TIPS WIN // Goncalves Goes Off
By Ian McNaughton – Silvertips staff writer
EVERETT, Wash, – Gage Goncalves earned a pair of goals including the eventual winner, snapping a tie game to help lift the Everett Silvertips to a 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets on Friday before 4,498 fans at Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett on Friday.
In the first of three games in three nights, Everett secured two points and a win over a quality BC opponent.
Everett started out with plenty of quality scoring chances in the first period but couldn’t get any past Rockets netminder Cole Schwebius. Kelowna started the scoring with a powerplay goal from D-man Jake Lee, just his fourth of the season. The Rockets managed to hold onto their lead after twenty minutes, thanks to some strong goaltending from Cole Schwebius. While Everett had some good shots, they couldn’t get past Schwebius and were outshot 12-11 during the first.
UP NEXT: The Silvertips battle their I-5 rivals, the Seattle Thunderbirds, Saturday night for Local Heroes Night at 7:05 pm (KRKO / Tips App) in downtown Everett. Limited seats remain as we celebrate our local First Responders and raise funds for the Snohomish County Law Enforcement Fund (SCLEMF).
The second period was another evenly matched twenty minutes of hockey. The Silvertips would find the back of the net in the middle frame, thanks to Gage Goncalves scoring his 20th of the season at 4:58. Bryce Kindopp and Cole Fonstad would be credited with assists as Goncalves and the Tips tied it up. Later on, Michal Gut put home his eighth goal of the year and gave Everett their first lead of the hockey game. After 40 minutes, the Silvertips found themselves leading 2-1 heading into the third.
Both teams were pressing hard in the third with the next goal being an important one. It was the Rockets who would score first in the third period as Jonas Peterek tied it at two apiece 7:04 into the period. Former Seattle Thunderbird Matthew Wedman got the primary assist on the play but it wouldn’t hold up for long. Gage Goncalves came through in the clutch again as he scored two minutes after Peterek to give Everett a 3-2 lead. The Silvertips would never look back as they defeated the Rockets 3-2 to win their first game since January 4th.
With two goals, Gage Goncalves earned the first star of the night. Jake Christiansen was named the second star of the night for getting two primary helpers, his twenty-second and twenty-third points of the season. In net, Dustin Wolf took home the third star as he made 25 saves in his first victory dating back to January 14th, After tonight’s game, Wolfie sits at a 2.13 GAA and 0.933 SV% in 27 games played.
GAME NOTES: Scratched from tonight’s game were Kasper Puutio, Dawson Butt, Gianni Fairbrother, and Tyson Phare… Cole Fonstad increased his point streak to eight games… Jake Christiansen has now got at least one assist in his last three games.
SOG: Kelowna 27, Everett 36
Powerplay: Kelowna:1/5, Everett 1/4
FOW: Kelowna 26, Everett 41
