Playoff Picture: Silvertips keep impressive postseason streak alive

Founded in 2003, the Everett Silvertips have qualified for the playoffs each year in franchise history.

It will be no different this spring as Friday’s 2-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds punched the club’s ticket to the playoffs where it will look to build on last year’s showing in which after eliminating the Tri-City Americans in the opening round the Silvertips fell in a hard-battled five-game set versus the Spokane Chiefs.

Dominant between the pipes, the Silvertips are backed by Calgary Flames prospect Dustin Wolf, a seventh-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft who after leading all netminders with the top save percentage and goals-against average a year ago continues to shine in the blue paint this season as he once again tops the charts in both columns while his stat line also shows a WHL-leading eight shutouts.

It's a great day to be the @WHLsilvertips! They're headed to the #WHLPlayoffs for a 17th-straight season!

DETAILS 📰 | https://t.co/6Q7jOqEDNq pic.twitter.com/TiMpxhKuHd

— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 15, 2020

Beyond Wolf, the well-balanced Silvertips lineup also includes key cogs like veteran forward Bryce Kindopp plus NHL drafted prospects in Cole Fonstad and Gianni Fairbrother, both draft choices of the Montreal Canadiens, as well as Philadelphia Flyers up-and-comer Wyatte Wylie.

In all, it marks the 17th consecutive season in which Everett will compete for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. The franchise has twice advanced to the championship final, doing so in its inaugural campaign and most recently in 2018.

Sitting second in the WHL’s U.S. Division with a 35-12-3-1 record and 74 points, the Silvertips are the third WHL squad to punch their ticket to the postseason behind the Portland Winterhawks and Edmonton Oil Kings.

Across the CHL, five other clubs have clinched, including the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s plus four teams from the QMJHL in the Moncton Wildcats, Chicoutimi Sagueneens, Rimouski Oceanic, and the Sherbrooke Phoenix, who have secured first place in the Central Division.