EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips were able to take advantage of a short-handed Seattle Thunderbirds team last Friday night in the teams’ Western Conference semifinal series opener.
On Wednesday it was the Thunderbirds’ chance to return the favor as Seattle scored three times in the second period and went on to add two power-play goals in the third for a 5-0 win before 3,232 fans at Xfinity Arena.
The Silvertips played without their playoff points co-leader in overage forward Carson Stadnyk and top defenseman Noah Juulsen. Everett got past Seattle last Friday when the T-birds were missing first-line winger Keegan Kolesar and top defenseman Jerret Smith — both of whom returned for Game 2.
Stadnyk took a big hit from Seattle’s Jared Hauf and Juulsen took a puck to the face in Sunday’s game at ShoWare Center, but each returned to the game. Neither player practiced Tuesday.
Juulsen’s absence was all the more acute given the physical nature of the series and his ability to play in that role.
“He’s a warrior,” Everett head coach Kevin Constantine said. “The kid plays the game hard. Any time you take anybody at all out of your lineup that plays hard you’re taking a chunk out of your lineup. But if you pick the warriors on our team he’s one of those warriors so he’s missed.”
Consequently, 15-year-old Gino Fairbrother, a recent Tips signee, made his WHL debut Wednesday in front of his parents who were able to travel south from West Vancouver, B.C.
“I found out this morning (I was going to play),” Fairbrother said. “It was obviously very exciting news to hear. It’s a good experience.”
Seattle goalie Landon Bow was sharp as he stopped all 23 Tips shots. Everett goalie Carter Hart saved 26 of the 31 shots he faced.
The Silvertips also went without a power-play goal for the first time since their playoff opener against Portland six games ago. Three chances came in the opening period, but Cole MacDonald’s shot off the post was the closest the Tips came to scoring.
“The power play needed to probably score,” Constantine said. “But we needed a good start and we got a good start. We needed a goal on the power play to get at least the one-goal cushion and we couldn’t get that, so that was the disappointing part, but not the way we played.”
Perhaps it was ironic that the Tips’ best opening period led the most lopsided final so far in the series. In fact, Wednesday was the most decisive victory Seattle has over Everett in the 13 matchups including both the regular and postseasons. The lack of power-play scoring against Seattle’s league-best penalty kill eventually cost the Tips.
“I thought we were working hard in the first period (but) we needed that all game,” Everett forward Matt Fonteyne said. “Whenever you get that many power plays and don’t capitalize on it that hurts you. They capitalized on the ones they got late in the game and sealed it for them.”
The Thunderbirds broke the deadlock when Hart was unable to glove Scott Eansor’s wrist shot from the left circle. Hart initially appeared to have it in his glove, but it skipped out of the webbing and trickled into the net at 1:39 in the second period.
Ethan Bear added the second goal on a wrister from the slot at 9:14, and Kolesar scored on a similar shot at 16:08 as Seattle took a 3-0 lead. Hart appeared to be screened on both shots.
“I think they definitely got bodies to the net,” Fonteyne said. “That’s how you score goals in the league, especially during playoffs, is getting bodies to the net and shooting the puck. We need to start doing that more. Bow is seeing a little too much so we need to work hard to get there.”
Turner Ottenbreit scored on a power play at 14:10 in the third for Seattle’s fourth goal. The Tips were attempting to kill a five-minute penalty given to captain Dawson Leedahl for kneeing Kolesar. Donovan Neuls then added the fifth goal at 15:07.
At that point the Tips pulled Hart and backup Mario Petit saved the only shot he faced.
The series resumes at 7 p.m. Friday at Xfinity Arena. The teams travel to Kent for Game 5 Saturday at ShoWare Center.
Notes
Silvertips defenseman Tristen Pfeifer was named a league finalist for the Doc Seaman Trophy, which is awarded to the WHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year. Pfeifer completed his second season with the Tips in 2015-16 and is a two-time Silvertips Scholastic Player of the Year. He has completed nearly two years of post-secondary education at Grand Canyon University and has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average.
Thunderbirds 5, Silvertips 0
Seattle 0 3 2 — 5
Everett 0 0 0 — 0
1st Period—No Scoring. Penalties—Barzal Sea (tripping), 4:17; Ottenbreit Sea (charging), 7:49; Hauf Sea (checking from behind), 10:30.
2nd Period—1, Seattle, Eansor 3 (Bear, Ottenbreit), 1:39. 2, Seattle, Bear 3 (Barzal, Volcan), 9:14. 3, Seattle, Kolesar 5 (Barzal, Volcan), 16:08. Penalties—Bear Sea (kneeing), 4:08; Khomenko Evt (inter. on goaltender), 10:48.
3rd Period—4, Seattle, Ottenbreit 1 (Volcan, Leth), 14:10 (PP). 5, Seattle, Neuls 2 (Barzal, Smith), 15:07 (PP). Penalties—Eansor Sea (cross checking), 4:05; Leedahl Evt (major-kneeing), 13:07.
Shots on Goal—Seattle 7-10-15-32. Everett 11-7-5-23.
Power Play Opportunities—Seattle 2 / 2; Everett 0 / 5.
Goalies—Seattle, Bow 6-1-0-0 (23 shots-23 saves). Everett, Hart 2-2-0-0 (31 shots-26 saves); Petit 3-0-0-0 (1 shots-1 saves).
A—3,232
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
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