Tips rally again but lose 6-5 to Vancouver

Published 10:04 pm Wednesday, September 28, 2011

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Everett Silvertips couldn’t quite get themselves into a shootout this time.

Everett’s furious late rally fell just short as the Tips lost 6-5 to the Vancouver Giants on Wednesday night.

Everett lost each of its first two games of the season in shootouts, includin

g a 5-4 loss to Kelowna in its last game Saturday. In that game the Tips trailed by two late in regulation before fighting back to tie it.

This time the Tips were in even worse shape, trailing 6-3 with less then five minutes remaining. But Josh Birkholz went coast-to-coast to make it 6-4 with 4:32 to go. Then Tyler Maxwell scored on a feed from Birkholz on the power play with 2:34 remaining to make it a one-goal game.

Everett then had the chance it needed in the final minute, with the puck on Maxwell’s stick with net to work with. But Vancouver goalie Brendan Jensen made the save to preserve the victory.

Michael Burns, Brett Kulak, Jackson Houck, Nathan Burns, Marek Tvrdon and Dalton Olsen scored for Vancouver (2-1-0-0), which overcame a 2-0 first-period defecit. James Henry added five assists for the Giants, while Jensen finished with 19 saves.

Zach McPhee, Ryan Murray and Ryan Harrison scored the other goals for Everett (0-1-0-2), which has eight days off before its next game. Kent Simpson struggled in goal for the Tips, stopping just 16 of 22 shots.

Maxwell’s goal was his 99th as a Silvertip. He is now just one short of Shane Harper’s franchise record of 100.

The score was tied 3-3 going into the third period, but Vancouver controlled possession and seemingly put the game away. Nathan Burns gave Vancouver the lead at 5:33, good puck movement freeing him up for an open look from the slot. Tvrdon made it a two-goal game at 10:56, tipping David Musil’s shot from the point past Simpson. Then Olsen looked like he put the game away, scoring on the back door on the power play at 13:57.

However, the Tips frantically fought back, but the comeback fell just short.

Giants 6, Silvertips 5

Everett 2 1 2 — 5

Vancouver 1 2 3 — 6

First Period–1, Everett, McPhee 1 (Walters, Mychan), 1:33. 2, Everett, Murray 1 (Mychan), 14:36. 3, Vancouver, M. Burns 1 (Kulak, Henry), 15:55. Penalties–Musil, Vancouver (tripping), 7:20; Bell, Everett (cross checking-fighting), 11:56; Houck, Vancouver (fighting), 11:56.

Second Period–4, Vancouver, Kulak 1 (M. Burns, Henry), 12:30 (pp). 5, Everett, Harrison 1 (Walters), 14:22. 6, Vancouver, Houck 1 (Vannieuwenhuizen), 15:20. Penalties–Kulak, Vancouver (hooking), 0:53; Henry, Vancouver (hooking), 5:08; Morden, Everett (holding), 12:26; Bittner, Everett (holding), 18:36.

Third Period–7, Vancouver, N. Burns 2 (Sward, Henry), 5:33. 8, Vancouver, Tvrdon 2 (Musil, Henry), 10:56. 9, Vancouver, Olsen 1 (Henry, Tvrdon), 13:57 (pp). 10, Everett, Birkholz 3, 15:28. 11, Everett, Maxwell 3 (Birkholz, Bittner), 17:26 (pp). Penalties–Mychan, Everett (tripping), 13:20; Vetterl, Vancouver (interference), 15:44; Winquist, Everett (high sticking), 19:27.

Shots on goal–Everett 10-7-7–24. Vancouver 10-7-5–22. Power-play opportunities–Everett 1 of 4. Vancouver 2 of 5.

Goalies–Everett, Simpson 0-1-0-1 (22 shots, 16 saves). Vancouver, Jensen 2-1-0-0 (24 shots, 19 saves).

A–4,578.