KENT — The wheels fell off the bus completely for the Everett Silvertips on Saturday night, and the result was a series of dubious season milestones for the Tips.
Everett suffered its worst defeat of the season as the Silvertips were throttled 7-0 by the Seattle Thunderbirds.
The seven-goal margin of defeat was the largest of the campaign for Everett. It was the Tips’ third straight loss, giving Everett its first three-game losing streak. It was also the first time Everett was shut out this season.
Roberts Lipsbergs had two goals and two assists and Mathew Barzal pulled the strings with three assists for Seattle (31-21-3-4). Keegan Kolesar, Scott Eansor, Ethan Bear, Cory Millette and Ryan Gropp scored the other goals for the T-birds, while Taran Kozun had an easy time of it in goal for Seattle, needing just 15 saves to record his shutout.
Austin Lotz took the full brunt of the punishment in goal for Everett (35-17-3-4), finishing with 21 saves.
The loss, combined with Portland’s victory over Lethbridge, left Everett’s lead atop the WHL’s U.S. Division at three points.
It all went south for Everett during a disastrous second period in which the Tips were outshot 17-5 and gave up four goals.
Everett was already trailing 1-0 when Seattle scored just 49 seconds into the period. Eansor got behind the defense and slipped the puck under Lotz to make it 2-0.
That goal began a stretch of three goals in a span of 4:05. Lipsbergs made it 3-0 at 2:36, beating Lotz with a shot from a tight angle. Then Bear made it 4-0 at 4:54 as his shot from the point eluded Lotz.
Millette put the final indignity on the period for Everett, putting in a rebound at 14:08 to make it 5-0 and end any remote thoughts of a Tips comeback.
The only question down the stretch was whether the Tips could avoid a shutout, but instead it was Seattle that piled on.
Thunderbirds 7, Silvertips 0
Everett000—0
Seattle142—7
First Period—1, Seattle, Kolesar 18 (Gropp, Eansor), 8:23. Penalties—Barzal, Seattle (slashing), 4:17; Scherbak, Everett (tripping), 5:40; Eansor, Seattle (tripping), 18:30.
Second Period—2, Seattle, Eansor 11 (Barzal, Lipsbergs), 0:49. 3, Seattle, Lipsbergs 8 (Millette, Bear), 2:36. 4, Seattle, Bear 11 (Lipsbergs, Barzal), 4:54. 5, Seattle, Millette 17 (Barzal, Wardley), 14:08. Penalties—Khaira, Seattle (roughing), 18:30.
Third Period—6, Seattle, Gropp 23 (Theodore, Eansor), 15:17. 7, Seattle, Lipsbergs 9 (Ottenbreit), 16:32. Penalties—Leedahl, Everett (kneeing), 3:48; Pfeifer, Everett (roughing), 5:33; Millette, Seattle (roughing), 5:33; Pfeifer, Everett (high sticking), 18:01.
Shots on goal—Everett 6-5-4—15. Seattle 4-17-7—28. Power-play opportunities—Everett 0 of 3. Seattle 0 of 3.
Goalies—Everett, Lotz 23-13-1-3 (28 shots, 21 saves). Seattle, Kozun 28-15-3-3 (15 shots, 15 saves).
A—5,008.
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