EVERETT — Silvertips head coach Dennis Williams tells his players that the Sunday contest in a three-games-in-three-nights weekend boils down to mental fortitude.
The Silvertips weren’t mentally ready at the opening puck drop Sunday and a lethargic first period proved costly.
Everett erased a two-goal deficit after a poor start, but Riley Woods scored with 2:33 remaining in overtime to complete a hat trick and the Silvertips fell, 3-2, to the Spokane Chiefs in Western Hockey League action at Angel of the Winds Arena. The Silvertips (16-7-1-0) picked up a point in the standings and still sit atop the Western Conference with 33 points.
Everett lost Woods along the boards during 3-on-3 play in overtime and the overage forward clapped a slapshot past Everett goaltender Dustin Wolf for his first career hat trick.
“He’s a good hockey player,” Williams said. “I haven’t seen the overtime goal, but there’s just too much ice for him to be open. That good a player shouldn’t have that much time.”
🎩 GAME 🎩 WINNING 🎩 HATS
🚨 Riley Woods (17)
🍎 Nolan Reid
🍏 Ethan McIndoe
⏰ 2:27 (OT)
📈 SPO 3 – EVT 2#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/bBk05Cla5t— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) November 19, 2018
“It was just a stretch pass and I tried to come out as far from the net as I could,” Wolf said. “He just wired it past under my arm and it’s definitely one I’d like back.”
Spokane assembled a 2-0 lead in the first period on a pair of power-play goals from Woods, the Chiefs’ leading scorer. He skated through Everett’s defense and buried a wrist shot past Silvertips goaltender Max Palaga for his first tally, and deflected a shot from Eli Zummack into the back of the net for his second.
🚨 Riley Woods (16)
🍎 Ty Smith
🍏 Bailey Brkin
⏰ 6:24 (1st) PP
📈 SPO 1 – EVT 0#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/Zb01Nw1G3V— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) November 19, 2018
The Chiefs capitalized on both of their power-play chances Sunday. It was a big letdown for Everett’s penalty kill, which is second in the WHL with an 86.4 percent success rate.
“It was us taking a few undisciplined penalties,” Williams said. “You don’t want to put yourself down. Our penalty kill was off today. We looked tired out there.”
In search of a spark, Williams inserted Wolf in net and took out Palaga after Everett fell behind by two goals.
It seemed to work as Wyatte Wylie crashed in and scored from the slot to cash in on the Silvertips’ first chance on the power play at the 8:45 mark, cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 2-1.
“It was a good look from (Connor) Dewar and it was sitting there and I just tried to put it on net,” Wylie said. “It was just laying there, so I just grabbed it, spun around and put it in.”
roof there it is
roof there it is pic.twitter.com/ZmD80ZJLpw— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) November 19, 2018
Dawson Butt kept the momentum going with his fifth goal of the season with 14:00 remaining in the second period. The 19-year-old forward took advantage of a careless open-ice pass right as he came on for his shift, skated past Spokane’s Bobby Russell down the left side and potted one past Chiefs goaltender Bailey Brkin.
“(He) drives wide, plays a hard, heavy game. When he does that (Butt) has good success,” Williams said. “There is no doubt he’s playing good hockey and managing pucks well along the walls. When guys want to commit to playing the game right like he has, he gets rewarded. If you want to poke pucks and cheat the game, you’re not going to have that same reward. It’s a great job by (Butt).”
Here’s the tying goal! pic.twitter.com/p8ZnvQuHDh
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) November 19, 2018
Everett showed resolve in erasing Spokane’s 2-0 lead, but ultimately Williams was unimpressed with his team’s start.
“I think it speaks to some inconsistencies,” Williams said. “The fact we’re rallying back means we weren’t ready to play the game, either. It’s great we were able to come back from a two-goal deficit, but we have to look at why we’re in the deficit as well. It’s undisciplined and attention to detail.”
Wolf made 21 saves in 22 chances. Spokane’s Brkin stopped 38 of 40 shots.
The Silvertips were handed the loss despite outshooting Spokane, 40-27.
“We just didn’t get the job done,” Wolf said. “One point is not good enough for our group. We’re going to come back on Tuesday and have better effort.”
Next up
Everett hosts Calgary at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday.
Spokane 2 0 0 1—3
Everett 1 1 0 0—2
1st Period—1, Spokane, Woods 16 (Smith, Brkin), 6:24 (PP). 2, Spokane, Woods 17 (Zummack, Smith), 8:42 (PP). 3, Everett, Wylie 5 (Dewar, Sutter), 11:15 (PP). Penalties-Khaira Evt (interference), 5:44; Sutter Evt (kneeing), 7:55; Toporowski Spo (slashing), 11:03; Zummack Spo (tripping), 19:32; Christiansen Evt (tripping), 19:32.
2nd Period—4, Everett, Butt 5 6:00. Penalties-Toporowski Spo (holding), 3:29; Toporowski Spo (hooking), 9:31.
3rd Period—No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
OT Period-5, Spokane, Woods 18 (Reid, McIndoe), 2:27. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal—Spokane 10-5-10-2-27. Everett 11-13-15-1-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Spokane 2/2; Everett 1/3.
Goalies—Spokane, Brkin 8-3-1-1 (40 shots-38 saves). Everett, Palaga 1-0-0-0 (5 shots-3 saves); Wolf 15-7-1-0 (22 shots-21 saves).
A—4,517
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