Silvertips fall to Winterhawks 4-3 for 2nd straight loss

EVERETT — Given the opportunity, this one could hurt for a bit.

Fortunately for the Everett Silvertips, they don’t have much time to think about Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks as the Tips play host to Victoria at 4:05 p.m. Sunday.

“I told the guys there was no sense talking about this game right now,” Everett coach Dennis Williams said. “Let’s get out of here, get your re-gen(eration), get some rest and we’ll see you back here in the afternoon.”

Saturday the Tips battled back from a three-goal deficit and seemingly had overtime within their grasp. But Jake Gricius’ second goal of the night in the final minute proved the game-winner before 7,019 fans at Angel of the Winds Arena.

“Tough to lose that way,” Williams said. “I thought we played a pretty good hockey game, but that’s the way it goes.”

Gricius finished with two goals and an assist for Portland (23-13-1-2, 49 points), which eclipsed Everett for first place in the U.S. Division.

The Tips (23-16-1-1, 48 points) have dropped two straight and three of four.

Gricius scored the game-winner with just 39 seconds to play when he took advantage of a net-front scrum to beat Everett goaltender Dustin Wolf.

Fonteyne had previously tied the game when his quick power-play wrister from the slot snuck between Portland goalie Cole Kehler’s legs to make it 3-3 at 7:59 in the third period.

It was Everett’s third unanswered goal after the Winterhawks took a 3-0 lead less than two minutes into the second period.

“It’s a bit of a sour finish, but it really shows what our team is made of when we’re battling back from 3-0,” Fonteyne said. “(Portland) is a really good team. They’re missing a bunch of key guys, but they battled really hard all night. I think we battled just as hard. I think we played a pretty good game. You can’t get too upset with that. Obviously the late goal stings, but it’s a quick turnaround (Sunday).”

Portland took a 2-0 lead into the second period and quickly pushed the lead to 3-0 when Ilijah Colina tipped a shot past Wolf on a power play at 1:39 in the second period.

Then Everett found itself.

Wyatte Wylie put the Tips on the board with a wrist shot from the point that deflected off Kehler’s pads and into the net to make it 3-1 at 8:11 as Everett capitalized on its first power play.

Less than two minutes later the Tips eared their second man advantage, and Fonteyne’s quick wrist shot from the left circle at 9:49 cut Portland’s lead to 3-2.

“We started skating — that’s why we got power plays,” Williams said. “Forcing them to turn, and managed pucks and we earned our power-play opportunities.”

The Winterhawks scored twice in a span of 17 seconds to turn a scoreless game into a two-goal advantage.

Gricius poked the puck past Wolf during a net-front scrum at 17:41 for a 1-0 lead. On the very next shift, Ryan Hughes fired a shot from the high slot that Wolf deflected with the butt of his stick. However, the puck popped up in the air and over his shoulder and into the open net for a 2-0 Portland lead at 17:58.

Portland took the 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

The Tips had nearly broken the scoreless deadlock while killing their first penalty. Connor Dewar drove to the net shorthanded, but rang a shot off the post. Then Bryce Kindopp found himself all alone upon exiting the penalty box and had a breakaway attempt, but Kehler saved his shot.

Kehler finished with 36 saves on 39 shots to earn the victory. Wolf saved 34 of Portland’s 38 shots while suffering the loss.

Notes

Everett scratched center Riley Sutter (lower body) for the second consecutive game. Williams said Sutter is day-to-day after leaving practice early Wednesday.

Winterhawks 4, Silvertips 3

Portland 2 1 1 — 4

Everett 0 2 1 — 3

1st Period—1, Portland, Gricius 8 (Mannek, Overhardt), 17:41. 2, Portland, Hughes 6 (Quigley, Glass), 17:58. Penalties—Kindopp Evt (interference), 11:25.

2nd Period—3, Portland, Colina 3 (Gricius, Mannek), 1:39 (PP). 4, Everett, Wylie 3 (Christiansen, Fasko-Rudas), 8:11 (PP). 5, Everett, Fonteyne 19 (Bajkov, Davis), 9:49 (PP). Penalties—Dewar Evt (tripping), 1:13; De Jong Por (cross checking), 7:22; Cicek Por (interference), 9:42.

3rd Period—6, Everett, Fonteyne 20 (Davis, Bajkov), 7:59 (PP). 7, Portland, Gricius 9 (Ludvig), 19:21. Penalties—De Jong Por (delay of game), 7:05; Hanus Por (slashing), 10:50; MacEachern Por (interference), 13:33; McKenzie Por (roughing), 20:00; Richards Evt (slashing), 20:00.

Shots on Goal—Portland 15-8-15-38. Everett 10-15-14-39.

Power Play Opportunities—Portland 1 / 2; Everett 3 / 5.

Goalies—Portland, Kehler 19-9-1-2 (39 shots-36 saves). Everett, Wolf 7-5-0-0 (38 shots-34 saves).

A—7,019

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