Chiefs stop Silvertips’ winning streak at 9

Published 1:30 am Friday, December 15, 2017

SPOKANE — The Everett Silvertips’ winning streak is over.

The Spokane Chiefs ended Everett’s nine-game winning streak with a 5-3 win Friday night in front of 5,913 fans at Spokane Arena.

Spokane’s Hudson Elynuik scored the game-winning goal at 12:47 in the third and added a 180-foot empty-netter with 28 seconds to play.

The Tips (19-13-1-1, 40 points) tasted defeat for the first time in nearly a month. They last lost a 2-1 decision to visiting Regina on Nov. 19.

Spokane improved to 17-12-1-2 (37 points). Elynuik added an assist and Zach Fischer had a goal and two assists as both Chiefs tallied three-point nights. Ty Smith had two helpers from the Spokane blue line.

Elynuik’s two unanswered goals came after Everett’s Matt Fonteyne tied the game 3-3 on the power play at 1:52. Fonteyne skated in and deked Spokane goalie Donovan Buskey for Everett’s second goal on the man advantage.

Fonteyne had a goal and an assist while linemate Patrick Bajkov had a pair of assists.

Spokane scored twice in the final six minutes of the second period to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

Nolan Reid’s wrister through traffic from the slot tied the game 2-2 at 14:32. Then Jeff Faith banged one off the post and in with a wrist shot from the right point, and Spokane led 3-2 through two periods.

Sean Richards previously gave Everett a 2-1 lead when he tipped in a shot from Bajkov at 5:33 in the second.

The teams traded power-play goals in the opening period and finished the first tied 1-1.

Akash Bains potted a rebound at 4:47 for his first goal as an Everett Silvertip to take a 1-0 lead.

But Fischer answered for the Chiefs at 11:43 with a snap shot from the right circle on the man advantage to knot the game 1-1. Smith and Elynuik assisted the goal.

Buskey finished with 23 saves for the win. Everett rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf saved 32 of the 36 shots he saw.

Both teams were missing key pieces with players absent due to World Junior training camps.

Wolf spelled Carter Hart in net with Hart away with Team Canada.

Spokane is missing forward Kailer Yamamoto (Team USA) and defenseman Filip Kral (Czech Republic).

The Tips play host to Prince George at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Angel of the Winds Arena.

Chiefs 5, Silvertips 3

Everett 1 1 1 — 3

Spokane 1 2 2 — 5

1st Period—1, Everett, Bains 1 (Kindopp, Wylie), 4:47 (PP). 2, Spokane, Fischer 14 (Smith, Elynuik), 11:43 (PP). Penalties—Elynuik Spo (interference), 3:08; McKay Spo (checking to the head), 8:03; Dewar Evt (boarding), 10:37.

2nd Period—3, Everett, Richards 13 (Bajkov, Fonteyne), 5:33. 4, Spokane, Reid 11 (Fischer, Smith), 14:32. 5, Spokane, Faith 3 (Hamaliuk, Zummack), 17:58. Penalties—Sutter Evt (cross checking), 0:46.

3rd Period—6, Everett, Fonteyne 16 (Bajkov, Davis), 1:52 (PP). 7, Spokane, Elynuik 16 (Woods, Fischer), 12:47. 8, Spokane, Elynuik 17 (Helgesen), 19:32 (EN). Penalties—Elynuik Spo (inter. on goaltender), 1:18; McKay Spo (holding), 6:09; Walker Evt (delay of game), 9:54; Sutter Evt (cross checking), 15:08; McGrew Spo (embellishment), 15:08; Dewar Evt (checking from behind), 15:32.

Shots on Goal—Everett 6-10-10-26. Spokane 8-12-17-37.

Power Play Opportunities—Everett 2 / 4; Spokane 1 / 4.

Goalies—Everett, Wolf 3-2-0-0 (36 shots-32 saves). Spokane, Buskey 6-4-0-0 (26 shots-23 saves).

A—5,913