely Island perfectly captures the lecherous essence of “creepy old guy” in this parody of the Ying Yang Twins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4iiyRv_NrQ

The Legend of Anders Pants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y_GdDSA3uA

Stork Patrol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH9giCg3Nro

News Getters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgF_eRkfqEY&feature=related

Perfecto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_W7d9LNNns

Andy Samberg's Epic Freestyle Rap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgiUAFN3ang&feature=related

oops oh my

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCxx6WjHMH0

The Lonely Island-Peppers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If_CeaQKejM

The Hot Seat!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55Ygd6tdAcU

the Thuggish Ruggish Bone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23p7OeFWq6c

Anger Managment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8JDsNaktK4

Vanilla Sky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf2ep4-eeQ8