EVERETT — As the position implies, the Everett Silvertips defensemen are charged primarily with preventing goals rather than scoring them.
That didn’t stop the Everett D-men Saturday as three of Everett’s five goals came from blueliners as the Silvertips upended the rival Seattle Thunderbirds 5-1 before 8,145 raucous fans on Country Night at Xfinity Arena.
Overage defenseman Cole MacDonald scored the Tips’ first and third goals and Kevin Davis added Everett’s fourth tally as the Tips improved to 3-0-1-0 against their U.S. Division rivals.
“The forwards were feeding the D back there with the pucks,” MacDonald said. “We’re always trying to get the pucks to the net and I guess it paid off today. … It’s nice to get a couple goals.”
With the victory the division-leading Silvertips (26-12-2-2, 56 points) moved five points up on the second-place Thunderbirds (24-16-3-0, 51 points) and avenged an overtime loss to Seattle at the ShoWare Center a week ago.
The Silvertips have now gone nine consecutive games without a loss in regulation.
“We’re just chasing the U.S. Division title again,” MacDonald said. “The coaches are always on us about that so we’re just trying to get points in every game and lately we’re playing some good hockey.”
Everett goaltender Carter Hart recorded 25 saves on 26 shots as he continued his mastery of the Thunderbirds. The 17-year-old has a shutout and has allowed more than one goal only once in four games against Seattle this season.
As he typically does, Hart shifted the focus to his teammates when asked about his individual performance against the Thunderbirds.
“I think it’s more of a team success,” he said. “It’s always a fun game to get up for. When you wake up in the morning and you’re playing Seattle you know it’s going to be a good one and it’s an all-out rivalry. We battled hard tonight and had a really big push in the third. Everyone was paying the price to win and that’s what got us the win.”
Following a scoreless opening period the Tips used second-period goals from MacDonald and Connor Dewar to take a 2-0 lead into the second intermission.
The Tips then erupted for three more goals in the final frame as Everett outshot Seattle 16-9 over the final 20 minutes and finished with a 35-26 lead in shots.
“We caught Seattle playing (its) fourth game in five nights and we have to keep that in mind,” Everett head coach Kevin Constantine said. “They’re a good team. We just went through a four (games) in five nights ourselves and it is challenging. I’m always hesitant to judge things when I think one team is at a slight advantage, and I think energy-wise we were.”
MacDonald opened the goal-scoring when he fired a wrister past Seattle goaltender Landon Bow from above the left circle to push the advantage to three at 2:54 in the third.
Kevin Davis followed less than a minute later from nearly the same spot on the ice to make it 4-0 and Logan Flodell replaced Bow in the net.
The Tips went up two men at 9:42 and Carson Stadnyk cashed in from the right side of the crease to make it 5-0 eight seconds later.
Seattle broke through when Donovan Neuls’ backhand shot leaked through Hart’s legs at 16:15, but it was far too little too late as the Silvertips fans continued to ring their cowbells until the final whistle.
“Today was really loud, so it was good to see the support tonight,” Hart said. “I think pretty much any time we’re playing Seattle on a Friday or Saturday night we’ll get the support of Everett and it’s an all-out battle between two cities.”
MacDonald added an assist for a three-point evening, while Davis and Dewar each had helpers in addition to their goals.
“I thought Cole was sharp tonight — not just the goals — I thought he was sharp and really mentally into the game,” Constantine said. “For me he was our player of the game.”
The Tips play host to Saskatoon in a rare Monday contest at 2 p.m. Monday at Xfinity Arena.
Notes
Brandon Ralph started on the first line alongside Stadnyk and Remi Laurencelle as captain Dawson Leedahl was scratched after taking a hit to the head in Friday’s game at Vancouver.
Silvertips 5, Thunderbirds 1
Seattle 0 0 1 — 1
Everett 0 2 3 — 5
1st Period—No Scoring. Penalties—Kolesar Sea (holding), 7:25; Neuls Sea (interference), 12:02.
2nd Period—1, Everett, MacDonald 7 (Davis, Fonteyne), 10:49. 2, Everett, Dewar 6 (Pfeifer, Martin), 11:14. Penalties—Khomenko Evt (tripping), 1:27; Eansor Sea (elbowing), 14:27.
3rd Period—3, Everett, MacDonald 8 (Juulsen), 2:54 (PP). 4, Everett, Davis 3 (King, Dewar), 3:49. 5, Everett, Stadnyk 11 (Laurencelle, MacDonald), 9:50 (PP). 6, Seattle, Neuls 6 (Volcan), 16:15. Penalties—Allbee Sea (hooking), 2:08; Hauf Sea (roughing), 8:53; Ottenbreit Sea (holding), 9:42; Leth Sea (roughing), 19:49; Dwyer Evt (roughing), 19:49.
Shots on Goal—Seattle 7-10-9-26. Everett 6-13-16-35.
Power Play Opportunities—Seattle 0 / 1; Everett 2 / 6.
Goalies—Seattle, Bow 13-15-4-0 (23 shots-19 saves); Flodell 13-11-3-0 (12 shots-11 saves). Everett, Hart 25-11-1-2 (26 shots-25 saves).
A—8,145
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
