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PORTLAND, OR – The Everett Silvertips suffered their fifth consecutive loss Friday night at the Rose Garden, dropping at 5-1 decision to the Portland Winterhawks. The ‘Tips are now 1-2-0-1 in four meetings with the defending Western Conference Champions this season.
Josh Birkholz scored a goal to extend his point streak to a season-high nine consecutive games, with JT Barnett drawing an assist on Everett’s only offense. The Silvertips trailed just 2-1 through two periods, but finished 0 for 5 on the powerplay while Portland scored twice in four chances.
Both teams missed on a powerplay chance in the game’s opening minutes, but the Winterhawks killed off Everett’s second opportunity and then scored on a second man-advantage of their own. Oliver Gabriel one-timed a back-door pass from Derrick Pouliot into the at the 14-minute mark to make it 1-0. Portland had another goal disallowed on a kick-in by Taylor Leier, and the ‘Hawks led 1-0 after one.
Brendan Leipsic added to the Portland lead early in the second, backhanding a shot through Simpson’s five-hole off the rush to make it a 2-0 game. The score stayed that way through most of the period until Josh Birkholz picked up a loose puck at center and made his way down the left wing boards before sniping a shot into the top corner of Mac Carruth’s net to draw the Silvertips within one going into the third period.
The Winterhawks re-took the two-goal edge with another early period goal as Taylor Leier banked a sharp-angle shot off of Simpson and in to make it 3-1. Another bad bounce put the deficit at 4-1 when Sven Bartschi’s pass out front caromed off Nick Walters’ skate and into the net for Portland’s second powerplay score. None of Everett’s 12 third-period shots managed to find the back of the net before Chase De Leo added one more late marker to complete the scoring in the 5-1 Portland win.
Kent Simpson (4-14-0-2) made 38 saves in the losing effort as the Silvertips were outshot 43-23 in total. Mac Carruth (17-8-1-0) stopped 22 shots to get the win in goal for the ‘Hawks.
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The Silvertips will now visit Tri-City for the first time this season to face the Americans Saturday night at the Toyota Center. Everett won its only prior meeting with first-place Tri-City by a score of 6-3 back on October 16 at Comcast Arena. Opening faceoff between the ‘Tips and Americans is set for 7:05 pm, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 on Fox Sports 1380 AM. Live online video of all Silvertips road games is also available through WHL Live.
