Hart makes his preseason debut in Silvertips’ 5-4 win

Published 1:30 am Sunday, September 3, 2017

EVERETT — Sometimes you just have to hang on.

The Everett Silvertips saw what was once a three-goal lead slashed to one with less than five minutes to play, but didn’t allow Portland the equalizer in the waning moments in a 5-4 win over the Winterhawks before several hundred fans Sunday at Xfinity Arena.

It was the second straight win for the Tips as they closed out the Delta Hotels Preseason Holiday Classic with a pair of victories. Everett combined for a dozen goals in their wins Saturday and Sunday.

Goaltender Carter Hart made his first appearance of the preseason and was nearly flawless for the first 56 minutes. He saved 39 of Portland’s first 41 shots before the Winterhawks struck for two quick goals late in the third period. However, Everett’s three-goal lead ultimately proved insurmountable.

“It felt good to get back in the game and get in that game atmosphere,” Hart said. “We came out with a win so that was pretty fun to be a part of.”

Hart finished with 42 saves on 46 shots. A signed second-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, this was Hart’s lone preseason appearance before he heads to Flyers training camp next week.

“Portland was dressing a lot of their returning guys, so it was a good game for me to get ready to head off,” Hart said. “I thought we played really well tonight and matched up against them pretty equally and got the ‘W.’”

Everett scored twice early in the third period to turn a one-goal lead into a three-goal advantage. Connor Dewar sniped a shot from the left circle at 2:28, and Riley Sutter punched home a rebound from the front of the net on the power play to stretch Everett’s lead to 5-2.

The Tips appeared well in control. However, Joachim Blichfeld skated right into a rebound and buried a shot past Hart short-handed at 16:00, and Keoni Texeira drew the Winterhawks within a goal just 27 seconds later with a wrister off a feed from Ryan Hughes.

That was as close as the Winterhawks came.

Everett’s Conrad Mitchell broke a 2-2 tie at 12:19 in the second when he poked the loose puck through Portland goalie Evan Fradette’s legs.

Mitchell’s goal came after the Winterhawks had tied the game early in the period. Trailing 2-1 through one, the Winterhawks knotted the game 2-2 at 2:35 in the second when Cody Glass roofed a wrister past Carter Hart on the power play.

However, the Silvertips lost defensemen Montana Onyebuchi and Gianni Fairbrother in-between the second and third periods as each was involved in a fight after the period ended and was issued a game misconduct penalty and ejected.

That left Everett with just four defensemen for the third period.

“They’re a high, dynamic, fast offensive team and they can score quickly as we saw there,” Everett head coach Dennis Williams said. “I thought our forwards got in the mindset of sitting back a little bit. But only having four (defensemen) we needed to be in their zone as much as we can to give our guys a breather.”

The Silvertips took the early lead at 7:03. Kevin Davis’s stretch pass found Matt Fonteyne at the Portland blue line for a breakaway and Fonteyne buried it to give Everett the 1-0 advantage.

Less than a minute later, Wyatte Wylie buried a wrister from the point to push Everett’s lead to 2-0.

Evan Weginer got one back for Portland at 14:59. That’s how it remained through the end of the first period as Hart stoned Ty Kolle on a short-handed breakaway at 18:30.

The Silvertips resume preseason action next Saturday against the Prince George Cougars in Langley, British Columbia.

For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.

Silvertips 5, Winterhawks 4

Portland 1 1 2—4

Everett 2 1 2—5

First Period—1, Everett, Fonteyne 2 (Davis, Fairbrother), 7:03. 2, Everett, Wylie 1 (Dewar, Richards), 7:46. 3, Portland, Weinger 1 (Blichfeld, Miley), 14:59. Penalties-Hughes Por (holding opp. stick), 0:18; Wylie Evt (interference), 0:18; Richards Evt (kneeing), 10:34; Ludvig Por (slashing), 17:31.

Second Period—4, Portland, Glass 1 (Texeira, McKenzie), 2:35 (PP). 5, Everett, Mitchell 1 (Azhgirei, Onyebuchi), 12:19. Penalties-Onyebuchi Evt (tripping), 1:47; Weinger Por (roughing), 2:52; Bajkov Evt (roughing), 2:52; Azhgirei Evt (hooking), 6:06; McKenzie Por (high sticking, high sticking), 6:38; MacEachern Por (slashing), 16:35; Texeira Por (roughing), 17:01; Richards Evt (roughing), 17:01; Clayton Por (unsportsmanlike cnd., major-fighting, game misconduct), 20:00; Sharp Por (major-fighting, game misconduct), 20:00; Fairbrother Evt (major-fighting, game misconduct), 20:00; Onyebuchi Evt (major-fighting, game misconduct), 20:00.

Third Period—6, Everett, Dewar 3 (Richards, Bruce), 2:28. 7, Everett, Sutter 2 (Dewar, Bajkov), 4:07 (PP). 8, Portland, Blichfeld 1 (McKenzie), 16:00 (SH). 9, Portland, Texeira 1 (Hughes), 16:27. Penalties-Gisti Por (slashing), 3:53; MacEachern Por (roughing), 4:46; Dewar Evt (cross checking), 4:46; Wylie Evt (elbowing), 11:04; Dewar Evt (hooking), 11:59; Hughes Por (holding), 14:10; Sutter Evt (slashing), 16:56; Glass Por (interference), 17:46.

Shots on Goal—Portland 12-16-18-46. Everett 10-8-11-29.

Power Play Opportunities—Portland 1 / 6; Everett 1 / 8.

Goalies—Portland, Fradette 0-1-0-0 (29 shots-24 saves). Everett, Hart 1-0-0-0 (46 shots-42 saves).