EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips are moving on to the second round of the WHL playoffs, and they’re doing so in style.
Everett dispatched the Vancouver Giants in their first-round series Sunday evening, winning Game 5 5-0 at Angel of the Winds Arena to take the best-of-seven series 4-1.
The Tips, the No. 3 seed from the Western Conference, dropped Game 1 against the sixth-seeded Giants. However, Everett dominated the rest of the series, outscoring Vancouver 14-3 and outshooting the Giants 196-102 in winning four straight. It’s the first time the Tips advanced past the first round since 2019.
The one concern for Everett is that No. 1 center Austin Roest, who led the Tips in scoring during the first round with seven points in five games, left Game 5 during the first period with an apparent injury and did not return.
Everett advanced to face second-seeded Portland in the second round. The Tips finished 2-5-0-1 during the regular season against the Winterhawks, who won the U.S. Division championship, then swept Victoria in the first round.
Games 1 and 2 are Friday and Saturday in Portland. Games 3 and 4 are on Monday, April 15 and Friday, April 19 at Angel of the Winds Arena. The dates for the remainder of the series were yet to be determined.
DuPont granted exceptional status
Landon DuPont, the defenseman from Calgary, Alberta, who is regarded as perhaps the best 2009-born player in the world, is one step closer to joining the Tips next season.
DuPont, the presumptive first-overall pick in this year’s WHL prospects draft, was granted exceptional status by the WHL on Monday, meaning he’ll be eligible to play in the league next season as a 15-year-old. He is just the second player in league history to be granted exceptional status, joining former Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard. Bedard recorded an astounding 271 points in 134 games over three seasons with the Pats before being selected first overall in last year’s NHL draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Everett owns the first-overall pick in this year’s prospects draft, having acquired the pick from the Kamloops Blazers last season in the trade that sent Olen Zellweger and Ryan Hofer to Kamloops. Everett chief operating officer Zoran Rajcic already said the Tips intend to select DuPont, who as a 14-year-old posted 19 goals and 43 assists in 30 regular season games and five goals and 11 assists in five playoff games in leading the Edge School to the CSSHL U18 championship.
The WHL prospects draft is May 9.
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