KENNEWICK – The Everett Silvertips’ two big-time offensive prospects showed why there’s so much excitement surrounding both their future and present.
Zach Hamill scored two goals and Peter Mueller scored his first goal in the Western Hockey League, leading the Silvertips to a 3-0 victory over the Tri-City Americans on Saturday night.
John Lammers had two assists and Leland Irving made 28 saves in goal to record his first shutout of the season for Everett (2-3). Tri-City is 1-3.
Hamill and Mueller, both precocious 17-year-olds, were Everett’s first two Bantam Draft picks in franchise history. Saturday they showed why as Hamill, in his second full season, scored early in both the first and second periods and Mueller, a heralded rookie, added a breakaway goal midway through the second.
Irving, also 17, did the rest for the Silvertips. He had little to do in the first two periods, but made a series a good saves in the third as Everett killed off four penalties in the final 12 minutes.
Everett killed off all five penalties it faced. It was the first time this season that the Silvertips, who led the league in penalty killing last season, prevented their opponent from scoring a power-play goal.
Everett took the lead 4:10 into the game. Lammers skated behind the net and fed a pass out front to Hamill, who scored to give Everett a 1-0 lead.
Everett had two golden opportunities to double its lead late in the first period. First, the Silvertips were awarded a penalty shot at 16:07 because Tri-City defenseman Phil Magistrale put his glove over the puck in the crease, but Mueller had his shot saved by Price. Hamill again put the puck in the net, but it came just after the buzzer sounded, and the score remained 1-0.
Everett did double its lead 57 seconds into the second period. On a five-on-three power play, Lammers passed back to Shaun Heshka, who whipped a pass back in to Hamill, who put the puck away to make the score 2-0.
Then came the goal Silvertips fans have been waiting for. At 8:33 Heshka’s long pass found Mueller for a breakaway. Mueller put the puck through Price’s legs to increase Everett’s lead to 3-0.
Everett120-3
Tri-City000-0
First Period-1, Everett, Hamill 2 (Thoring, Lammers), 4:10.
Second Period-2, Everett, Hamill 3 (Lammers), 0:57 (pp). 3, Everett, Mueller 1 (Heshka), 8:33.
Third Period-No goals.
Shots on goal-Everett 16-11-6-33. Tri-City 5-8-15-28. Power-play opportunities-Everett 1 of 7. Tri-City 0 of 5.
Goalies-Everett, Irving 2-3 (28 shots, 28 saves). Tri-City, Price 1-2 (33 shots, 30 saves).
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