CALGARY, Alberta — The Everett Silvertips will be happy to return to the confines of Xfinity Arena following a disappointing conclusion to a road trip that started out with promise.
The Silvertips fell 4-3 to the Calgary Hitmen Saturday as Everett’s four-game Central Division swing came to an end before 6,721 fans at Scotiabank Saddledome.
It was the third consecutive loss for Everett (11-7-0-2, 24 points) following a 2-0 shutout victory at Kootenay to begin the road trip on Tuesday. The Tips led in every game before surrendering leads in each of the final three contests.
Calgary (13-10-0-1, 27 points) prevailed for its fourth straight win as the Hitmen handed Everett its second shootout loss in as many tries.
Calgary’s Radel Fazleev was the only player to find the net in the shootout as Everett’s Riley Sutter, Devon Skoleski and Carson Stadnyk came up empty against Calgary net minder Cody Porter.
While the Tips did escape the Saddledome with one point in the standings, the disappointment lay in the inability for Everett to put Calgary away.
Nursing a 2-1 lead through two periods, the Silvertips added an apparent insurance goal on a third-period power play when Noah Juulsen found Matt Fonteyne in the right circle. Fonteyne one-timed a rocket to the far corner of the net past Porter for a 3-1 advantage at 7:12 in the third.
But the Hitmen needed less that three minutes to tie the game. Jordy Stallard tied it with a slap shot at a sharp angle from the right boards at 9:31, then Colby Harmsworth beat the Everett defense and snuck a wrister past Hart to make it 3-3 a scant 53 seconds later.
The Hitmen staged the comeback despite being without two of their star players. Reigning WHL Player of the Week Jackson Houck left in the first period with an undisclosed injury and didn’t return. The Hitmen were also without third-leading scorer Travis Sanheim due to injury.
Everett broke a 1-1 deadlock when Patrick Bajkov fed the puck across the crease where the trailing Graham Millar was waiting to put it past Porter for a 2-1 Everett lead at 7:59 in the second period.
Despite struggling early to clear the puck from their own defensive end, the Silvertips took the 1-0 lead when they capitalized on their first shot. From the right circle Stadnyk found a crashing Remi Laurencelle in the slot and Laurencelle redirected the puck past Calgary goaltender Cody Porter for at 4:27.
Calgary took advantage of a double minor penalty on Skoleski and netted their first power play attempt as Carsen Twarynski tied the game with assists from Michael Zipp and Layne Bennsmiller at 14:53 in the first.
Laurencelle extended his point streak to six games, and Millar finished with a goal and an assist.
Zipp had two assists for the Hitmen.
Hitmen 4, Silvertips 3 (SO)
Everett 1 1 1 0 — 3
Calgary 1 0 2 0 — 3
1st Period—1, Everett, Laurencelle 6 (Stadnyk, Leedahl), 4:27. 2, Calgary, Twarynski 3 (Zipp, Bensmiller), 14:53 (PP). Penalties-Skoleski Evt (high sticking, high sticking), 12:17; Harmsworth Cal (holding), 17:46.
2nd Period—3, Everett, Millar 4 (Dwyer, Bajkov), 7:59. Penalties-Kanzig Cal (checking from behind), 5:17; Hyman Cal (tripping), 14:20; Ta. Sanheim Cal (holding), 19:22.
3rd Period—4, Everett, Fonteyne 5 (Juulsen, Millar), 7:12 (PP). 5, Calgary, Stallard 5 (LaPointe, Zipp), 9:31. 6, Calgary, Harmsworth 2 (Kanzig), 10:24. Penalties-Stukel Cal (high sticking), 6:25.
OT Period— No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout—Everett 0 (Sutter NG, Skoleski NG, Stadnyk NG), Calgary 1 (Bean NG, Fazleev G, Stallard NG).
Shots on Goal—Everett 6-11-5-4-26. Calgary 8-6-9-4-27.
Power Play Opportunities—Everett 1/5; Calgary 1/2.
Goalies—Everett, Hart 11-6-0-1 (27 shots-24 saves). Calgary, Porter 6-2-0-0 (26 shots-23 saves).
A-6,721
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