TIPS WIN: Making the Move
KENT, Wash. – The Everett Silvertips took a commanding lead in the first period with three goals and the Seattle Thunderbirds were unable to cue the comeback, in a 7-3 Silvertips victory in Game 4 of the WHL Playoffs’ first round before 4,175 fans at ShoWare Arena on Friday night.
With the Tips’ win to the Thunderbirds this evening, they are now up 3-1 in the playoff series against Seattle and can eliminate the Thunderbirds with a win on home ice in Game 5. The Silvertips will battle the Thunderbirds for game five in Everett tomorrow, 7:05 PM PT (Fox Sports 1380 / WHL Live). Tickets are still available–individual and group tickets, as low as $13, can be purchased at http://everettsilvertips.com/playoffs.
Seven different Silvertips scored in the game, producing a wire to wire effort while Connor Dewar, who scored the first penalty shot goal in Silvertips playoff history, earned first star honors with a goal and pair of assists. Kevin Davis earned third star honors on the backend with a goal and an assist, and was +3 on the evening.
ROUND 1: EVERETT vs SEATTLE (Everett leads, 3-1) COVERAGE
GAME 1: EVERETT 4 – Seattle 1
GAME 2: EVERETT 4 – Seattle 5 (OT)
GAME 3: Seattle 1 – EVERETT 3
GAME 4: Seattle 3 – EVERETT 7
GAME 5: at EVERETT | Sat., Mar. 31 – 7:05pm (AOTW Arena) Fox Sports 1380 / FM 95.3 / Tips App
GAME 6: at Seattle | Tue., Apr. 3 – 7:05pm (ShoWare Center) ** Fox Sports 1380 / FM 95.3 / Tips App
GAME 7: at EVERETT | Wed., Apr. 4 – 7:05pm (AOTW Arena) ** Fox Sports 1380 / FM 95.3 / Tips App
** If necessary
Just 35 seconds into the first period, Riley Sutter rocked Donovan Neuls on a hit along the right boards. Mathew Wedman gave the Tips their first power play of the evening at 11:53 for slashing and Everett immediately made Seattle pay for it. Off the faceoff at 12:10, with a quick win on the draw, Dewar and Davis quickly passed to get the puck on Patrick Bajkov’s stick, a rebound goal to make it 1-0 Tips.
On the very next shift, Kevin Davis weaved through the Seattle defense to make it 2-0 Tips with a great play up the ice by Ondrej Vala and Riley Sutter at 12:48. Seattle responded on the next shift when Nolan Volcan fired a rebound past the blocker side of Carter Hart to cut the Tips’ lead in half at 13:12. With a minute left in the first, Gianni Fairbrother took a holding penalty to give the T-Birds their first power play of the night.
Connor Dewar got tripped on a shorthanded breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot; Dewar scored a nifty snap shot goal against Hughes to make it 3-1 Tips at 19:26. It was the first penalty shot opportunity and goal in Tips playoff history, dating back to 2003-04.
The second period the Tips picked up where they left off; they were perfect on the penalty kill and Carter Hart was perfect in net, stopping all 8 Seattle shots. At 3:45, Sean Richards tapped the puck into a wide open net as Hughes was caught out of position after a Matt Fonteyne shot from the left circle, set up by Patrick Bajkov to make it 4-1 Tips. At 13:08, Ethan O’Rourke got his first of the playoffs from a sweet pass by Spencer Gerth into the slot to make it 5-1 Tips.
The Thunderbirds got their second of the night as Dillon Hamaliuk buried a rebound to make it 5-2 at 1:36. Things got interesting at the 6:41 mark as Seattle scored their third goal of the evening to make it 5-3 when Wedman cut through the Silvertips defense and finished on a wrister at the left circle. Seattle gained momentum from the goals but thanks to Everett’s sharp defense and goaltending, they were unable to expand on their comeback.
Riley Sutter effectively sealed the deal for the Tips at 15:37 for the back breaking 6th goal – a rebound at the crease – with assists from Garrett Pilon’s dangle set up by Dewar. Seattle pulled Hughes at 3:14 and Everett called a timeout. With the sixth attacker on, Seattle was unable to set up the play and Matt Fonteyne buried an empty netter from the neutral zone with 2:45 left.
BOX SCORE | AUDIO | PHOTOS
Notes: Silvertips scratches included Blake Lyda, Jameson Murray, Dawson Butt, Kyle Walker and Luke Ormsby … In Everett’s first ever penalty shot in the playoffs, Connor Dewar capitalized ..
Silvertips season ticket or mini-plan packages are available at www.everettsilvertips.com/season or by calling (425) 252-5100.
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