GAME RECAP: Silvertips clinch home-ice advantage in first round, roar past ‘Hawks 7-3
EVERETT, Wash. — The Everett Silvertips locked up home-ice advantage for the first round of the Western Hockey League Playoffs by earning a momentous 7-3 win over the Portland Winterhawks in front of 6,983 fans at Angel of the Winds Arena.
Niko Huuhtanen kicked off a wild first period by scoring just 1:07 into play, wiring a wrist shot home on a delayed penalty to give the Tips an early lead. Gabe Klassen answered for the Winterhawks at 5:03 with his 31st tally of the year. Portland then grabbed the lead just a minute later as a Clay Hanus backhander from the corner snuck through Braden Holt for a 2-1 advantage.
Jackson Berezowski knotted the score at two with a powerplay goal at 11:16 in the first, banging in a rebound for his 42nd goal of the campaign. The Winterhawks picked up a third goal at 12:04, as a defensive zone face-off win by the Silvertips kicked off the skates of Ty Gibson and through the wickets of Holt. With Holt pulled in favor of Koen MacInnes, the Silvertips again battled back to tie the game at 12:47 as Michal Gut slipped a low shot through Taylor Gauthier for a 3-3 score.
Swetty to Bear is kinda unfair 🔥#LetsGoTips X @TheWHL X @engineeredpt pic.twitter.com/09ycTBEZNB
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) March 27, 2022
Berezowski gave Everett back the lead at 9:08 in the second period, tapping in a cross-slot pass from Alex Swetlikoff for his second of the game and 43rd of the year. Later in the period, Ben Hemmerling stripped a Portland defender of the puck on the forecheck, setting up Jacob Wright for his 20th goal of the campaign.
Alex Swetlikoff netted his 30th goal of the season on a 5-on-3 powerplay at 2:39 in the third period for a 6-3 advantage. Austin Roest would cap off the scoring at 15:16, completing a black-and-blue shift by earning his 12th goal of the year.
Koen MacInnes stopped all 37 shots thrown his way in relief for his 21st win.
AND THE CROWD IS GOING CRAZY! pic.twitter.com/GNUajjfrbO
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) March 27, 2022
With Wright reaching 20 goals, the Silvertips now have six players with 20 goals or more, tying a franchise best in a single season (previously set by the 2017-18 Silvertips).
Everett improved to 43-10-3-5 with the win (94 points). Their magic number to clinch the U.S. Division is down to six points. Their magic number to clinch the top seed in the Western Conference is at 11.
The Silvertips rematch the Winterhawks next Friday, Apr. 1 at Angel of the Winds Arena. The first 1,000 fans through the main gate receive a Silvertips team poster. Tickets are available by clicking HERE.
