Final thoughts as Everett Silvertips fall to Edmonton Oil Kings
Published 9:49 pm Friday, January 22, 2016
The Game
The Everett Silvertips finally saw their 11-game streak of not losing in regulation come to an end Friday in a tough 1-0 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings at Rexall Place.
You can argue that Wednesday’s 2-1 win at Kamloops had some luck to it – Matt Fonteyne drove hard to the net and the Blazers defenders knocked in the puck. But things tend to even out over the course of a long season and the Tips suffered the tough-to-swallow defeat Friday in a duel between two goaltenders that were having sharp nights.
The only goal came on Edmonton’s final power play when Dario Meyer stuck the puck between Everett goalie Carter Hart’s legs at 8:33 in the final period.
The Tips had a number of chances throughout the game including a couple of good looks from Carson Stadnyk, but Oil Kings goalie Payton Lee matched Hart save-for-save – and then some.
The normally disciplined Tips took five penalties, but Edmonton took seven. So perhaps the officials were simply calling the game a bit tighter than usual.
Everett head coach Kevin Constantine took his timeout with two minutes to play and pulled Hart at that time to go 6-on-5. The Tips kept the puck in their offensive zone for most of the remainder of the game, but could not slip one through the stout Edmonton defense.
The Turning Point
Dario Meyer’s power play goal at 8:33 in the third period was the only tally in Everett’s final visit to Rexall Place (unless the teams meet for the WHL title).
Three Stars
1. Edmonton G Payton Lee: Lee stopped all 27 shots for his first shutout of the season.
2. Edmonton F Dario Meyer: Meyer scored the game’s only goal.
3. Everett G Carter Hart: Hart had 23 saves in the hard-luck loss.
