SPOKANE — The Everett Silvertips finally solved overtime Saturday night.
Everett prevailed in extra time for the first time this season as Ivan Nikolishin scored the game winner to give the Tips a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs.
The Tips went to overtime in three of their first eight games this season. Everett ended up losing all three as they dropped two in OT and one in a shootout.
But the Tips ended that skid Saturday as, 2 minutes and 59 seconds into the extra period, Nikolishin converted a back-door feed from Noah Juulsen to end it.
Brayden Low and Patrick Bajkov also scored for Everett (6-0-2-1), while Austin Lotz made 20 saves to earn the win in goal for the Tips.
The victory, combined with Kelowna’s 5-2 loss at Tri-City on Saturday, left Everett as the only team in the WHL without a regulation loss.
Keanu Yamamoto scored both goals for Spokane (4-2-3-0). Garret Hughson finished with 23 saves in net for the Chiefs.
Spokane needed just 1:51 to take the lead as the Chiefs took advantage of an Everett turnover, with Dominic Zwerger setting up Yamamoto for the tap-in goal.
Everett tied it at 13:43. Carson Stadnyk had just fired over when in free on goal. However, the Tips quickly transitioned back into offense and Stadnyk set up Low on the doorstep to knot it at 1-1.
The Tips then took control of the game in the second period and grabbed the lead on the power play at 6:15, as Bajkov one-timed a cross-ice feed from Nikolishin. Everett had several other quality scoring chances in the period, but was unable to convert.
The ice tilted the other direction in the third period as Spokane built momentum, and Lotz had to make big saves on Zwerger and Adam Helewka to maintain Everett’s lead. However, he couldn’t keep the puck out of the net with 3:08 remaining. Jason Fram’s centering feed went off Yamamoto’s skate and into the net. The play went to a video review and the goal was upheld, making it 2-2.
Everett then needed to kill off a late Spokane power play to get the game to overtime and set up Nikolishin’s winner.
Silvertips 3, Chiefs 2 (OT)
Everett 1 1 0 1 — 3
Spokane 1 0 1 0 — 2
First Period—1, Spokane. Ke. Yamamoto 4 (Zwerger), 1:51. 2, Everett, Low 1 (Stadnyk), 13:43. Penalties—Low, Everett (cross checking), 4:44; Laday, Spokane (elbowing), 7:02.
Second Period—3, Everett, Bajkov 3 (Nikolishin, Juulsen), 6:38 (pp). Penalties—Helgesen, Spokane (hooking), 6:15; Laday, Spokane (tripping), 7:44; Fiala, Spokane (interference), 12:50; Pfeifer, Everett (fighting), 16:40; Whittingham, Spokane (fighting), 16:40; Zwerger, Spokane (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:40.
Third Period—4, Spokane, Ke. Yamamoto 5 (Fram, Zwerger), 16:52. Penalties—Chartier, Spokane (goaltender interference), 9:05; Bechtold, Spokane (tripping), 11:59; Bajkov, Everett (hooking), 17:42.
Overtime—5, Everett, Nikolishin 3 (Juulsen, Bauml), 2:59. Penalties—none.
Shots on goal—Everett 6-13-4-3—26. Spokane 5-3-13-1—22. Power-play opportunities—Everett 1 of 7. Spokane 0 of 2.
Goalies—Everett, Lotz 5-0-1-1 (22 shots, 20 saves). Spokane, Hughson 4-1-3-0 (26 shots, 23 saves).
A—n/a.
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