EVERETT — In the early days of the franchise, the Everett Silvertips struggled on Teddy Bear Toss Night.
So dismal, in fact, was the team’s performance that the event was shelved for 11 seasons.
But since its return in the 2015-16 season, scoring the Teddy Bear Goal hasn’t been a problem. That trend continued Saturday as Montana Onyebuchi did the honors less than seven minutes into the game as Everett defeated the visiting Saskatoon Blades 3-0 before 5,612 fans at Xfinity Arena.
“It was a huge boost,” said Onyebuchi, who tallied his second goal of the season. “We felt pretty confident playing after that.”
The win was the fifth straight for Everett (15-12-1-1, 32 points) and was the sixth straight time they’ve defeated the Blades (10-14-2-1, 23 points).
Everett goaltender Carter Hart recorded his 23rd career shutout and is now three behind the Western Hockey League record set by Vancouver’s Tyson Sexsmith. Hart, the two-time reigning WHL Goaltender of the Week, saved all 30 shots he faced and saved 62 of the 63 shots he faced in two victories this weekend.
“(Hart) has such a calm mindset,” Everett head coach Dennis Williams said. “When he’s in the net everything is just very calm out there. He sees the ice well, he plays pucks well, he’s like another defender when he gets the puck on his stick. Any breakdowns and he’s been there and solid for us. It allows our guys to play a little bit looser and with a little more confidence.”
Onyebuchi finished with a goal and an assist and Patrick Bajkov had a goal and two assists.
It was Onyebuchi’s wrister from the point at 6:53 that sent the teddy bears hurtling toward the ice. More important, it gave the Tips a 1-0 lead with assists going to Sean Richards and Bajkov.
“Going into the shift we had almost a backdoor play by Bajkov,” Onyebuchi said. “Then it came around to Richey (Richards) and Richey passed it to me for a one-timer. I hit it and got lucky in the five-hole.”
The Tips pushed the lead to 2-0 at 17:21 when Matt Fonteyne’s wrister through traffic from the left circle beat Nolan Maier just as Everett’s first power play expired. Onyebuchi picked up an assist on the play and left him a fight short of the so-called “Gordie Howe Hat Trick.”
Onyebuchi didn’t get the chance to drop gloves.
“I was asking everyone (to fight), but nobody wanted it,” Onyebuchi said. “They didn’t want to give it to me.”
It remained 2-0 through the second period as Everett came up empty on four power-play chances during the stanza.
“You hope you can bury a few of those,” Williams said. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t have a three-, four- or five-goal lead there after two (periods)… Good things happen when you put things on net. So it’s a learning experience continuing for our guys, but I’m real proud of our effort.”
Bajkov made it 3-0 just 47 seconds into the third with an unassisted goal that deflected off goaltender Maier into the net.
That proved more than enough as Hart shut down the Blades the rest of the way and finished with 10 saves in each period.
Everett finished 0-for-7 on the power play and saw its streak of five straight games with a power-play goal end. The Tips killed off both Blades penalties.
Maier finished with 34 saves in a losing effort.
Everett returns to action Wednesday when it plays host to U.S. Division-leading Portland at 7:05 p.m.
Silvertips 3, Blades 0
Saskatoon 0 0 0—0
Everett 2 0 1 —3
1st Period—1, Everett, Onyebuchi 2 (Richards, Bajkov), 6:53. 2, Everett, Fonteyne 13 (Onyebuchi, Bajkov), 17:21. Penalties-Christensen Sas (tripping), 15:20; Kustra Sas (roughing), 19:13; Zawatsky Sas (roughing), 19:13; Richards Evt (roughing), 19:13; Rubinchik Sas (tripping), 19:20.
2nd Period—No Scoring.Penalties-Dewar Evt (cross checking), 3:33; Farren Sas (slashing), 5:21; Hájek Sas (tripping), 7:02; Kustra Sas (major-fighting), 18:11; Rubinchik Sas (tripping), 18:11; Richards Evt (major-fighting), 18:11.
3rd Period—3, Everett, Bajkov 15 0:57. Penalties-Bains Evt (tripping), 6:28; Christensen Sas (interference), 16:52.
Shots on Goa—Saskatoon 10-10-10-30. Everett 10-14-13-37.
Power Play Opportunities—Saskatoon 0 / 2; Everett 0 / 7.
Goalies—Saskatoon, Maier 2-4-0-1 (37 shots-34 saves). Everett, Hart 10-3-0-1 (30 shots-30 saves).
A—5,612
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