Silvertips suffer overtime loss to Americans in Game 3

KENNEWICK — Parker AuCoin was kept silent in Games 1 and 2 in Everett.

In Game 3, he wasn’t.

The Tri-City Americans’ leading scorer potted a power-play goal in overtime and the Everett Silvertips dropped Game 3 of a first-round Western Hockey League series with Tri-City, 3-2, on Wednesday at the Toyota Center. The Americans cut Everett’s series lead to 2-1 with the dramatic overtime win.

Sasha Mutala drew the key penalty by toe dragging past a Silvertips defender at 6:50 in overtime, and AuCoin muscled in a rebound past Silvertips goaltender Dustin Wolf at 7:52 to ice it.

Here's a look at AuCoin's OT winner for Tri-City. Won position in front of the net and muscled it in. #WHLPlayoffs #EVTvsTC pic.twitter.com/5sr5rJYsz5

— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) March 28, 2019

Everett tilted the ice for the majority of the third period, but couldn’t score a game-winning goal in regulation. The Silvertips created a multitude of promising scoring chances, most notably a breakaway by Gage Goncalves and the corresponding rebound, both of which were stoned by Tri-City netminder Beck Warm. Reece Vitelli couldn’t finish a chance near Warm’s right post with 1 minute, 30 seconds remaining and Jake Christiansen couldn’t bury an open look in the slot with 1:07 remaining.

Bryce Kindopp potted a power-play goal with just nine seconds remaining in the second period, handing the Silvertips a 2-1 lead entering the final period of regulation.

Kindopp that is… here's a second look at his first goal of the playoffs.

Silvertips' leading goal scorer heads right to net after faceoff and T-C 'D' loses him.

Everett's power play with a nice showing tonight. #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/q6gYGZADT3

— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) March 28, 2019

But the Americans didn’t fold on their home ice, as Nolan Yaremko cashed in on an Everett turnover created by Tri-City’s forecheck, tapping in his third goal of the postseason by redirecting a shot from the point by Mitchell Brown.

Martin Fasko-Rudas put the Silvertips up 1-0 with his power-play goal at 17:35 in the first. He benefited by being at the right place at the right time, as the winger posted up net front on the power play and a shot from Artyom Minulin from the point directed off him and in.

The 18-year-old import forward has been on a tear since arriving back from Slovakia for exams tied to high school graduation, riding a five-game goal streak and seven tallies over that stretch. Fasko-Rudas scored in each of the Silvertips’ first two playoff wins.

Tri-City received a serendipitous offensive contribution to tie the game at one apiece at 16:54 in the second period, with 18-year-old defenseman Sam Stewart clapping home a one-timer from the point for his first career WHL goal.

And here's a second look at the equalizer from Tri-City earlier in the period.

Looks like Huo (who's very tall) put a screen on Wolf. Stewart claps it by him. #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JMr6yDshp5

— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) March 28, 2019

Wolf made 28 of 31 saves in the win/loss

Warm turned away 39 shots in the win for the Americans for his second career playoff win.

Captain returns

Silvertips forward and leading scorer Connor Dewar returned to the lineup for Game 3 after missing Game 2 with an undisclosed injury. He left the bench in the third period of the Silvertips’ 6-1 win in Game 1 this past Friday.

Next up

Everett and Tri-City play Game 4 on Thursday at the Toyota Center with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop.