EVERETT — Everett Silvertips fans have grown accustomed to watching impressive displays of goaltending.
It’s just that it’s usually their guy.
On Friday it was Portland Winterhawks goalie Cole Kehler who put on a show in the net in a 4-1 Portland Winterhawks victory before 5,144 fans at Xfinity Arena.
“Some nights obviously you have that level of comfort in the net and tonight is one of those nights, and I feel like it’s kind of been that way throughout the year,” Kehler said. “Just feeling comfortable, feeling loose, being relaxed. It all starts with a good warmup and then go from there.”
Kehler saved 46 of the 47 shots the Tips sent his way. It was just the second time the Winterhawks (24-21-1-2, 51 points) have knocked off the U.S. Division-leading Silvertips in six contests this season. Everett (30-7-7-2, 69 points) gets another chance against the Winterhawks when the Tips travel to the Rose City on Tuesday.
The Winterhawks took a 1-0 lead into the second period. Portland added to the advantage when Evan Weinger flew by Tips defenseman Ian Walker on the left wing, walked in and flicked a wrister past Carter Hart at 1:33 in the second period.
“It’s a Portland game so it’s a little more up and down than a Seattle game, but that’s always going to be the case,” Everett head coach Kevin Constantine said. “They play a wide-open style, you saw they scored on a couple breakaways and we got more chances than has been normal lately, but that’s the kind of game you play in when you play Portland.”
The Tips nearly answered on the next shift, but Patrick Bajkov’s shot clanged off the post.
Everett finally found the net at 7:01 when Dominic Zwerger crashed the net and flicked a rebound from a Bajkov shot past Kehler to cut the deficit to 2-1.
That was Everett’s only goal as Kehler continued to settle in.
“For me it’s just one shot, one save at a time and that’s really what I’m telling myself in the net,” Kehler said. “Just make the next shot and the next save. Nothing too fancy for us goalies — I guess we’re all kind of similar that way.”
Brad Ginnell’s fourth goal of the season came when a loose puck found him stationed at the right post at 11:12 in the third and Ryan Hughes added an empty-netter with 6.1 seconds to play to complete the scoring.
Everett had seven power-play chances, but came up empty on every one. The Tips entered the game sixth in the Western Hockey League in the power play with a 24.8 percent conversion rate.
“We put a lot of effort into our special teams and tonight just wasn’t the night,” Zwerger said. “We still got our chances and I guess their goalie was tough this game.”
The Tips were on the power play midway through the opening period when Bajkov and Kevin Davis ran into each other trying to corral a bouncing puck. That gave Portland’s Alex Overhardt a breakaway chance and he beat Hart for a 1-0 Portland lead at 10:44.
“The puck was bouncing so I think it was because it was up in the air and bouncing it was confusing who was going to get it and who was going to back up,” Constantine said.
Both teams recorded 14 shots in the opening period and Everett came up empty on three power-play opportunities in the frame.
“Definitely some quality chances and we just didn’t bear down in front of the net on our chances,” Zwerger said.
The night also saw the debut of Tips prospect Dawson Butt. Everett’s sixth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft, Butt is a native of Buckley, Wash., and the son of Jamie Butt, a WHL veteran who played four seasons with the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets.
Dawson Butt becomes the fifth Washington-born player to compete for the Silvertips and the third to come through the Junior Silvertips program where he is currently playing for the 16-U squad.
Everett returns to action at 7:05 p.m. Saturday when it travels to Kent for a game against the Seattle Thunderbirds at ShoWare Center.
Winterhawks 4, Silvertips 1
Portland 1 1 2 — 4
Everett 0 1 0 — 1
1st Period—1, Portland, Overhardt 9 10:44 (SH). Penalties—De Jong Por (tripping), 0:20; served by Hughes Por (too many men), 9:36; Jokiharju Por (tripping), 12:43; Kindopp Evt (tripping), 16:35; Blichfeld Por (slashing), 16:43.
2nd Period—2, Portland, Weinger 14 (Glass), 1:33. 3, Everett, Zwerger 20 (Bajkov, Davis), 7:01. Penalties—Butt Evt (delay of game), 2:56; McKenzie Por (hooking), 12:04; Onyebuchi Evt (tripping), 17:58; Veloso Por (tripping), 19:21; Jones Por (roughing), 20:00; Tuulola Evt (roughing), 20:00.
3rd Period—4, Portland, Ginnell 4 (Gricius, Veloso), 11:12. 5, Portland, Hughes 21 (Jones), 19:53 (EN). Penalties—Overhardt Por (slashing), 16:44.
Shots on Goal—Portland 14-8-8-30. Everett 14-16-17-47.
Power Play Opportunities—Portland 0 / 3; Everett 0 / 7.
Goalies—Portland, Kehler 18-14-0-2 (47 shots-46 saves). Everett, Hart 19-5-5-1 (29 shots-26 saves).
A—5,114
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