Everett 4, Spokane 3 (OT), this result couldn’t possibly have happened, could it?
Published 10:45 pm Friday, January 13, 2012
TALKING POINTS
I don’t think anyone saw this one coming.
Spokane led 3-0 with less than 10 minutes remaining. The Chiefs had dominated play with a non-nonsense approach, and Everett barely had a sniff at Spokane’s goal. Then the Chiefs went on the power play, and the game might as well have been over, especially since Everett was the lowest-scoring team in the WHL.
But one moment of inspiration on the penalty kill sparked an improbable comeback. On what was probably the Tips’ first good shift of the game, Kohl Bauml and Ryan Harrison did good work up front to set up Ryan Murray for a short-handed goal. Then it all cascaded from there. Bauml tied it up with 27.7 seconds remaining in regulation with goaltender Austin Lotz pulled for the extra attacker, and Josh Winquist converted a back-door feed from Josh Birkholz while on the power play in OT to win it.
Up until Murray’s goal, I would have described this as one of Everett’s most uninspired performances of the season. So needless to say this caught me completely by surprise. Spokane’s defensemen were dominating the point on offense and had Everett’s forwards in their pockets on defense; Spokane’s forwards were creating all kinds of traffic in front of Lotz; and the Chiefs were winning every faceoff. Frankly, I have no idea how this turnaround occurred. But you can be sure the Tips will take it.
This was my first look at Reid Petryk since Everett acquired the 18-year-old center at the trade deadline. He’s going to help.
TURNING POINT
That short-handed goal turned some sort of switch.
HIT OF THE DAY
Early in the second period Winquist, of all people, carried good momentum and knocked down the much bigger Corbin Baldwin with a solid hip check.
THREE STARS
First star: Murray. One goal and one assist, it was his goal that sparked the comeback.
Second star: Bauml. One goal and one assist, to me he won the game for Everett. He started the play that led to Murray’s goal, scored the tying goal by planting his diminutive frame at the edge of the crease, then took one for the team by taking a stick to the mouth to draw the decisive penalty in OT.
Third star: Blake Gal, Spokane. Two assists, but if I had to award a star to a Spokane player it would have gone to one of the defensemen.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Lotz. 37 saves, played a big part in holding Spokane’s lead to three.
BOX SCORE
