KENT — The Everett Silvertips lost a key game to the Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday night. However, the Tips earned what could end up being a critical point in the playoff race.
Seattle scored with five seconds remaining in overtime to defeat Everett 3-2 Sunday night.
Connor Honey scored the deciding goal, tipping a flipped shot by Dave Sutter past Everett goaltender Kent Simpson to give Seattle a crucial victory in the four-way race for the final two playoff spots in the WHL’s Western Conference.
However, since Everett earned a point for getting the game to overtime, and since Victoria also earned just a single point by losing 5-4 in OT to Vancouver, the Tips maintained their one-point lead over Victoria for seventh place. Seattle, which is in ninth, closed within four points of Everett and three of Victoria.
Seth Swenson and Branden Troock also scored for Seattle (23-43-1-1), which outshot Everett 49-32, including 20-5 in the third period. Calvin Pickard earned the win in goal, making 30 saves.
Kohl Bauml and Josh Winquist scored for Everett (21-38-2-8), which twice battled back to tie it after falling behind. Kent Simpson finished with 46 saves in net for the Tips.
Seattle caught the Tips early, scoring just 1 minute, 20 seconds into the game. The T-birds forced a turnover, then Swenson put the puck home after a mad scramble in front, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead.
Everett recovered and tied it up at 12:54. The Tips broke two-on-one, and Bauml finished it off after a good feed from Cody Fowlie, knotting it at 1-1.
The Tips gave another one away early in the second period. A defensive miscue allowed Troock to score on the backhander in front, giving Seattle a 2-1 lead.
And again Everett tied it up. Josh Birkholz sped away from the defense, and although he was denied by Pickard, Winquist scored on the rebound to make it 2-2. The goal gave Winquist goals in seven of the past eight games.
Seattle controlled the third period, but Simpson stopped all 20 T-birds shots to make sure Everett earned at least a point.
Thunderbirds 3, Silvertips 2 (OT)
Everett 1 1 0 0—2
Seattle 1 1 0 1—3
First Period—1, Seattle, Swenson 9 (Lund), 1:20. 2, Everett, Bauml 14 (Fowlie) 12:54. Penalties—Grayson, Everett (fighting), 2:08; Elliot, Seattle (fighting), 2:08; Yadlowski, Everett (boarding), 4:25; Grayson, Everett (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:17; Morden, Everett (fighting), 9:17; Lund, Seattle (goaltender interference-fighting), 9:17; Wardley, Seattle (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:17; Hauf, Seattle (cross checking) 13:54.
Second Period—3, Seattle, Troock 13, 1:16. 4, Everett, Winquist 19 (Birkholz, Yadlowski), 5:01. Penalties—Caron, Everett (fighting), 6:11; Elliot, Seattle (fighting), 6:11; Grayson, Everett (hooking), 9:42; Caron, Everett (roughing), 20:00; Jacobs, Seattle (slashing), 20:00.
Third Period—no goals. Penalties—Honey, Seattle (slashing), 4:39; Caron, Everett (slashing), 17:39; Troock, Seattle (slashing), 17:39.
Overtime—5, Seattle, Honey 7 (Sutter, Theodore), 4:55. Penalties—none.
Shots on goal—Everett 13-11-5-3—32. Seattle 13-12-20-4—49. Power-play opportunities—Everett 0 of 3. Seattle 0 of 2.
Goalies—Everett, Simpson 19-30-1-5 (49 shots, 46 saves). Seattle, Pickard 23-35-1-1 (32 shots, 30 saves).
A—4,080.
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