Herald staff
SPOKANE — The Everett Silvertips made it more difficult on themselves than they would have liked.
But they got the result they desired when Patrick Bajkov scored the game-winning goal 24 seconds into overtime as the Tips knocked off the Spokane Chiefs 4-3 before 4,423 at Spokane Arena.
It was Bajkov’s second goal of the game as the Tips erased a 2-1 deficit and withstood a late game-tying goal from Spokane to win their third straight.
The Tips (7-1-1-0, 15 points) reclaimed first place in the U.S. Division standings from the idle Portland Winterhawks and finished their three-game road trip with three consecutive victories.
Spokane fell to 2-5.
Everett trailed 2-1 after Kailer Yamamoto’s second goal of the game gave the Chiefs their first lead as he potted a rebound past Everett goaltender Mario Petit at 9:30 in the final period.
But Spokane’s Hudson Elynuik was assessed a five-minute major penalty for his hit on Devon Skoleski at 13:06.
Skoleski didn’t return.
Bajkov and Noah Juulsen both capitalized, scoring 10 seconds apart on the lengthy power play and it looked like Everett was headed for a 3-2 victory.
Then Markson Bechtold’s 40-foot short-handed shot snuck past a screened Petit with 1:08 to tie the game.
Everett also played without first-line center Matt Fonteyne and top-pair defenseman Lucas Skrumeda, both of whom suffered undisclosed injuries Tuesday.
Petit earned the win as he saved 27 of the 30 shots he faced in his first start since opening night on Sept. 23. Spokane’s Jayden Sittler had 17 stops in the loss.
The Silvertips capitalized on a Spokane turnover to take a 1-0 lead. Graham Millar fired a shot off the pad of Sittler that bounced to King, who converted the second chance from in front of the crease at 3:14 in the second.
Yamamoto tied it during a 4-on-3 power play with a one-timer from the left circle that escaped Petit to make it 1-1 at 16:02 in the second. The Spokane native finished with two goals and an assist to lead Spokane.
Juulsen had a goal and an assist and Dominic Zwerger had two helpers in his first appearance in Spokane since the Chiefs dealt him to the Tips in September.
The Silvertips end their week of four games in five days Saturday when they host Seattle at 7:05 for the annual “Pink the Rink” game.
Silvertips 4, Chiefs 3 (OT)
Everett0121—4
Spokane0120—3
1st Period—No Scoring.Penalties—Helgesen Spo (interference), 17:39.
2nd Period—1, Everett, King 1 (Millar, Skoleski), 3:14. 2, Spokane, Yamamoto 5 (Anderson-Dolan, Smith), 16:02 (PP). Penalties—Elynuik Spo (high sticking), 0:17; King Evt (roughing), 6:23; Miske Spo (roughing), 6:23; Richards Evt (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 14:45; McKay Spo (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 14:45; Millar Evt (hooking), 15:12; Helgesen Spo (hooking), 18:20.
3rd Period—3, Spokane, Yamamoto 6 (Bechtold, Elynuik), 9:30. 4, Everett, Bajkov 3 (Zwerger, Sutter), 13:59 (PP). 5, Everett, Juulsen 2 (Richards, Kindopp), 14:09 (PP). 6, Spokane, Bechtold 1 (Smith, Yamamoto), 18:52 (SH). Penalties—Elynuik Spo (major-charging, game misconduct), 13:06; Helgesen Spo (roughing), 18:14.
OT Period—7, Everett, Bajkov 4 (Zwerger, Juulsen), 0:24.
Shots on Goal—Everett 4-6-10-1-21. Spokane 10-8-12-0-30.
Power Play Opportunities—Everett 2/5; Spokane 1/1.
Goalies—Everett, Petit 2-0-0-0 (30 shots-27 saves). Spokane, Sittler 1-2-1-0 (21 shots-17 saves).
A—4,423
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