Pilon’s hat trick lifts Silvertips over Chiefs 5-2.

Published 1:30 am Saturday, January 13, 2018

SPOKANE — Garrett Pilon needed two games to find the point sheet for the Everett Silvertips.

He quickly made up for lost time.

Pilon’s third-period empty-netter gave him a hat trick in his second game with the Tips as Everett defeated the Spokane Chiefs 5-2 before 6,541 fans Saturday at Spokane Arena.

It was the second hat trick of the season for Pilon, who was acquired along with Ondrej Vala from the Kamloops Blazers a week ago. It also marked the third hat trick turned in by a Silvertips player this year.

Matt Fonteyne added two goals as the Tips (26-16-1-1, 54 points) won their third straight. Spokane fell to 22-19-1-2 (47 points).

Carter Hart saved 31 of the 33 shots he saw in his first game back with Everett since earning a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y.

Connor Dewar and Wyatte Wylie each had a pair of assists for Everett. Kailer Yamamoto had two assists for the Chiefs.

Pilon’s final goal iced the contest for Everett after Spokane’s Hudson Elynuik had cut Everett’s lead to 4-2 at 4:42 in the third.

That was as close as the Chiefs got.

The Tips took a 3-1 lead into the second period. Everett extended its lead with Fonteyne’s second goal of the game at 12:53. The goal was also Everett’s third power-play goal of the game and came when Fonteyne’s shot deflected into the net off a Spokane player.

It was a continuation of Everett’s strong end to the first period. Trailing 1-0 midway through the opening period, the Silvertips went to work.

Pilon deflected in a point shot from Vala at 13:26 to tie the game 1-1. It was the first Silvertips point for Vala who now has 14 assists to go along with seven goals on the season.

Fonteyne gave Everett the lead when he scored on a rebound on a scramble in front of the net at 17:51.

Then Pilon tallied his second of the game on the power play as he potted a rebound at 18:45 as Everett took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.

Jake McGrew had given the Chiefs the initial lead at 7:24 in the first when he tipped the puck past Hart.

The Tips finished 2-for-4 on the power play while holding Spokane 0-for-3 on the man advantage. Everett held a slight shot 34-33 edge in shots.

Everett continues its road trip Sunday as it plays in Portland against the Winterhawks beginning at 5 p.m. The Tips return home for a rare Monday game against the Tri-City Americans at 4:05 p.m.

Silvertips 5, Chiefs 2

Everett 3 1 1 — 5

Spokane 1 0 1 — 2

1st Period—1, Spokane, McGrew 10 (Yamamoto, Smith), 7:24. 2, Everett, Pilon 19 (Vala, Wylie), 13:23. 3, Everett, Fonteyne 23 (Dewar), 17:51. 4, Everett, Pilon 20 (Wylie, Richards), 18:45 (PP). Penalties—Butt Evt (major-fighting), 4:43; McKay Spo (major-fighting), 4:43; Sutter Evt (tripping), 5:21; Wylie Evt (delay of game), 9:45; Woods Spo (slashing), 15:46; Bajkov Evt (tripping), 16:30; Anderson-Dolan Spo (interference), 17:10.

2nd Period—5, Everett, Fonteyne 24 (Davis, Bajkov), 12:53 (PP). Penalties—Faith Spo (cross checking), 1:37; Pilon Evt (slashing), 2:56; served by McGrew Spo (too many men), 12:32.

3rd Period—6, Spokane, Elynuik 22 (Helgesen, Yamamoto), 4:42. 7, Everett, Pilon 21 (Dewar), 18:06 (EN). Penalties—No Penalties

Shots on Goal—Everett 19-10-5-34. Spokane 15-4-14-33.

Power Play Opportunities—Everett 2 / 4; Spokane 0 / 3.

Goalies—Everett, Hart 14-3-0-1 (33 shots-31 saves). Spokane, Brkin 8-13-2-0 (33 shots-29 saves).

A—6,541