TIPS WIN » Shoot(out) For The Sky
EVERETT, Wash. – Gage Goncalves’ game-tying goal and winner in the shootout finished a rally from two separate two-goal deficits and lifted the Everett Silvertips to a thrilling 4-3 victory in a shootout on Wednesday in WHL action at Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett.
The U.S. Division champs won for the eighth time in the last nine games (8-1-0-0) while improving to 5-1 head-to-head against the Thunderbirds with one more matchup remaining, the season finale on Saturday in Kent. Austin Roest and Jackson Berezowski also scored for the Tips, who took the win in their first shootout appearance of the season.
UP NEXT: The Tips will close their 2021 home schedule on Friday in downtown Everett against the Spokane Chiefs, 7:05 p.m. (KRKO/WHL Live). Viewing packages remain on sale at watch.chl.ca. Play-by-play “Voice of the Tips” Mike Benton will have pre-game coverage beginning 30 minutes before puck drop.
Keltie Jeri-Leon scored two goals in the game, and his first at 4:49 of the first period put Seattle up 1-0 when he stole a puck at the right circle and quickly snuck a snap shot under the crossbar. Henrik Rybinski then scored on a partial breakaway at 1:06 of the second period for a 2-0 cushion.
The Tips nearly found their first goal on a Cole Fonstad deflected puck that caromed off Luke Bateman’s skate and into the net, but was waved off to keep the Tips down by two goals. Roest’s third goal of the season put the Tips back down a goal at 9:43 on a rebound at the net. But Jeri-Leon restored their two-goal cushion, converting a post-to-post feed by Henrik Rybinski.
Undeterred, the Tips responded with back-to-back goals late in the second period. Jackson Berezowski finished a feed at the net with 3:12 left and then a Gage Goncalves power play goal, a snapshot through traffic, tied the game with 1:41 left in the period.
Toward the end of a scoreless overtime, the Tips killed a late Hunter Campbell penalty and with less than 15 seconds left, nearly won the game when Campbell, out of the penalty box, just missed upstairs after his steak and snapshot just missed over the crossbar.
Dustin Wolf and Jackson Berry turned away a pair of tough shots in the overtime. Wolf made stops on the first two Seattle shooters, while Goncalves scored another near-highlight reel goal when he swung to the net, wide from the right side, and snuck a backhander by Jackson Berry’s glove.
A SENSATIONAL SHOOTOUT WIN FOR THE @WHLSILVERTIPS! 🐻 pic.twitter.com/IlnglQzo41
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 6, 2021
The Tips sealed up the win when Jeri-Leon, with the game on his stick, completely fanned on a snapshot attempt from the right circle.
3 STARS OF THE GAME
- Gage Goncalves (EVT)
- Jackson Berezowski (EVT)
- Cole Fonstad (EVT)
GAME NOTES: Silvertips scratches included U18 departures Braden Holt and Olen Zellweger, while Brendan Hunchak, Brady Van Herk and Matthew Ng were healthy scratches … Fonstad extended his point streak to 13 consecutive games … the Tips went 5-0 in games when they are tied after the second period.
ABOUT THE SILVERTIPS AND THE NHL
A total of 19 players have suited up in an Everett Silvertips jersey and advanced to play in the National Hockey League, since the Silvertips joined the WHL in 2003-04. Entering this season, the Silvertips have elevated 27 players to be selected by teams in the NHL Entry Draft, including eight over the previous three seasons. By the end of the 2019-20 season, all three Silvertips in the 20-year old category earned NHL entry level contracts: Bryce Kindopp (Anaheim), Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia), and Jake Christiansen (Columbus). The Seattle Kraken, an expansion franchise scheduled to play 30 miles away from Everett at Climate Pledge Arena, will make their NHL debut in the 2021-22 season.
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