The Game
Consider this the bounceback game the Everett Silvertips needed. Depleted of energy and missing two of their top players with Carter Hart and Noah Juulsen away at World Juniors selection camp, the Tips gutted out a 5-3 win over a pesky Spokane Chiefs team that was within one goal for much of the final two periods.
Former Chiefs forward Dominic Zwerger had three points en route to first-star honors:
How many goals did @DominicZwerger have today?
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) December 12, 2016
Everett goaltender Mario Petit had an improved effort from Saturday’s 5-2 loss at Portland. He was particularly sharp on Spokane’s first power play shortly after Zwerger gave the Tips the early lead. In one sequence Petit had an impressive kick save with his right pad and several other stops in quick succession.
Petit is the key for how well the Tips will weather Hart’s absence for the next month. Petit has been more than solid this year in seven appearances, and his record now stands at 5-1-1 with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
We should also note how good the Chiefs are poised to be in the next two-plus seasons. Spokane native Kailer Yamamoto is a projected first-round pick in next year’s NHL draft, while Jaret Anderson-Dolan is also projected to go in the first three rounds. All that pair did was combine for two goals and an assist on Sunday, figuring in all three Chiefs goals. So far this season the linemates have combined for 35 goals and 32 assists in 31 games.
The Tips got a big piece back in Graham Millar four games ago, and the overager scored his first goal in two months Sunday. Millar had six goals and four assists in his first 16 games this season before missing 12 games to an upper body injury. He skated on the second line Sunday alongside Eetu Tuulola and Connor Dewar.
Devon Skoleski has been battling illness and was scratched Sunday. Bradly Goethals also returned to the lineup in place of a scratched Brett Kemp.
The Turning Point
With Everett leading 3-2 at 14:40 in the second, Matt Fonteyne saved a potential game-tying goal that was trickling toward the goal line after it was deflected by Petit.
Three Stars
1. Everett F Dominic Zwerger: The Austrian overager had two goals and an assist against his former team.
2. Spokane F Jaret Anderson-Dolan: The draft-eligible Albertan scored twice and was plus-three
3. Everett F Matt Fonteyne: Zwerger’s linemate had two assists.
Honorable mention: Everett F Patrick Bajkov (two assists, plus-two), Everett D Kevin Davis (two assists).
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