EVERETT — In a matchup between the two goaltenders atop the WHL’s rankings, it was the Everett Silvertips who won by knockout.
Kent Simpson produced a stellar effort in goal, and Everett chased James Reid from the game late in the first period as the Tips defeated the Spokane Chiefs 3-2 Sunday night for their 12th straight victory.
Simpson finished with 34 saves and was the main reason why Everett was able to hold a hard-charging Spokane squad at bay.
“Our guy was huge for us, he was really good,” Everett coach Craig Hartsburg said about Simpson. “He made lots of solid saves. He didn’t have to flop around diving for pucks, he was good. He’s been real solid and confident.”
Kellan Tochkin scored twice, and Shane Harper continued his goal-scoring binge with another tally as Everett (31-16-2-1) remained perfect in 2010. Harper has scored in eight of the 12 games during the streak, which is now one off the franchise record of 13 set early in the 2006-07 season. The Tips can match that total by winning Friday at home against Portland.
“We’re all really excited about it,” Tochkin said about the prospect of matching the franchise record. “It’s something that’s in the back of your mind. Whenever there’s a record like that and you’re close you want to smash it.”
Sunday’s contest at Comcast Arena was billed as a marquee goaltending battle. Simpson came into the game ranked first in the league in both goals against average and save percentage, while Reid ranked second in both categories. Goals were expected to come at a premium.
That only turned out to be half true. While Simpson proved up to the challenge, giving the Chiefs little net to shoot at, his Spokane counterpart struggled. Reid allowed three goals on 12 shots — a couple of those of the questionable variety — before being yanked 17 minutes, 41 seconds into the game.
Michael Tadjdeh was valiant in relief of Reid, stopping all 18 shots he faced. However, with Simpson in top form, the Chiefs were unable to overcome the early three-goal deficit.
The victory was Simpson’s sixth straight — he and Thomas Heemskerk have now split the winning streak evenly — and he was motivated by seeing the player right behind him in the goalie rankings at the other end of the ice.
“It’s obviously in the back of your mind a little bit,” Simpson said. “You’re always pushing to be better than that person ahead of you or behind you. That for sure pushes you to be that much better.”
Mitch Holmberg scored in the second period and Levko Koper added a late power-play goal for the Chiefs (27-17-3-1). However, despite carrying large portions of the play, Spokane was unable to overcome the early deficit.
“We gave up two real bad goals, and ultimately that’s the difference,” said Spokane coach Hardy Sauter, who didn’t like either of Tochkin’s goals. “You can’t expect to play a good team, and a hot team, when you give up two that probably shouldn’t go in.”
Meanwhile, Everett kept its streak alive despite having some difficulty controlling the puck. The Tips committed more turnovers than they typically have during the streak, and were indebted to Simpson for not being punished.
“The biggest thing for our kids is continuing to learn what they have to do better, even though they win hockey games,” Hartsburg said. “I think that’s the one message we have for them tonight. It’s easy to learn when you lose, but now we need to make sure we’re learning lessons when we’re winning, but maybe not playing great in certain situations.”
The first period was evenly matched, but it was Everett that got the goals. Spokane had the first claim early in the period when the goal light came on, but it was waived off for the goal being off its moorings.
Then the net began beckoning to the Tips. Harper opened the scoring at 11:23 when he motioned to the near post, then sped behind the net and beat Reid to the far post. Tochkin scored his first to make it 2-0 at 16:48, his one-handed deflection of Curtis Kulchar’s airborne shot dragging the puck behind Reid. Tochkin got his second on the power play at 17:41 on a shot from the circle that got through Reid, sending Reid to the bench.
Spokane finally found a way past Simpson 10:30 into the second period when Holmberg scored from a rebound off the back boards to cut the lead to 3-1. The Chiefs continued to press, but couldn’t score again until 2:54 remaining in the game, Koper redirecting Tyler Johnson’s centering pass past Simpson.
The Chiefs nearly clawed all the way back when Jared Cowen’s shot off the rush got through Simpson, but a quick whistle by the referee blew the play dead as the puck came to a stop right on the goal line.
Silvertips 3, Chiefs 2
Spokane011—2
Everett300—3
First Period—1, Everett, Harper 31 (Dailey, Murray), 11:23. 2, Everett, Tochkin 17 (Kulchar, Maxwell), 16:48. 3, Everett, Tochkin 18 (de la Lande, Theriau), 17:41 (pp). Penalties—Beach, Spokane (interference), 17:26.
Second Period—4, Spokane, Holmberg 3 (Uher, Cowen), 10:30. Penalties—Spokane bench (too many men, served by Beach), 4:01; Kulchar, Everett (holding), 12:26.
Third Period—5, Spokane, Koper 20 (Johnson, Ulmer), 17:06 (pp). Penalties—Froese, Everett (hooking), 15:40; Beach, Spokane (slashing), 19:51; Gudas, Everett (high sticking), 19:51.
Shots on goal—Spokane 14-12-10—36. Everett 13-11-6—30. Power-play opportunities—Spokane 1 of 2. Everett 1 of 2.
Goalies—Spokane, Reid 22-12-3-1 (12 shots, 9 saves), Tadjdeh (18 shots, 18 saves). Everett, Simpson 15-8-1-0 (36 shots, 34 saves).
A—5,812.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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