EVERETT— Jake Christiansen trotted out a modest celebration after his third goal of the night that put the Silvertips up 5-0 on U.S. Division rival Portland, and tried his best not to crack a smile as his teammates mobbed him near Everett’s bench, even though a smirk or two flashed on the Angel of the Winds Arena jumbotron.
Christiansen was trying to act cool, but deep down he could sense the magnitude of the moment.
“It was surreal, I’ll never forget that one,” Christiansen said. “The guys were talking about it in the locker room. They said just don’t make it too big of a celly (celebration), make it look like it was natural. I just didn’t go too crazy, but inside I was going crazy.”
The 19-year-old blueliner became the first defenseman in Silvertips’ franchise history to record a hat trick in Everett’ 5-0 win over Portland on Saturday.
“I actually wasn’t aware when I first did it,” Christiansen said. “Wyatte (Wylie) told me that he thought (I) probably (was), with him (growing up) here and watching games when he was a young kid, he said he never saw one. I was on the (postgame) broadcast with (Silvertips’ play-by-play man) Mike (Benton) and he said I was the first one. It’s pretty cool. For sure, it feels good. I hope some more defenseman get some hat tricks coming up, hopefully this year.
“Being in an organization that’s had so many great defensemen come through, it means extra.”
Dustin Wolf turned away 29 shots for his sixth shutout of the season. He’s the first goaltender this season to blank the Winterhawks, who are second behind only Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League in scoring.
Christiansen potted his first goal and the Silvertip’s first of the night with 14:29 remaining in the second period, snapping a puck over Portland goaltender Joel Hofer’s glove after coming up and receiving a puck in the high slot. Zack Andrusiak and Wylie were credited with the assists.
.@jakec_9 with this 10th goal of the season! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/24geCvbJsC
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) February 10, 2019
His second came just 34 seconds left in the second period, as the West Vancouver, British Columbia native fired a shot from the left point that was untouched despite heavy traffic and trickled into the back of the net. Bryce Kindopp and Andrusiak were credited with the assists.
Hats went sailing on to the ice at the 11:52 mark of the third period, as Christiansen pounced on a rebound and buried his third goal of the night and his second on the power play.
“It’s just one of those nights where you’re feeling it and every thing you touch is going in,” said Dewar, who recorded a four-goal hat trick last Saturday. “It’s nice to see a lot of guys are having nights like those recently.”
The Silvertips clinched a playoff spot with the 5-0 win over Everett and with Kamloops’ 4-1 loss to Kelowna. Everett has made it to the Western Hockey League playoffs every season since the franchise’s inception in 2003.
Not only did the Silvertips clinch a playoff spot but picked up two points against the Winterhawks, who were slowly creeping up in the U.S. Division standings. Everett now possess a seven-point lead over Portland with a game in hand over the Winterhawks.
Bryce Kindopp potted a key shorthanded goal with 5:33 to play in the second period to put Everett up 2-0, his 30th goal of the year and his fifth shorthanded.
.@kindoppian with his 30th goal of the season!
🍏 Fairbrother, Dewar pic.twitter.com/VoGCfkJbIB
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) February 10, 2019
Max Patterson sniped a shot past Hofer from the left circle with 1:11 left in the second period to put Everett up 3-0.
MAD. MAX. #LetsGoTips pic.twitter.com/fmZO05a25I
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) February 10, 2019
Silvertips head coach Dennis Williams shared an anecdote after Everett’s 7-2 win over Seattle on Feb. 2 that Christiansen was called into his office after a lackluster performance against the Thunderbirds the night before. He immediately followed that meeting with a four-point performance (one goal and three assists).
A week later, Christiansen poured on three more goals, pushing his season total to 12, which leads all Silvertips defensemen and is tied for fifth most in the WHL.
“I think hockey is weird like that,” Christiansen said. “It just happens. Part of it is confidence and the ball starts rolling. But I think I was getting my looks back then and they’re just going in now.”
Williams said he turned to Silvertips’ assistant coach Louis Mass on the bench after Christiansen’s third of the night and commented, “That’s pretty hard to get a hat trick as a defenseman.”
Mass, who was a blueliner at Bowling Green and played five season in the ECHL, responded: “I’d just like to get a hat trick throughout the whole year.”
Christiansen isn’t your typical defenseman, and his prolific offensive night will live in Silvertips’ lore forever.
Notes
—An Everett player has scored a hat trick in four of the last five games:
That's four hat tricks in five games for Silvertips:
Jan 26 vs. Lethbridge: Zack Andrusiak.
Feb. 2 @ Seattle: Bryce Kindopp.
Feb 3 vs. Seattle: Connor Dewar.
Tonight vs. Portland: Christiansen. https://t.co/LAerxLhdat— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) February 10, 2019
—Everett is 12-3 following losses this season.
—Dustin Tied is now tied with Austin Lotz for fourth in Everett franchise history with 10 shutouts
Next up
Red Deer travels to Everett for a 7:05 p.m. tilt at Angel of the Winds Arena. It’s the final Central Division opponent to make their way to Everett this season.
Josh Horton covers the Everett Silvertips and AquaSox for The Everett Daily Herald. Follow him on Twitter (@joshhortonEDH) or reach out to him over email (jhorton@heraldnet.com).
