Despite a record-breaking postseason from Julius Miettinen and a dominant 73-win run, the Everett Silvertips’ historic campaign ended in a bittersweet championship defeat to the Kitchener Rangers.
It was a disappointing end to a stellar season as Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen and the Everett Silvertips fell short in the Memorial Cup championship game. The Kitchener Rangers took home the hardware with a 6-2 victory.
The Silvertips, led by Miettinen, Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear, Anaheim Ducks prospect Tarin Smith, and Landon Dupont played 86 games through the regular and post seasons with a record of 73-10-2-1. They never lost back-to-back games.
When asked about his Playoff MVP award during Silvertips' exit interviews, Miettinen deflected, saying “I wouldn’t have done that without the guys…that was for us, it wasn’t for me.” Crediting his line mates Matias Vanhanen and Carter Bear for his success. During the post-season, Miettinen set the record for points by a Finnish player, with line mate Vanhanen coming in just behind him. It is a special achievement that he hopes help encourage more Finnish players to take a chance on North American leagues.
Next season, Miettinen will most likely be making his professional debut with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
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