SWIFT CURRENT, Saskatchewan — The Everett Silvertips have a long bus ride home, but they’ll be making the trip with big smiles on their faces.
Everett completed a successful eastern swing by defeating the Swift Current Broncos 3-1 Saturday night to finish 5-1 on its six-game swing through the Western Hockey League’s East Division.
Everett scored three power-play goals in the second period, then limited Swift Current’s scoring chances the rest of the way. The Tips outscored their opponents 23-8 on the trip.
Ivan Nikolishin finished with a goal and two assists Saturday to lead Everett (26-12-3-1), which has a week off before playing its first home game in 2015 on Friday against Spokane. Noah Juulsen and Patrick Bajkov scored the other goals, and Carter Hart earned the win in goal with 28 saves.
Colby Cave scored the lone goal for Swift Current (20-18-1-4). Travis Child made 21 saves in goal for the Broncos.
There were no goals in the first period. Everett had four straight chances on the power play, but couldn’t convert against the league’s top penalty-killing unit as it remained scoreless going into the second period.
But the Tips had no trouble converting on the power play in the second period. The fourth of those first-period power plays carried over into the second, and the Tips found the opener 33 seconds in. Bajkov sent a cross-ice feed to Nikolishin, who one-timed a shot past Child to make it 1-0.
The Tips then converted on their next two power plays. Juulsen’s one-time blast from the point was too hot for Child to handle, making it 2-0 at 10:05. Then Bajkov converted a back-door feed from Carson Stadnyk at 12:24, giving Everett a three-goal lead. The Tips finished the game 3-for-6 with the advantage.
Everett continued to pressure the Swift Current goal, but it was the Broncos who found the net next. Hart spilled Dillon Heatherington’s shot from the point, and Cave was able to jam in the rebound to make it 3-1.
The Tips, playing their fourth game in five nights, tightened things up in the third period, and Swift Current was never able to threaten, despite outshooting Everett 9-4.
Silvertips 3, Broncos 1
Everett030—3
Swift Current010—1
First Period—no goals. Penalties—Everett bench (too many men, served by Scherbak), 0:40; Rigby, Swift Current (hooking), 9:46; Nikkel, Swift Current (hooking), 12:57; Steenbergen, Swift Current (slashing), 15:40; Merkley, Swift Current (hooking), 19:19.
Second Period—1, Everett, Nikolishin 9 (Bajkov, Millar), 0:33 (pp). 2, Everett, Juulsen 5 (Nikolishin, Stadnyk), 10:05 (pp). 3, Everett, Bajkov 14 (Stadnyk, Nikolishin), 12:24 (pp). 4, Swift Current, Cave 20 (Thomson, Heatherington), 15:23. Penalties—Mykitiuk, Everett (holding), 7:01; Rigby, Swift Current (interference), 9:38; Lajoie, Swift Current (high sticking), 11:49; Skrumeda, Everett (tripping), 17:28; Scherbak, Everett (roughing), 20:00; Cave, Swift Current (roughing), 20:00.
Third Period—no goals. Penalties—Scherbak, Everett (interference), 11:34.
Shots on goal—Everett 10-10-4—24. Swift Current 9-11-9—29. Power-play opportunities—Everett 3 of 6. Swift Current 0 of 4.
Goalies—Everett, Hart 8-3-2-0 (29 shots, 28 saves). Swift Current, Child 1-4-0-0 (24 shots, 21 saves).
A—2,244.
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