Herald staff
KAMLOOPS, B.C. — The Everett Silvertips ended their mini skid in a big way.
Everett erupted for seven goals as they smashed the Kamloops Blazers 7-0 Saturday night to end their two-game losing streak.
The Tips lost twice earlier in the week in top-of-the-Western-Conference showdowns against Portland and Kelowna. But the bottom-of-the-standings Blazers had no chance against Everett.
Ivan Nikolishin and Ben Betker each scored twice to lead Everett (21-6-4-0), which completed a four-game season-series sweep of the Blazers. Mirco Mueller, Carson Stadnyk and Jujhar Khaira scored the other goals for the Tips, whose seven-goal victory was the team’s largest of the season.
Austin Lotz had the shutout in goal with 26 saves. It was Lotz’s fourth shutout of the season.
Taran Kozun stopped 24 of 29 shots in goal for Kamloops before being pulled early in the third period. Cole Kehler saved nine of 11 in relief. The loss was the 11th straight for Kamloops (6-20-2-2).
Little of note happened for most of the first period, but the Blazers took two penalties in four seconds late in the period, giving Everett a lengthy five-on-three power play. The Tips quickly converted, as Nikolishin beat Kozun with shot from the top of the circle to give Everett a 1-0 lead at 16 minutes, 35 seconds.
The Tips picked up their play in the second period and extended their lead. Nikolishin scored his second of the game at 10:02, putting the puck in on Everett’s third attempt during a scramble in front. Then the Tips made it 3-0 at 15:47 as Mueller’s shot from the point deflected past Kozun.
Then Everett turned it into a laugher in the third. First, Khaira took advantage of a Kamloops turnover behind the Blazers goal to set up Stadnyk at 1:48.
Then the Tips set a new franchise record with two goals in six seconds. Betker beat Kozun with a wrister from the point at 3:32, sending Kozun to the bench in favor of Kehler. Before Kehler had a chance to get settled, the Tips put the puck in the net again, Stadnyk setting up Khaira for the tap-in. Prior to that the franchise record for the quickest two goals was 10 seconds, set by Cody Fowlie and Joshua Winquist on Jan. 28, 2011.
Betker finished off the scoring at 11:51, ghosting in from the point and putting a shot past Kehler.
Silvertips 7, Blazers 0
Everett 1 2 4 — 7
Kamloops 0 0 0 — 0
First Period—1, Everett, Nikolishin 9 (Pufahl, Winquist), 16:52 (pp). Penalties—Rehill, Kamloops (interference), 16:31; Connolly, Kamloops (delay of game), 16:35.
Second Period—2, Everett, Nikolishin 10 (Low, Fonteyne), 10:02. 3, Everett, Mueller 3, 15:47. Penalties—Sandhu, Everett (tripping), 13:11.
Third Period—4, Everett, Stadnyk 8 (Khaira), 1:48. 5, Everett, Betker 3 (Bauml, Davis), 3:32. 6, Everett, Khaira 5 (Stadnyk), 3:38. 7, Everett, Betker 4 (Sandhu, Hayer), 11:51. Penalties—none.
Shots on goal—Everett 9-18-13—40. Kamloops 6-12-8—26. Power-play opportunities—Everett 1 of 2. Kamloops 0 of 1.
Goalies—Everett, Lotz 16-5-1-0 (26 shots, 26 saves). Kamloops, Kozun 1-13-2-1 (29 shots, 24 saves), Kehler (11 shots, 9 saves).
A—4,119.
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