Silvertips deny T-Birds of series clincher | WHL playoffs

For the Reporter

Everett defeated Seattle 6-1 Friday night on home ice at Comcast Arena to avoid a sweep and send the best-of-seven Western Hockey League playoff series back to Kent for a Game 5 Saturday night.

Game 5 is 7:05 p.m. at the ShoWare Center.

Tickets are available on the T-Birds website.

Taran Kozun made his fourth start of the series and stopped 23 of 29 shots before being replaced by Danny Mumaugh, who stopped all five shots he faced. Kozun took the loss, his first of the playoffs. Austin Lotz was in goal for Everett and stopped 17 of 18 shots, getting his first win.

Everett scored early in the game, taking the lead at 1:27. Jujhar Khaira skated around the back of the Seattle net and beat Kozun with a backhand shot over Kozun’s shoulder. It was Khaira’s first point of the playoffs and came off assists by Brayden Low and Ivan Nikoloshin.

Seattle went right to the offensive from there, getting a dangerous possession that ended without a shot and goal and drawing a penalty for the first power play of the game on their next breakout.

The Silvertips scored while shorthanded just 17 seconds into the penalty, making it 2-0 at 2:32. Josh Winquist collected the puck as it came off Manraj Hayer’s stick and shot it into the back of the net for the goal. Hayer had the only assist.

A third Everett goal came at 7:57. Low shot the puck from a sharp angle deep in the zone and got it past Kozun before the goaltender could slide all the way to the post. Khaira and Nikolishin had the assists, giving each of them two points in the game.

The T-Birds got their first goal of the night before the second period’s expiration, scoring on a bouncing point shot at 18:22. Jared Hauf had the goal, with his shot from high in the zone taking a few odd twists and turns on its way into the back of the net. Ryan Gropp and Mathew Barzal had the assists on the goal, making it 3-1.

Khaira made it 4-1 at 3:30, scoring on the power play. It was Khaira’s second goal of the night and third point. Dawson Leedahl and Matt Pufahl had the assists.

The Silvertips scored 35 seconds into that man advantage, making it 5-1 at5:21. Khaira put home a rebound on the rush for his third goal of the night.

Everett’s sixth goal came on a delayed penalty at 6:48. Carson Stadnyk scored the goal, with Ben Betker and Winquist getting the assists.

First Round Schedule vs. Everett

Game 1 – @ Seattle 2, Everett 1
Game 2 – Seattle 3, @ Everett 1
Game 3 – @ Seattle 4, Everett 3 (OT)
Game 4 – @ Everett 6, Seattle 1
Game 5 – Everett @ Seattle Saturday, March 29, 7:05 p.m.
Game 6 – Seattle @ Everett Monday, March 31, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 7 – Everett @ Seattle Wednesday, April 2, 7:05 p.m.*

*if necessary

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Everett, Khaira 1 (Low, Nikolishin), 1:27. 2, Everett, Winquist 1 (Hayer), 2:32 (sh). 3, Everett, Low 1 (Khaira, Nikolishin), 7:57.Penalties – Leedahl, Everett (tripping), 2:15. Wardley, Seattle (roughing),9:46. Wardley, Seattle (hooking), 14:08. Troock, Seattle (roughing), 18:06. Mueller, Everett (roughing), 18:06.

Second period – 4, Seattle, Hauf 1 (Gropp, Barzal), 18:22. Penalties -Khaira, Everett (roughing), 3:30. Mueller, Everett (boarding), 5:33. Spencer, Seattle (slashing), 8:46.

Third period – 5, Everett, Khaira 2 (Leedahl, Pufahl), 3:30 (pp). 6, Everett, Khaira 3 (Leedahl), 5:21 (pp). 7, Everett, Stadnyk 2 (Betker, Winquist), 6:48.Penalties – Hauf, Seattle (hooking), 3:08. Bear, Seattle (tripping), 4:46. McKechnie, Seattle (instigator), 11:03. McKechnie, Seattle (10-minute misconduct), 11:03. McKechnie, Seattle (major-fighting), 11:03. Fonteyne, Everett (major-fighting), 11:03. Wardley, Seattle (10-minute misconduct),18:37. Laurencelle, Everett (checking to the head), 18:37. Leedahl, Everett (10-minute misconduct), 18:37.

Shots on goal – Seattle 4-10-4 18, Everett 11-11-12 34. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 29 shots-23 saves (3-1), Mumaugh 5-5; Everett, Lotz 18-17 (1-3).Power plays – Seattle 0-4; Everett 2-6. A – 4,908. Referees – Pat Smith, Brett Montsion. Linesmen – Kevin Boris, Adam Brastad.