KENNEWICK — For the second straight game the Everett Silvertips turned in a solid performance against one of the WHL’s elite teams.
And for the second straight game the Tips came away with nothing to show for their efforts and were left looking at a crooked scoreline.
Everett was unable to take advantage of its scoring chances and fell 4-1 to the U.S. Division-leading Tri-City Americans on Friday night.
The loss came two days after a 5-1 loss at home against defending Memorial Cup champion Spokane. Both games were close in the third period before Everett’s opponent pulled away late.
Tri-City goaltender Chet Pickard had Everett’s number, making several big saves to deny the Tips while the game was still a contest. He finished with 32 stops.
Brooks Macek, Brendan Shinnimin and Taylor Procyshen scored goals, with Johnny Lazo adding a late empty netter, as Tri-City (32-13-0-3) snapped a two-game losing streak.
Shane Harper scored and Thomas Heemskerk made 33 saves in goal for Everett (21-20-5-1), which saw its losing streak increase to four.
Harper scored early in the second period when he was released on a breakaway by Mike Alexander, then snuck the puck between Pickard’s pads and cut Tri-City’s lead to 2-1 at 3 minutes, 31 seconds.
However, the Tips were unable to find the tying goal, and the Americans restored their two-goal cushion 5:16 into the third period. The Tips turned the puck over deep in their own zone, and the Americans made them pay when Justin Feser fed Procyshen for a one-timer to make it 3-1.
Everett had chances to close once again, with Pickard making a huge save on Byron Froese on a point-blank rebound, before the Americans put the game away, Lazo scoring into an empty net with 1:52 remaining.
The Americans scored twice in the first period to grab a 2-0 lead. Macek struck first at 4:41 when his centering pass deflected off traffic in front and past Heemskerk. Shinnimin then scored at 18:06, wristing a shot into the top of the net off the rush to double Tri-City’s advantage.
Everett also had its chances in the first, but was unable to find the net. Pickard made a big stop on Ryan White two-on-one, then made a good triple stop on Alexander, Harper and Zack Dailey. And Tyler Maxwell had a backhander all alone in front float high.
Everett receives no relief tonight as the Tips travel to play Vancouver, the team with the best winning percentage in the league.
Americans 4, Silvertips 1
Everett010—1
Tri-City202—4
@5. NHL box :First Period—1, Tri-City, Macek 5 (Stoklasa, Sutherland), 4:41. 2, Tri-City, Shinnimin 8 (Schmidt), 18:06. Penalties—White, Everett (tripping), 1:31; White, Everett (goaltender interference), 5:55.
Second Period—3, Everett, Harper 20 (Alexander), 3:31. Penalties—Reese, Tri-City (interference), 12:32; Ellington, Everett (roughing), 17:26.
Third Period—4, Tri-City, Procyshen 26 (Feser, Lazo), 5:16. 5, Tri-City, Lazo 15 (Stoklasa, Plouffe), 18:08 (en). Penalties—none.
Shots on goal—Everett 13-10-10—33. Tri-City 17-10-10—37. Power-play opportunities—Everett 0 of 1. Tri-City 0 of 3.
Goalies—Everett, Heemskerk 10-11-2-2 (36 shots, 33 saves). Tri-City, Pickard 21-9-0-3 (33 shots, 32 saves).
A—4,319.
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