Tips beat Seattle again to close preseason
KENT – The Everett Silvertips finished the 2014 WHL preseason with four straight wins, three of which came against Seattle, after a 4-1 victory over the Thunderbirds Saturday night at ShoWare Center. Completing their exhibition schedule with a 5-2 record, the Silvertips will now prepare to start the 2014-15 WHL regular season next Saturday, September 20 against the rival Thunderbirds in Kent.
Tyler Sandhu, Carson Stadnyk and Brayden Low each finished with a goal and an assist in the victory, while Matt Fonteyne notched the game-winner for Everett. Low finished as the Silvertips’ leading preseason scorer with eight points (3g/5a), with Sandhu and Remi Laurencelle tying him for the exhibition lead with three goals. Nik Amundrud (2-1) earned the win in goal after stopping all 11 shots he faced during the first half of the game before Carter Hart came in to save 11 of 12 over the last 30 minutes.
Everett jumped ahead early when Tyler Sandhu re-directed a Noah Juulsen point shot past goaltender Logan Flodell for the game’s first goal only two minutes in. The ‘Tips were unable to score during a two-man advantage minutes later, but they did convert near the end of the second penalty with another tip-in goal. This time it was Kevin Davis stepping into the high slot and wristing a shot that was deflected in by Matt Fonteyne to make it 2-0 Everett. Shots were 8-4 Seattle in the first 20 minutes, but Everett took the two-goal edge into the locker room.
Many more pucks found their way on net in the second period as both teams had powerplay time and enjoyed long periods of sustained pressure. The score didn’t change however until Carson Stadnyk clanged a shot off the post and in from the low slot at the 17:21 mark, extending the Silvertips lead to 3-0. Seattle responded just 22 seconds later however as Keegan Kolesar used an Everett defender as a screen and snuck a long shot into the top corner over Carter Hart’s right shoulder. The T-Birds led 21-14 in shots but trailed the ‘Tips 3-1 after 40 minutes.
The Silvertips allowed only two Seattle shots in the third period while generating nine themselves to maintain the advantage. Both clubs had an unsuccessful powerplay in the final stanza before Brayden Low sealed Everett’s 4-1 victory with an empty-net goal from center ice at 18:05; just seconds after Flodell had exited for the extra attacker.
Flodell (0-2) turned aside 19 of 22 shots in goal for the Thunderbirds. Both teams finished the night with 23 shots on goal. Everett converted one of six powerplay chances while killing off all five Seattle opportunities.
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CLICK HERE for a postgame interview with Tyler Sandhu
With the preseason now complete, the Silvertips will prepare to start the 2014-15 WHL regular season right back in Kent when they face the rival Thunderbirds next Saturday, September 20 at 7:05 pm at the ShoWare Centre. Radio broadcast coverage can be heard on Fox Sport 1380 AM starting at 6:30, and fans can also watch the game online with WHL Live. Everett’s regular season home opener is set for Friday, Oct. 3 vs. Kelowna at XFINITY Arena.
For more information call the team office at 425-252-5100, “like” the Everett Silvertips Hockey Club on Facebook or follow @WHLSilvertips on Twitter.
