The Everett Silvertips regained the lead in the U.S. Division and Western Conference, defeating the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2 in a Western Hockey League game Saturday night at Xfinity Arena in Everett.
Everett (39-14-8-3) is one point ahead of Seattle with two games in hand. The Silvertips and Prince George Cougars (42-20-3-2) are tied for first place in the conference race, but the Silvertips have played two fewer games than the Cougars.
Seattle (41-19-4-2) has six games remaining in the regular season. The T-Birds have one game in hand on the Cougars, which puts them in first place.
Everett took a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal by Connor Dewar at 5:51 of the first period.
The Silvertips made it a 2-0 lead at 6:50 of the first on a goal by Devon Skoleski.
Riley Sutter scored a power-play goal at 7:50 of the first to give Everett a 3-0 lead.
Seattle replaced Rylan Toth in net with Carl Stankowski after Everett’s third goal. Toth made three saves on six shot and his record is now 34-18-2-1.
Seattle cut the Silvertips lead to two goals at the 14-minute mark of the first. Mathew Barzal had the puck on the right boards and passed to Austin Strand pinching down from the right point. Strand skated down to the goal line and cut toward the Everett net. Strand beat Everett goalie Carter Hart with a backhand shot from just outside the crease.
Everett made it a 4-1 lead 53 seconds into the third period on a goal from Patrick Bajkov.
The T-Birds cut the Silvertips lead to two goals at 6:35 of the third on Keegan Kolesar’s 25th goal of the season. Kolesar intercepted an Everett clearing attempt on the left-wing boards. Kolesar skated towards Hart and beat the goalie with a quick wrist shot over the glove.
Stankowksi made 33 saves on 34 shots.
Hart had 15 saves on 17 shots and his record is now 28-9-6-2.
Back home
The T-Birds play the Spokane Chiefs at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at the ShoWare Center in the last Director’s Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday of the season. The T-Birds and Silvertips meet at 7:35 p.m. Friday at the ShoWare Center in their last regular season matchup.
Fans can purchase game tickets online or at the ShoWare Center box office.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Everett, Dewar 43, 5:51. 2, Everett, Skoleski 13 (Sutter, Kindopp), 6:50. 3, Everett, Sutter 18 (Davis), 7:50 (pp). 4, Seattle, Strand 8 (Barzal, Gropp), 13:00. Penalties – Sutter, Evt (tripping), 4:50. Terretta, Sea (tripping), 7:44. Sutter, Evt (tripping), 15:37. Moilanen, Sea (interference), 17:31.
Second period – No scoring. Penalties – Richards, Evt (roughing), 8:35. True, Sea (roughing), 8:35. Strand, Sea (hooking), 11:53. Brown, Sea (high-sticking), 14:40.
Third period – 5, Everett, Bajkov 27 (Zwerger, Davis), :53. 6, Seattle, Kolesar 25, 6:45. Penalties – Kolesar, Sea (holding), 11:43. Volcan, Sea (roughing), 15:02. Ottenbreit, Sea (elbowing), 16:44.
Shots on goal – Seattle 10-1-6 17, Everett 14-14-12 40. Goalies – Seattle, Toth 6 shots-3 saves (34-18-2-1), Stankowski 34-33; Everett, Hart 17-15 (28-9-6-2). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Everett 1-7. A – 8,249. Referees – Mike Campbell, Mike Langin. Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Nathan Van Oosten.
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