RECAP / All Riley’d Up
KELOWNA, B.C. – Riley Sutter helped extinguish a two-goal deficit in a third period comeback, but Lucas Johansen’s power play goal strike from the top of the right circle delivered the Kelowna Rockets, 4-3 over the Everett Silvertips in overtime before 4,335 at Prospera Place on Wednesday night.
The Silvertips, producing their first third period comeback when trailing after two periods, played into overtime for the third straight game in Kelowna (2-0-1). Dominic Zwerger had a two assist game while first star Nolan Foote earned his first career WHL goal.
The start was rocky for the Silvertips out of the gate, first on a Rodney Southam power play goal at 3:08 then Devante Stephens driving the net at 7:49 which chased starter Carter Hart, who faced five shots.
After Mario Petit entered the crease, the Silvertips maintained the deficit at two goals and Sean Richards’ power play deflection at 12:58 of the second period sliced the gap to 2-1, when he got a piece of Noah Juulsen’s point shot. Just 58 seconds later, Nolan took an outlet feed and buried a wrister off the rush for a 3-1 lead and his first career goal.
The Silvertips again worked to keep the deficit at two, setting up Sutter’s heroics in the third. His snap shot from the right circle, 33 seconds in, beat Michael Herringer at the glove side. Then toward the final minute of regulation, with Mario Petit pulled for a sixth attacker, Dominic Zwerger swung a wraparound bid that deflected off Herringer’s pad. Sutter, crashing the net, stuffed the rebound through Herringer’s five hole with 68 seconds to play.
Kelowna drew a late penalty and converted 1:04 into overtime. Cal Foote slipped a pass into the left corner, quickly redirected by Nick Merkley, cross-ice to Johansen, who buried the one-time blast for his first goal of the season.
Petit took the overtime loss with 20 saves.
The Silvertips return to play Saturday, visiting the Victoria Royals at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre at 7:05 p.m. (1380 AM / WHL Live / Tips App). Silvertips radio voice Mike Benton has the call, starting with the Everett Bone and Joint Pregame Show.
LINE COMBINATIONS
96 / ZWERGER 43 / DEWAR 8 / BAJKOV
15 / RICHARDS 14 / SUTTER 22 / MILLAR
18 / HEIN 47 / KEMP 19 / KINDOPP
48 / FAIRBROTHER 6 / DWYER 44 / GERTH
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
29 / WYLIE 3 / JUULSEN
23 / CHRISTIANSEN 5 / ONYEBUCHI
38 / DAVIS 4 / WALKER
GOALTENDERS
70 / HART
31 / PETIT
Notes: Silvertips scratches included Orrin Centazzo, Brian King, Devon Skoleski, Matt Fonteyne, Lucas Skrumeda and Eetu Tuulola … Zwerger’s assist extended his scoring streak to a Silvertips high nine consecutive games … Bajkov has a point in ten of his first 12 games.
Silvertips season ticket or mini-plan packages are available at www.everettsilvertips.com/season or by calling (425) 252-5100.
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