Thunderbirds stop Silvertips, take 2-0 series lead | WHL playoffs

Reporter staff

The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Everett Silvertips 3-1 on Sunday night at Comcast Arena to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Hockey League playoff series.

The best-of-seven series resumes Tuesday night at the ShoWare Center, where Seattle went 23-9-1-3 in the regular season.

After stopping 38 of 39 shots in game one, Taran Kozun stopped 26 of 27 and once again was the first star of the game, getting his second win. Kozun now has a .969 save percentage in the series. Austin Lotz started again for Everett and took the loss, stopping 13 of 16 shots.

Seattle, trailing 1-0 in the second period, evened it up on Roberts Lipsbergs’ power-play goal. Adam Henry corralled the puck after Shea Theodore’s shot was blocked. Henry faked a shot and skated along the top of the zone before getting a pass to Lipsbergs. The Latvian was camped near the crease and put the puck top shelf at 5:01 to make it 1-1.

Branden Troock scored to put Seattle ahead at 2:58 in the third period. Troock started the rush by zipping a cross-ice pass to Mathew Barzal, who carried the puck up and found a way to get the puck through three defenders to Troock, who then had time to deke the goaltender and score.

Seattle was penalized five minutes into the period to give Everett its fifth power play of the game. However, the Silvertips took a penalty with 22 seconds left to negate this advantage, making them 0 for 5 on the power play. Everett had just one shot on goal during the power play, giving them two shots in their last four man advantages.

Russell Maxwell added a third goal for Seattle at 8:45, just seconds after their power play expired. Theodore took the first shot from within the faceoff circle, which rebounded off of Lotz. Maxwell and Lipsbergs hacked away at the puck as Lotz tried to cover, with Maxwell eventually gaining control and flipping it over the goalie to make it 3-1.

The T-Birds’ defensive play kept much of the rest of the game on the boards and in the neutral zone, as Everett was unable to create much offensively. The home team had a golden opportunity at 16:41 when Kozun was forced to go to the ice to try and stop the puck. An Everett player took control of the puck on the red line and threw it into the crease, but it went untouched and missed the net entirely.

Kozun also stopped a wraparound chance with 2:30 left in the game that nearly went in by kicking his leg out in time. Everett pulled their goalie just seconds later in an attempt to get the two goals they needed to tie the game. Seattle’s defense held strong and only allowed two shots during the 6-on-5 Everett advantage to seal the victory.

Tickets

Playoff tickets are available online and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Everett, Stadnyk 1 (Low), 3:51. Penalties – Delnov, Seattle (hooking), 11:39. Betker, Everett (holding), 16:34. Bear, Seattle (tripping),17:23. Barzal, Seattle (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:58. Juulsen, Everett (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:58. Hauf, Seattle (roughing), 19:18. Wardley, Seattle (roughing), 19:18. Khaira, Everett (roughing), 19:18. Winquist, Everett (cross-checking), 19:18.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Lipsbergs 1 (Henry, Theodore), 5:01 (pp).Penalties – Stadnyk, Everett (tripping), 3:14. Betker, Everett (cross-checking), 4:36. Hickman, Seattle (boarding), 10:06. Delnov, Seattle (hooking), 17:42.

Third period – 3, Seattle, Troock 1 (Barzal), 2:58. 4, Seattle, Maxwell 2 (Lipsbergs, Theodore), 8:45. Penalties – Lipsbergs, Seattle (cross-checking), 2:22. Jones, Everett (embellishment), 2:22. Smith, Seattle (tripping), 5:02. Khaira, Everett (tripping), 6:41.

Shots on goal – Seattle 5-6-5 16. Everett 9-11-7 27. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 27 shots-26 saves (2-0), Everett, Lotz 16-13 (0-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Everett 0-5. A – 4,150. Referee – Mike Campbell, Ian Croft. Linesmen -Zach Brooks, Ryan Gibbons.