Who’ll stop the puck?

EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips are in desperate need of a spark in their first-round playoff series against the Portland Winterhawks.

Unfortunately for the Tips, it doesn’t look as though No. 1 goaltender Kent Simpson will be the one providing that spark, at least not in tonight’s Game 3.

Simpson remains highly doubtful to play tonight because of the sprained ankle that’s sidelined him throughout the series.

Everett, which is the Western Conference’s eighth seed, trails 2-0 in the best-of-seven series against the top-seeded Winterhawks. The Tips were soundly beaten 4-0 and 7-2 in Games 1 and 2 in Portland.

The Tips are searching for a way to turn the series around, and they’ve been anxiously awaiting the return of their top goaltender. Simpson has been out since suffering his injury on March 4. Everett, which would be a heavy underdog even with Simpson in the lineup, was hoping he would recover in time for the playoffs. Simpson was participating in practices before the series began.

But Simpson was scratched for the first two games of the series, and after sitting out practice Tuesday it looks as though he’ll be unavailable again tonight when the series switches to Comcast Arena.

“He’s kind of hit a wall here with it,” Everett coach Craig Hartsburg said. “We thought it was best to keep him off the ice for a day or so. It just seems to have gotten to a point where it’s not getting much better. You never know, but it’s our job to keep playing and keep this thing going long enough so we can get him back.”

Simpson was playing his best hockey of the season when he went down after jamming his foot against the post during a game at Tri-City. He was considered Everett’s best chance at scraping something out of the series against Portland.

With Simpson out, back-up netminder Luke Siemens has been thrust to the forefront. The 18-year-old rookie was just a 50-50 bet to even make the team at the beginning of the season. Now he finds himself asked to carry the load during the playoffs against the conference’s top team.

“Not really, no,” Siemens replied when asked if he ever envisioned himself in his current situation. “Obviously, it’s one of those things you have to be ready for. You don’t really expect it, but at the same time you have to be mentally ready. I think I’ve done a good job of staying focused and not allowing myself to get in any bad habits.”

It’s been a difficult road for Siemens. He barely saw the ice for nearly two months during most of January and all of February when Simpson was carrying the Tips. Now he’s started 10 straight games, and he’s being asked to hold arguably the most explosive offense in the WHL at bay.

“It’s not an easy situation for a No. 1 goaltender who’s played in the league for three years, never mind a kid who just came into the league this year,” Hartsburg said. “It’s a real test for him, but it’s a test for our group in front of him to do a better job, too.”

Siemens had his ups and downs during the first two games of the series. He was mostly strong during a 41-save performance in Game 1, but he struggled during much of Game 2, when he allowed seven goals on 46 shots.

“There have been some ups and downs,” Siemens acknowledged. “I was a little bit nervous, but now I can kind of relax a little more. I’ve got my first couple games under my belt, and games here at home should be a lot more fun.”

With Simpson likely destined for the scratch list again, the Tips are looking for Siemens to elevate his play at home.

“The first game I thought he was pretty good, maybe one goal he’d like to have back,” Hartsburg said. “The second game, we talked to Luke and we know he didn’t play his best. He didn’t look comfortable in net, so we’ve spent a few days working with him. Jordan (Sigalet, Everett’s goaltending coach) has been here working with him. But that’s over and done with. Maybe the biggest challenge for a goalie at any level is no matter what the past performance, you have to move on to the next one. That’s what Luke has to do (today), come out and play the way he knows he can.”

Siemens, who performed beyond expectations during the regular season, could provide the spark Everett needs. But the Tips are also looking elsewhere. Hartsburg is hoping the physical play from his forwards can also help turn the tide.

“We have to get more physical play on their defense,” Hartsburg said. “I think that’s the one area we have to address. I know our defense has taken a beating in the first two games in their building. It causes turnovers. We have to have the same mindset (today), we have to make their defense pay a bigger price.”

Simpson isn’t Everett’s only injury problem as the Tips are also down two overage forwards. Clayton Cumiskey suffered a concussion during the final weekend of the regular season and has yet to return to practice. Now Parker Stanfield is also out with a concussion after being high- sticked by Portland’s Nino Niederreiter in the second period of Game 2. Neither is available for tonight’s game.

Check out Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.