KENT — The Everett Silvertips got the help they needed Friday night.
The Tips were only able to partially take advantage of it.
Everett lost a game, but picked up a point in the race for the U.S. Division championship as the Tips fell 3-2 in a shootout to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Everett received some help from Spokane on Friday as the Chiefs knocked off Portland 5-3.
The Tips then gave themselves a chance to undo the damage from their 6-1 loss to Portland on Wednesday, with Carson Stadnyk scoring with 2 minutes, 1 second remaining in regulation to tie it up and force overtime.
However, Everett’s struggles in shootouts continued as the Tips fell 2-1 in seven rounds. It was the fourth straight shootout dropped by Everett.
Noah Juulsen scored the other goal for Everett (40-20-3-5), which now leads Portland by three points for first place in the division. The Winterhawks still have two games in hand on the Tips, meaning Portland still has its destiny in its own hands.
Carter Hart finished with 22 saves in net for the Tips.
Roberts Lipsbergs scored both goals for Seattle (34-24-4-5). Taran Kozun earned the win in goal with 21 saves.
The same two teams play again Saturday night in Everett.
Seattle opened the scoring on the power play 14:11 into the game when Lipsbergs picked out the top corner with a shot. But Everett tied it a minute later as Juulsen’s shot from the point deflected off traffic and past Kozun to make it 1-1 at 15:13.
There were no goals in the second period as the game remained tied going into the third. Hart was called upon late in the period when the T-birds caught Everett in a line change, making a big save on Ryan Gropp to maintain the tie.
The T-birds took the lead again 9:57 into the third period. Evan Wardley held the puck in at the point and fired a shot that Lipsbergs tipped past Hart to make it 2-1.
But Everett tied it again in the late going. Kohl Bauml dropped a pass for Stadnyk in transition, and Stadnyk fired past Kozun to secure a point for the Tips.
Thunderbirds 3, Silvertips 2 (SO)
Everett 1 0 1 0—2
Seattle 1 0 1 0—3
Thunderbirds won shootout 2-1
First Period—1, Seattle, Lipsbergs 13 (Barzal, Theodore), 14:11 (pp). 2, Everett, Juulsen 8 (Bauml, MacDonald), 15:13. Penalties—Nikolishin, Everett (diving), 12:58; Betker, Everett (closing hand on puck), 19:18.
Second Period—no goals. Penalties—Khaira, Seattle (cross checking), 5:30; Bauml, Everett (tripping), 12:26; Hauf, Seattle (interference), 15:41.
Third Period—3, Seattle, Lipsbergs 14 (Wardley), 9:57. 4, Everett, Stadnyk 26 (Bauml, MacDonald), 17:59. Penalties—none.
Overtime—no goals. Penalties—none.
Shootout—Seattle 2 (Barzal NG, Lipsbergs G, Millette NG, Neuls NG, Pederson NG, Theodore NG, Smith G); Everett 1 (Stadnyk G, Scherbak NG, Nikolishin NG, Bajkov NG, Laurencelle NG, Millar NG, MacDonald NG).
Shots on goal—Everett 7-7-8-1—23. Seattle 9-9-6-0—24. Power-play opportunities—Everett 0 of 2. Seattle 1 of 3.
Goalies—Everett, Hart 16-5-2-2 (24 shots, 22 saves). Seattle, Kozun 31-18-4-4 (23 shots, 21 saves).
A—4,572.
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