This was the game that Carter Hart needed to have.

The Everett Silvertips goaltender was solid, if not overly tested, in Friday’s 4-1 Everett victory in Game 1. He then allowed five goals for just the second time this season in a 5-4 overtime defeat as Seattle evened the series at a game apiece in Game 2.

But Hart’s play in Tuesday’s first period was spectacular – particularly since he was coming off one of his worst outings of the season. He saved 23 of Seattle’s 24 first-period shots and stopped all 10 the rest of the way as the Tips regained control of the series with a 3-1 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds at ShoWare Center on Tuesday night. Everett now leads the series two games to one.

The real turning point may have been Matt Fonteyne’s leveling of Sami Moilanen in the final minute of the opening period. Fonteyne isn’t big – he’s just 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds. Neither is Moilanen who is listed at 5-8, 180. The legal hit left Moilanen injured as he did not return.

Sami Moilanen took a hit late in the 2nd tonight, doubtful to return #EVTvsSEA #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/wG3U49kXK2

— WHL Unfiltered (@WHLunfiltered) March 28, 2018

The Tips outshot Seattle 25-10 over the final 40 minutes. The discrepancy was somewhat reminiscent of Everett’s 2-1 overtime win over Seattle at home on March 3 when the Tips outshot Seattle 27-1 during the third period and overtime.

Seattle goaltender Liam Hughes was also very good Tuesday. He saved 34 of 36 for the T-Birds including a pair of great stops during Everett’s 5-on-3 third-period power play.

There was ample coverage of Tuesday’s game. You can check out my ThunderTips hockey podcast host Andy Eide’s story, while Jim Riley had this take for the Seattle Times. Brandon Rivers of Dub Network was also in attendance and filed this piece.

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