Portland 4, Everett 3 (OT)
Published 10:51 pm Tuesday, December 8, 2009
TALKING POINTS
A better effort out of the Tips tonight, but they were only able to scrape out a point. Everett outshot Portland 47-28, and instead of taking bad penalties like the past two games, they drew them instead, getting nine chances to six for Portland (though the Tips took some unnecessary penalties when the game was tied in the third period).
Portland won it in overtime on a nice play. The Tips were pressuring the Portland goal and defenseman Ryan Murray pinched in to help. But the puck squirted free and the Winterhawks broke two-on-one. It looked like the Tips had covered it, but Brad Ross made a great spinning pass to find Nino Niederreiter, and Niederreiter made a nice move to score the winning goal.
A big key was Portland won the goaltending battle. Portland’s Ian Curtis stopped 44 shots, including one particularly crucial save (see below). Everett’s Kent Simpson stopped 24 shots and probably wants at least one of those goals back.
Saw something I’ve never seen before today, courtesy of Portland’s Taylor Jordan. Late in the first period referee Andy Thiessen called a Portland penalty right in front of the Winterhawks bench. Jordan, incensed by the call, squirted his water bottle toward Thiessen. Jordan got a game misconduct for that one.
There were a ton of scouts in attendance tonight, presumably to watch Portland’s boatload of draft-eligible prospects, as well as get a good look at Simpson. Taken as a group I wouldn’t say they helped themselves a whole lot tonight.
TURNING POINT
Everett led 2-0 early in the second period and nearly went ahead 3-0, but Curtis made a great toe save on Zack Dailey on a rebound to keep it a two goal game. Portland scored moments later and three times in the next eight minutes to turn the tide.
HIT OF THE DAY
Nothing that interesting tonight. I guess Portland’s Taylor Aronson had a nice shove on Shane Harper early in the second period that sent Harper onto his back.
THREE STARS
First star: Harper. Two assists, but I’ve seen him play better games.
Second star: Curtis. Deserves mention based solely on that one save.
Third star: Byron Froese, Everett. A goal and an assist, he caused problems in front of the Portland goal.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Ryan Johansen, Portland. A goal and an assist, he was the one draft prospect who stood out to me in a positive way.
The Herald’s honorable mention, part 2: Scott MacDonald, Everett. No points, but worked his tail off and showed good puck control tonight. Unlucky to finish a minus-2.
BOX SCORE
