KENNEWICK – The Everett Silvertips finished winless in Tri-City.
A short-handed Everett team lost its fourth straight game at Tri-City, falling 3-1 to the Americans on Friday night in their final road game of the season.
Everett (53-15-1-2), which already has secured the best record in the WHL, continued its policy of resting its regulars in preparation for the playoffs. As a result the Tips lost its third straight.
Meanwhile, Tri-City (45-23-1-1) clinched second place in the U.S. Division and home-ice advantage in its first-round playoff series against Seattle.
Alex Aldred, Erik Felde and Colton Yellow Horn scored for Tri-City and Carey Prince made 16 saves in goal.
Dan Gendur scored Everett’s lone goal. David Reekie made several outstanding saves in Everett’s net, stopping 34 shots and keeping the Tips in it.
Everett’s Zach Hamill, who’s gunning for the league scoring title, was held pointless. His closest competitor, Calgary’s Ryan White, also went scoreless in his final game and remained four points back. However, Kootenay’s Steve DaSilva had three assists to climb within five points of Hamill. Both Hamill and DaSilva have one game remaining.
The game was soured late in the second period when Everett defenseman Mike Alexander had to be taken from the ice on a stretcher.
Everett captain Jason Fransoo had his first game off since being acquired in a trade prior to last season. He had played in 157 straight, including playoffs.
Three of Everett’s top four scorers – Peter Mueller, Kyle Beach and Moises Gutierrez – were also rested. Left wing Brennan Sonne (spleen) and defenseman Taylor Ellington (neck) remained sidelined by injury.
With a young lineup Everett spent much of the first period killing penalties, and although the Tips survived that, they couldn’t survive a bad turnover with 47 seconds remaining. Jonathan Harty’s attempted clearance was intercepted by Taylor Procyshen, who fed Aldred in front for a goal that made it 1-0.
The Americans then doubled their lead 50 seconds into the second period, Felde putting in a rebound from a Yellow Horn shot. Then it was 3-0 at 10:10, Yellow Horn putting a shot through a screen during a delayed penalty.
Everett got on the board on a four-on-three power play at 15:19, Gendur blowing a wrist shot past Price.
But moments later came the frightening moment. Alexander was hit by Tri-City’s Shaun Vey and did not get up. After a lengthy delay he was taken off the ice on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. Reports were Alexander had movement in all his limbs and responded to all questions.
Americans 3, Silvertips 1
Everett 010-1
Tri-City120-3
First Period-1, Tri-City, Aldred 14 (Procyshen), 19:13. Penalties-Vartovnik, Everett (tripping), 1:56; Strong, Everett (tripping), 4:23; Aldred, Tri-City (boarding), 6:46; Zetariuk, Everett (hooking), 13:40; Alexander, Everett (checking from behind), 15:19.
Second Period—2, Tri-City, Felde 22 (Yellow Horn), 0:50. 3, Tri-City, Yellow Horn 40 (Fast, Reddick), 10:10. 4, Everett, Gendur 22, 15:19 (pp). Penalties-Swaby, Tri-City (hooking), 2:17; Burt, Everett (interference), 5:41; Vey, Tri-City (hooking), 12:05; Strong, Everett (tripping), 13:29; Teslyuk, Tri-City (holding), 14:10; Yellow Horn, Tri-City (slashing), 14:50; Teslyuk, Tri-City (holding), 17:41.
Third Period—No goals. Penalties-Crowley, Everett (delay of game), 5:09; Tri-City bench (too many men, served by Broda), 6:24; Alic, Everett (high sticking), 8:35; Strong, Everett (interference), 13:14; Felde, Tri-City (interference), 15:15; Harper, Everett (slashing), 17:20.
Shots on goal—Everett 3-9-5-17. Tri-City 12-15-10-37. Power-play opportunities—Everett 1 of 8. Tri-City 0 of 10.
Goalies—Everett, Reekie 21-9-0-0 (37 shots, 34 saves). Tri-City, Price 30-13-1-0 (17 shots, 16 saves).
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