Commanders In Chief: ‘Tips Blank Spokane 4-0
EVERETT, Wash. – Prospect defenseman Mackenzie Dwyer scored a goal and added an assist, while goaltender Mario Petit produced a 31 save shutout, lifting the Everett Silvertips to a 4-0 victory over the Spokane Chiefs in preseason action at XFINITY Arena on Saturday.
The Silvertips, who won their second straight game in as many nights to open the preseason schedule, scored a pair of goals in the final 40 minutes. Petit managed his busiest workload with 12 saves in the second period and Spokane dropped their second straight preseason game.
Following a scoreless first period, the Silvertips finally broke through on a pair of goals within close range. With 8:03 left in the second, Matt Fonteyne buried a one-timer on the doorstep, set up by Patrick Bajkov beneath the goal line for a 1-0 advantage.
Graham Millar, who also generated a multi-point game, followed by skating along the perimeter and fired a laser-like centering pass to the tape of Dwyer, who converted the redirection at the goalmouth for a 2-0 Silvertips lead at 16:33.
Everett extended their lead to 3-0 at 5:04 of the third period on Cole Chorney’s first goal of the preseason, a rebound hammered past goaltender Tyson Verhelst after Spencer Gerth skated down the boards and threw a sharp angled bid on net.
Spokane committed three minor penalties in the third period and the Silvertips took advantage at 7:52 for a 4-0 lead. Yan Khomenko, a CHL import draftee earlier this summer, scored his second goal in as many games on the power play with a backdoor conversion via a Dwyer feed from the left boards. Khomenko, stationed near the right post, deflected the pass perfectly into a half-open net.
Verhelst took the loss 26 stops.
NOTES: The Silvertips scratched Riley Sutter, Carson Stadnyk, Nik Malenica, Connor Dewar, Gunnar Wegleitner, Noah Juulsen, Cam Dykstra, Tristen Pfeifer, Alexander Scherbakov, Tyler Fraser, Lucas Skrumeda, Jordan Wharrie and Austin Lotz … for the second straight night, as per preseason tradition, the Silvertips wore white jerseys from the 2003-09 seasons … overagers Remi Laurencelle and Cole MacDonald wore an alternate captain’s letter along with Dawson Leedahl … Spokane led the game in shots, 31-30 and the Silvertips were a perfect 4-of-4 on the penalty kill.
SILVERTIPS LINES
Bajkov – Fonteyne – Mallonee
Millar – Skoleski – Kindopp
Gerth – Chorney – Khomenko
Leedahl – Laurencelle – King
SILVERTIPS PAIRINGS
MacDonald – Leslie
Dwyer – Onyebuchi
Christiansen – Davis
The Silvertips Preseason Classic presented by Holiday Inn Downtown Everett concludes tomorrow, starting at 11:30 a.m. with three consecutive games at XFINITY Arena. The Silvertips wrap up the weekend’s action with their next game, 7:00 p.m. against the Portland Winterhawks. Tickets and tournament packages are available at www.everettsilvertips.com or by visiting the box office, or Silvertips offices at XFINITY Arena during normal business hours. All preseason tickets are available by visiting the Silvertips website.
For more information visit www.everettsilvertips.com or call 425-252-5100. To keep up with all the latest team news and information, “like” the Everett Silvertips Hockey Club on Facebook or follow @WHLSilvertips on Twitter.
