Silvertips end solid homestand with 4-3 OT loss to Tri-City

Published 10:45 pm Wednesday, December 7, 2016

EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips have been nearly flawless at home this season, and entered Wednesday’s game against the Tri-City Americans with a five-game winning streak.

While that streak came to an end with Tri-City’s 4-3 overtime win before 3,464 fans at Xfinity Arena Wednesday, the Tips concluded their longest homestand of the season to date with a 5-1-1 record and earned a total of 11 out of 14 possible standings points.

What made the loss somewhat disappointing, however, was the fact the U.S. Division-leading Tips (20-3-5-0, 45 points) uncharacteristically blew a 2-0 lead to the Americans (18-11-2-0, 36 points).

Jordan Topping ended the game at 2:04 in overtime when he roofed a shot past Carter Hart’s left shoulder as the Americans earned their second overtime win over the Tips this year.

“I think we’re the worst 3-on-3 team in the league — that’s my conclusion,” said Everett head coach Kevin Constantine, whose team dropped to 2-5 in overtime games this season. “Except tonight we lasted two minutes instead of 20 seconds. So we’re improving. I’m just happy in playoff hockey, if we’re fortunate enough to make the playoffs, that we don’t play 3-on-3. So I’m looking forward to that.”

Despite watching a 2-0 lead after one period dissolve into a 3-2 deficit in the third, Constantine was pleased the Tips rallied with a late power-play goal from Patrick Bajkov to force the extra session.

“It would be nice when you have a lead going into the third you would like to wrap it up, but then again we had a helluva power-play goal to get ourselves back into it at the end too,” Constantine said. “It was nice for our power play to get us a point back.”

Bajkov’s snap shot from the right circle got past Tri-City goalie Evan Sarthou’s left shoulder at 18:29 in the third and tied the game 3-3. It was the only power-play goal the Tips mustered in six man advantages. The Americans are fifth in the league in penalty killing, so Everett’s power-play futility wasn’t entirely unexpected.

“They’re a pretty hard-working team, a pretty gritty team, so whenever you play a team like that you have to be on top of your details and try to out-work them,” said Bajkov, who has scored goals in four straight games. “They have a pretty big back end and a couple guys up front that can really grind and they have a lot of skill to go with that.”

Kyle Olson gave the Americans their first lead of the night at 3-2 when he converted a pass from Dalton Yorke at the left post at 14:36 in the third and set up Bajkov’s game-tying tally four minutes later.

The Tips led 2-0 after the first period. Orrin Centazzo appeared to give Everett a 3-0 lead at 6:17 in the second, the goal was waved off due to high-sticking.

It remained 2-0 until the 17:51 mark in the second when Parker Wotherspoon’s stretch pass found Morgan Geekie near the Everett blue line and Geekie’s slap shot from the top of the right circle got past Hart’s right blocker to cut the lead to 2-1.

Geekie then tied it with a wrister from the slot on a Tri-City power play at 8:53 in the third.

“Going into the third period with a lead, we just can’t sit on that lead,” Everett captain Noah Juulsen said. “We gotta finish that game hard.”

Everett took the early lead when it scored twice on shots through traffic in the first period to go up 2-0.

Juulsen’s one-timer from the point got past Evan Sarthou thanks to a screen from Matt Fonteyne at 9:29 in the first.

Jake Christiansen then pushed the lead to 2-0 with a one-timer from the left circle that got past Sarthou as Eetu Tuulola set a screen at 14:34.

“We had a three-goal lead the other night against Med Hat and came out a little flat in the third and we had a two-goal lead tonight and came out a bit flat in the second,” Constantine said. “I think our team takes its foot off the gas a little bit when we have a lead.”

The Tips return to action at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Vancouver.

Americans 4, Silvertips 3 (OT)

Tri-City 0 1 2 1 — 4

Everett 2 0 1 0 — 3

1st Period—1, Everett, Juulsen 8 (Zwerger, Bajkov), 9:29. 2, Everett, Christiansen 2 (Skoleski), 14:34. Penalties—Lukin Tc (interference), 2:55; Wotherspoon Tc (charging), 11:16; Geekie Tc (cross checking), 16:16; Dewar Evt (hooking), 18:53.

2nd Period—3, Tri-City, Geekie 13 (Wotherspoon), 17:51. Penalties—Yorke Tc (interference), 5:48; Onyebuchi Evt (slashing), 12:30.

3rd Period—4, Tri-City, Geekie 14 (Sandhu, Lukin), 8:53 (PP). 5, Tri-City, Olson 9 (Yorke, Wotherspoon), 14:36. 6, Everett, Bajkov 15 (Zwerger, Davis), 18:29 (PP). Penalties—Olson Tc (holding), 2:07; Sutter Evt (tripping), 7:36; Geekie Tc (high sticking), 17:37.

OT Period—7, Tri-City, Topping 2 (Geekie, Coghlan), 2:04. Penalties—No Penalties.

Shots on Goal—Tri-City 6-8-4-2-20. Everett 7-10-12-0-29.

Power Play Opportunities—Tri-City 1 / 3; Everett 1 / 6.

Goalies—Tri-City, Sarthou 4-2-1-0 (29 shots-26 saves). Everett, Hart 15-3-4-0 (20 shots-16 saves).

A—3,464