Herald staff
KENNEWICK — Austin Lotz has found a comfort level at the Toyota Center.
The Everett Silvertips goaltender turned in his second consecutive strong performance in Kennewick, leading the Tips to a 2-1 shootout victory over the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday night.
Lotz, who had a shutout the previous time the Tips played in Kennewick, turned aside 45 of the 46 shots he faced in regulation and overtime, then denied all three Tri-City attempts in the shootout. Among those 45 saves were two huge stops late in the third period that preserved the tie.
Carson Stadnyk scored in the third period for Everett (13-20-0-2) and Joshua Winquist was the only player to convert during the shootout as the Tips prevailed 1-0.
Justin Feser scored the lone goal for Tri-City (18-12-1-2). Eric Comrie stopped 29 shots in goal for the Americans.
The first-period was mostly one-way traffic as Tri-City outshot Everett 16-8, and the Americans found the breakthrough at 17 minutes, 28 seconds. While on the power play, Feser wired a one-timer into the top corner to give the Americans a 1-0 lead.
Everett then had all kinds of opportunity in the second period when the Tips received five consecutive power plays. However, Everett wasn’t able to convert, even when the Tips had a lengthy five-on-three advantage, and it remained 1-0 going into the third.
The Tips finally found a way past Comrie midway through the third. Carson Stadnyk’s shot off the rush was saved, but he followed up and put home his own rebound to knot it at 1-1 at 10:46.
Lotz then made two big saves in the final five minutes of regulation, including denying former Silvertip Ryan Chynoweth with a diving glove save in the final minute, making sure the Tips earned at least a point. Then he and Winquist made sure the Tips picked up the second one, too.
Silvertips 2, Americans 1 (SO)
Everett0010—2
Tri-City1000—1
Everett won shootout 1-0
First Period—1, Tri-City, Feser 18 (Topping, Yuen), 17:28 (pp). Penalties—Petryk, Everett (boarding), 6:19; Grayson, Everett (high sticking), 16:40.
Second Period—no goals. Penalties—Chynoweth, Tri-City (checking from behind), 9:33; Tomchuk, Tri-City (cross checking), 11:23; Hamonic, Tri-City (roughing), 12:04; Mychan, Tri-City (boarding), 15:49.
Third Period—2, Everett, Stadnyk 6 (Petryk, Cox), 10:46. Penalties—Walters, Everett (roughing), 0:22; Hayer, Everett (tripping), 13:59.
Overtime—no goals. Penalties—none.
Shootout—Everett 1 (Winquist G, Petryk NG, Harrison NG); Tri-City 0 (Feser NG, Williams NG, Rankin NG).
Shots on goal—Everett 8-12-7-3—30. Tri-City 16-11-16-3—46. Power-play opportunities—Everett 0 of 5. Tri-City 1 of 4.
Goalies—Everett, Lotz 5-10-0-1 (46 shots, 45 saves). Tri-City, Comrie 15-12-1-2 (30 shots, 29 saves).
A—4,071.
