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REFLECTIONS: T-Birds deal Silvertips their most lopsided defeat

Published 1:30 am Sunday, February 26, 2017

By Jesse Geleynse Herald Writer

The Game

It’s not a stretch to call Sunday’s 6-1 Everett Silvertips loss their worst of the season. Not only did it come via their archrivals, but they were never in the contest. The only other time this season the Tips allowed six goals they scored five themselves in a 6-5 loss to Portland earlier this month.

Sunday started with a poor first period as the Thunderbirds opened with a quick flurry off the opening faceoff (as they seem to do every time the Tips visit ShoWare Center). Carter Hart saved the first half-dozen or so before Keegan Kolesar beat him with a tough-angle look after a Tips five-on-three morphed into a T-Birds five-on-three midway through the opening period.

After 20 minutes it was 3-0 Seattle and the lead grew to 4-0 in the second before the Tips reached the board when Connor Dewar stripped Mathew Barzal of the puck and backhanded the puck into the net to ruin Rylan Toth’s shutout bid.

Barzal atoned minutes later with some impressive stickwork in the Everett zone that he finished with a wrister past Mario Petit to make it 5-1. Seattle also garnered a late goal in the third long after the outcome had become academic.

Everett has not won at ShoWare Center this season, though it has performed far better than it did Sunday. The Tips erased a 3-0 deficit earlier this year to force overtime in a game Kolesar won in a shootout. Everett also appeared well on its way to a regulation win in its last visit to ShoWare when it took a 2-1 lead into the final eight minutes before two Ethan Bear power-play goals flipped that result.

Regardless of which team wins the U.S. Division a likely second-round playoff series looms with the other. The Thunderbirds have protected their barn thus far, rendering Everett’s final regular-season ShoWare visit on March 10 of primary importance for gaining the confidence it can win in the building.

The Turning Point

Kolesar’s one-timer on the five-on-three Seattle power play. It came after the Tips could not convert their own five-on-three and the Thunderbirds rolled from there.

Three Stars

1. Seattle F Mathew Barzal: The New York Islanders signee had a goal and three assists.

2. Seattle D Reece Harsh: The blueliner had an assist and was plus-two.

3. Seattle D Anthony Bishop: The blueliner scored his first WHL goal.

Honorable mention: Everett F Connor Dewar (one goal), Seattle D Ethan Bear (two assists)

The Box Score

Bonus

The view from the other side.

For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.

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