SPOKANE — The Everett Silvertips won the battle Wednesday night, but it might have come at a stiff price.
Kyle Beach, Everett’s leading scorer, had to have his neck immobilized following the Tips’ 2-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs.
After the final horn sounded, there was some minor pushing and shoving in front of the Everett goal when Spokane captain Chris Bruton threw a sucker punch that sent Beach crumpling to the ice. Beach remained on the ice for several minutes while being attended by both team’s trainers. They put a neck brace on him and then he had to be helped off the ice.
Bruton was assessed a match penalty and game misconduct for the blow.
The ugly incident overshadowed a miraculous performance in goal by Everett’s Leland Irving. He turned away 39 shots including many Spokane attempts from point blank.
Irving’s sterling performance allowed goals by Zach Hamill and Lukas Vartovnik to stand up for Everett (25-20-0-2), which won despite being outshot 40-22. Vartovnik’s goal with less than eight minutes remaining in the game snapped a 1-1 tie.
Drayson Bowman scored for Spokane (31-9-1-3). Dustin Tokarski finished with 20 saves in goal for the Chiefs.
Spokane controlled most of the play throughout, but Irving’s stellar performance and Everett’s penalty kill kept the puck out of the net . The Tips held Spokane 0-for-8 on the power play, including a pair of lengthy five-on-threes. The second five-on-three, which lasted 1:50, came in the game’s final five minutes as Everett clung to its lead.
Spokane had both its third-period five-on-threes as well as another power play in the game’s final five minutes.
Vartovnik ended up deciding it at 12:04 of the third. The Tips worked the puck to Dane Crowley at the right point. Crowley shot and Vartovnik tipped the puck past Tokarski to make it 2-1.
Everett’s net was under siege for most of the first period as the Chiefs threw everything they had at the Tips. However, Irving made a slew of big saves, including several during a five-on-three Spokane power play, to keep the Chiefs off the scoreboard.
And despite Spokane’s dominance, the Tips walked away from the first period with a 1-0 lead thanks to Hamill, who was left all alone in front of the goal to put in a rebound 5:25 into the game.
Spokane’s pressure was finally rewarded at 5:08 of the second period. Mitch Wahl received the puck behind the Everett net and sent a quick pass out front, where Bowman put it past Irving to tie it at 1-1.
Silvertips 2, Chiefs 1
Everett101—2
Spokane010—1
First Period—1, Everett, Hamill 14 (Bauer, Alexander), 5:25. Penalties—Bauer, Everett (interference), 2:57; Harty, Everett (boarding), 5:57; Ellington, Everett (cross checking), 6:56.
Second Period—2, Spokane, Bowman 30 (Wahl), 5:08. Penalties—Kieffer, Everett (boarding), 9:17; Wahl, Spokane (slashing), 10:50; Harty, Everett (cross checking), 12:27; Kelner, Spokane (high sticking), 15:06; Cowen, Spokane (delay of game), 19:07; Mistelbacher, Everett (roughing), 19:48; Koper, Spokane (tripping-roughing), 19:48.
Third Period—3, Everett, Vartovnik 7 (Potuer, Crowley), 12:04. Penalties—Roman, Spokane (roughing), 4:14; Ellington, Everett (hold stick), 15:32; Vartovnik, Everett (delay of game), 15:52; Ellington, Everett (interference), 19:20; Beach, Everett (roughing), 20:00; Bruton, Spokane (match penalty-game misconduct), 20:00.
Shots on goal—Everett 7-9-6—22. Spokane 14-13-13—40. Power-play opportunities—Everett 0 of 5. Spokane 0 of 8.
Goalies—Everett, Irving 19-16-0-2 (40 shots, 39 saves). Spokane, Tokarski 18-4-0-2 (22 shots, 20 saves).
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
