PORTLAND, Ore. — Loud cheers emanated from a locker room deep within the bowels of the Moda Center Wednesday night.
“Whose house?” came the shout from one player.
“Our house,” his teammates replied.
Though 200 miles from the friendly confines of Xfinity Arena, the Everett Silvertips laid claim to the Moda Center as they knocked off the Portland Winterhawks 4-2 to sweep their first-round Western Hockey League playoff series before 5,721 fans in the Rose City.
The sweep avenged last year’s 4-1 series loss in the second round of the WHL playoffs.
“Having the team that knocked you out last year and sweeping them is incredible, and it really speaks to our team and our team identity and what we’re all about,” said Everett goaltender Carter Hart, who returned from a lower-body injury to make his first appearance since March 12. “We’ve bought into the system and we just played our system. It was too much for them to handle.”
The result was Everett’s first playoff sweep since its first-ever playoff series — a 4-0 pasting of Spokane in 2004. Meanwhile, the Winterhawks lost in four straight for the first time since 1999. Portland had also defeated Everett in the last three playoff series between the teams.
“They got us in my first year and they go us last year,” said Everett overage defenseman Cole MacDonald. “We really wanted to get these guys back and we pulled out a sweep and it’s really nice.”
MacDonald scored twice and the Tips never trailed in the contest. In fact, Everett trailed for just two minutes and 16 seconds for the entire four-game series.
Both of Portland’s goals Wednesday came via the power play, but both of MacDonald’s did as well. Hart finished with 28 saves and did not allow a goal at even strength.
“I thought he was pretty sharp and I thought he made a lot of really good saves,” Everett head coach Kevin Constantine said. “Carter’s style of goaltending is one that doesn’t yield itself to a high amount of acrobatic diving saves that are entertaining to fans. But his positioning is sound and he’s a good athlete on top of it, so sometimes you under-appreciate how well he’s played because you don’t see something spectacular.”
Constantine ultimately went with Hart over backup Mario Petit, who won the first three games of the series in net.
MacDonald’s second power-play goal of the game, this one from beyond the left circle, pushed Everett back in front 3-2 at 19:28 in the second and proved the game-winner.
Brandon Ralph iced it when he put a rebound past Portland goalie Adin Hill at 15:08 in the third.
MacDonald gave the Tips their first lead at 12:30 in the opening period on the power play as his one-timer from the point snuck past Hill’s left blocker.
The Winterhawks answered on their first power play at 17:35. Blake Heinrich fired past Hart from the top of the right circle to make it 1-1.
A left-circle wrister by Everett’s Connor Dewar broke the deadlock at 2:42 in the second, but the lead was short-lived. Dawson Leedahl was assessed a double minor for high sticking and Keoni Texeira capitalized with a slap shot from the top of the left circle to re-tie the game 2-2 at 10:18.
That set up MacDonald’s game-winner and series-ender.
“We definitely didn’t think we were going to sweep these guys,” MacDonald said. “They’re a great team and they battled hard. We had a couple close games and we just played till the very end and luckily it went our way.”
The Tips advance to the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. They will take on the U.S. Division champion Seattle Thunderbirds, who completed their sweep of Prince George Wednesday.
That series begins April 8 at the ShoWare Center in Kent.
Silvertips 4, Winterhawks 2
Everett 1 2 1 — 4
Portland 1 1 0 — 2
1st Period—1, Everett, MacDonald 1 (Fonteyne, Bajkov), 12:30 (PP). 2, Portland, Heinrich 1 (Texeira, Glass), 17:35 (PP). Penalties—Clayton Por (holding), 2:56; Heinrich Por (high sticking), 10:27; Dougherty Por (tripping), 12:17; Juulsen Evt (checking to the head), 15:39; Leedahl Evt (interference), 18:02.
2nd Period—3, Everett, Dewar 1 (Bajkov), 2:42. 4, Portland, Texeira 1 (Glass), 10:18 (PP). 5, Everett, MacDonald 2 (Fonteyne, Leedahl), 19:28 (PP). Penalties—Leedahl Evt (high sticking), 9:21; Leedahl Evt (high sticking), 10:18; Hughes Por (roughing), 16:13; Schoenborn Por (checking to the head), 16:13; Bukarts Por (delay of game), 18:42.
3rd Period—6, Everett, Ralph 3 (King, Davis), 15:08. Penalties—Fonteyne Evt (tripping), 8:16; Leedahl Evt (roughing), 17:35; Martin Evt (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 17:35; Hughes Por (roughing), 17:35.
Shots on Goal—Everett 11-17-6-34. Portland 10-12-8-30.
Power Play Opportunities—Everett 2 / 6; Portland 2 / 6.
Goalies—Everett, Hart 1-0-0-0 (30 shots-28 saves). Portland, Hill 0-4-0-0 (34 shots-30 saves).
A—4,721
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
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