EVERETT — Conventional wisdom says killing off a lengthy five-on-three power play typically provides a momentum boost for the team that was short-handed.
But the way things are going for the Everett Silvertips, even hockey’s oldest assumptions tend to go awry.
The Swift Current Broncos scored a back-breaking goal at just the moment Everett should have received a lift, and the Tips dropped their fourth straight in a 3-1 loss Saturday night.
Taylor Vause’s goal, his second of the game, transformed the Comcast Arena crowd’s cheers into gasps as it gave the Broncos an all-important two-goal advantage. That lead held up the remainder of the game.
“That was huge for us,” Vause said of his second goal, which made it 3-1. “We were creating a lot on that power play, and it was just one of those games where it didn’t want to go in the net on the power play. So for us to get the goal right at the end was really good for us.”
Graham Black also scored for the Broncos (11-13-2-1), while Jon Groenheyde played a solid game in goal for Swift Current, making 32 saves.
Ryan Harrison scored the lone goal for Everett (5-17-0-4), which produced an improved performance from its 5-2 loss to Regina a night earlier. The Tips had the rare game where they outshot an opponent (33-23), but they were unable to turn those shots into quality scoring chances.
“I thought our effort was a lot better from the start of the game to the finish,” Everett coach Mark Ferner said. “We were a lot more aggressive on pucks, we were getting pucks deep and moving our feet. When we did get it we did a better job of playing a puck-possession game. It’s still disappointing to lose a hockey game, but our guys competed a lot harder today than they did yesterday.”
Kent Simpson stopped 20 shots in goal for Everett.
The Tips again finished the game without leading scorer Josh Birkholz. Birkholz, who just returned Friday after sitting out two games with a minor knee injury, did not play the final 10 minutes of the game. Ferner said he wasn’t sure what the issue was with Birkholz.
The game’s decisive moment came early in the second period as momentum swung twice in a matter of seconds. Everett, down 2-1, faced 1 minute, 17 seconds worth of Swift Current five-on-three. The Tips bravely killed off the five on three, then disposed of the remaining 29 seconds of five-on-four, bringing a big cheer from the crowd.
But as Tips defenseman Dominik Bittner was jumping back into the play from the penalty box, Vause decided to take a last-ditch slap shot from the left point. The shot got through Simpson — Vause said it deflected off an Everett defenseman — to deflate both the crowd and the Tips, just as they were celebrating what seemed like a crucial penalty kill.
“That was a huge moment,” Harrison said. “It shows the character we have, killing off the whole five-on-three. But then that shot by Vause right after took some wind out of our sails.
“Usually killing off a five-on-three (provides a boost), but they scored right after,” Harrison added. “But you can’t dwell on it.”
Everett outshot Swift Current 14-8 in the first period, but the Broncos took a 2-1 lead. Black opened the scoring 3:04 into the game, firing a shot in off the crossbar following an errant pass by Simpson. Everett tied it at 6:33 when Harrison muscled his way across the slot and whipped a low shot just inside the right post. Swift Current regained the lead at 8:27 when a loose puck came to Vause with Simpson pulled out of position.
After Vause’s key goal in the second period, the Tips were able to keep it a two-goal game thanks to some key point-blank saves by Simpson late in the period.
Everett then dominated possession in the third period, outshooting Swift Current 11-2. However, Groenheyde was rarely troubled by those shots. He made a good glove save to deny Harrison off the rush early in the period, but every other save was routine after that.
Broncos 3, Silvertips 1
Swift Current 2 1 0—3
Everett 1 0 0—1
First Period—1, Swift Current, Black 9 (Moser), 3:04. 2, Everett, Harrison 8 (Birkholz, Walters), 6:33. 3, Swift Current, Vause 14 (Lowry, Fleming), 8:27. Penalties—Dale, Swift Current (fighting), 2:16; Grayson, Everett (fighting), 2:16; Nedomlel, Swift Current (delay of game), 19:41.
Second Period—4, Swift Current, Vause 15, 3:32. Penalties—Barnett, Everett (tripping), 0:58; Bittner, Everett (holding), 1:27; Birkholz, Everett (hooking), 8:19; Blanke, Swift Current (fighting), 11:00; Morden, Everett (fighting), 11:00; Howorko, Swift Current (roughing), 11:16; Grayson, Everett (roughing), 11:16.
Third Period—no goals. Penalties—Harrison, Everett (tripping), 1:04; Howorko, Swift Current (kneeing), 4:29; Lowry, Swift Current (high sticking), 15:14; Lowry, Swift Current (hooking), 19:18; Yadlowski, Everett (hold stick), 19:18.
Shots on goal—Swift Current 8-13-2—23. Everett 14-8-11—33. Power-play opportunities—Swift Current 0 of 4. Everett 0 of 3.
Goalies—Swift Current, Groenheyde 9-8-1-2 (33 shots, 32 saves). Everett, Simpson 4-13-0-2 (23 shots, 20 saves).
A—4,489.
Check out Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at NickHPatterson.
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