Road Tips: Day Ten
Good evening from downtown Calgary!
A very happy Thursday evening to you, wherever you may be – in the case of thirty or so intrepid “RoadTippers”, that would probably be Calgary. It’s great to see the support and encouragement when we walk through the lobby, or hear the cowbells clanging when we load up the bus and head out of the visiting arenas. We hope that all of the ‘Tips fans out here in Alberta are able to get enough sleep tonight so that they are well-rested for the long haul back to Washington. There is snow in the forecast in the higher elevations of the Rockies over the next several days, so be careful!
One group that has been known to rack up the miles on their car is the Froese family – they actually remind me of myself when I was 22 years old and traveled all around the US going to Phish concerts everywhere from Chula Vista, California to Limestone, Maine. The Froeses have been following the Silvertips along the swing, much as they did last year when the ‘Tips were out east in the central provinces (though they opted to fly this time). We’ve also seen them in Everett, Vancouver, and in quite a few U.S. Division cities. They were there in the stands in North Dakota when Byron had a breakthrough performance at the World Under-18s last spring, just a short haul from Winkler, Manitoba, and after doing a little bit of research I’m sure they’ll be happy to know that Winkler is only 862 miles and approximately 13 hours from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
The team needed some time to relax today, and practice was reserved for players who needed to get a bit of extra work in. While most of the players had the day off, there were still some stretches orchestrated by Athletic Trainer Chris Walker, which should have the boys in tip top shape for a good challenge Friday evening at the Saddledome. Both mentally and physically, the team has been through a grind since they left Everett a week and a half ago, and after today’s rejuvenation the focus level should be very high, as it has consistently been under Coach Hartsburg. I remember last year’s effort to end the East Division roadtrip might have been the best work ethic the team showed all season, and they were rewarded with a 3-2 victory in Swift Current in a major gut check game.
Congratulations to Brian of Marysville for being the first one to correctly name Campbell Elynuik as having been born in Silver Spring, Maryland. Campbell, was born just outside of D.C. while his father, Pat, was playing for the Capitals. The answer came in at 9:53 AM Everett time this morning and was one of the first of 48 total answers we received. 14 people answered Campbell correctly, including Equipment Manager James Stucky, while the rest of the answers ran the spectrum, all the way from former Silvertip center Carter Smith to Account Executive Ron Graham. Brian will be winning tickets to an upcoming Tips game as well as a puck signed by Campbell. Thanks to everyone who submitted a response!
Well, it’s going to be a challenging one on Friday, but the team should be ready. We’ll have all the news and notes, scores and stats for you beginning at 5:35 pm Pacific time on the Everett Bone and Joint Pre-Game Show, followed by a 6:05 pm Washington State Lottery Drop of the Puck. Let’s go ‘Tips!
