WHL US DIVISION – Everett Silvertips Notebook: Silvertips fall short in overtime games.

Everett began a tough stretch of four games in five days with a matchup against the Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday February 24^th. Luckily for Everett, three of those games were on home ice, while Saturday’s showdown was at Seattle. With 13 games remaining in the season and a slight five point advantage for the US Division, Everett needed to earn points, especially against the Thunderbirds.

Loss to Kelowna 6-5 in OT

The Silvertips were 3-0 against Kelowna coming into this match-up. They were also attempting to sweep the season series for the first time in their history. Tyson Baillie would help Kelowna jump to a 1-0 lead at 7:36 in the 1^st period. Baillie intercepted a pass attempt from Noah Juulsen then proceeded to blast a slap shot from the left circle past Carter Hart’s glove.

At 18:14 Lucas Johansen would be called for a hook giving Devon Skoleski and penalty shot. Skoleski would deek around Michael Herringer and sneak a shot past his blocker side pad to even things at one.

The game would remain even at one after the 1^st period with Kelowna holding a slight 11-9 shot advantage.

Cole MacDonald would receive two minutes for goaltender interference at 8:17, which led to a power play goal from Calvin Thurkauf.  As time was set to expire on Kelowna’s power play, Thurkauf wristed a shot past Hart giving Kelowna a 2-1 lead.

Only one minute later, Baillie would score off a deflection for his second of the night to increase Kelowna’s lead to two goals.

At 15:40 Thurkauf got his second of the night when he skated behind Everett defenders on a breakaway to beat Hart glove side.

Tomas Soustal would score on a wraparound at 18:35 giving Kelowna the 5-1 adavantage.

Kelowna would remain on top with the four goal lead after two periods. The Rockets took control of the 2^nd period heavily outshooting Everett 14-4.

As the players came back out onto the ice, Mario Petit would relieve Hart in net for the 3^rd period.

Patrick Bajkov would help Everett get back in the game at 6:51. Yan Khomenko would center a pass to Bajkov who re-directed the puck past Herringer.

Matt Fonteyne would score off his own rebound at 9:18 cutting the Silvertips deficit to two goals. Kelowna would use their timeout after the goal from Fonteyne in hopes of regrouping.

Cal Foote would be called for a cross check at 10:02 and the Silvertips would cash in on the man advantage. Dario Winkler would score on a rebound off a Remi Laurencelle shot from the left circle.

The Silvertips now clawed their way back to trail Kelowna by one goal with just under eight minutes reaming in the contest.  Just when the Silvertips had captured momentum, Kevin Davis was called for a hook at12:05.  Time was set to expire on the Davis penalty when Brycen Martin sent a loose puck near the center blueline which would lead to Connor Dewar forcing the puck out of Everett’s zone.

A footrace would ensue between Dewar and Lucas Johansen for the loose puck. Dewar would gain possession of the puck in the Rockets zone. Herringer would stop the initial shot but Dewar would score off his own rebound with an unbelievable backhander while he was falling down. The crowd went into a pandemonium as Dewar’s goal would help Everett tie the game after being down four goals to begin the period. "He’s a warrior. He works and competes and gets to all the dirty areas," said Coach Constantine.

Neither team would score the game winner in regulation.With four goals in the 3^rd period, Everett held a slight 8-7 shot advantage.

Justin Kirkland would score the game winner at 1:24 in the overtime period to end the Silvertips late comeback heroics.

Carter Hart stopped 20/25 shots in two periods while Mario Petit stopped 8/9 shots in relief.

Loss to Kamloops 3-2 in OT

Just as in the previous game against Kelowna, Everett was going for the season series sweep against another BC Division foe Kamloops. Mario Petit with a rare start would get the nod in net.

Only 48 seconds in and Everett would get their first opportunity at a power play when Jiri Smejkal was called for a hook.

Everett looked to have jumped to an early 1-0 with a power play goal from Remi Laurencelle but the refs would overturn it saying Yan Khomenko was in the goaltenders crease.

"It was a travesty the first goal didn’t count; it’s a goal. It’s not even remotely close to whatever was called on the ice" said Coach Constantine. "It was a big momentum change in the game not getting that first goal for all the work you put in."

Kamloops would get the first goal 17:44 in the 1^st period when Matt Revel beat Petit with a wrister from the right circle.

Everett would trail 1-0 after one period despite outshooting the Blazers 14-9.

The Blazers would tack on another goal at 14:32 when Quinn Benjafield scored off a deflection.

After two periods Kamloops would remain on top 2-0 and Everett would find themselves in a similar scenario as the previous game. The Blazers outshot Everett 11-8 during the 2^nd period.

Everett needed a quick goal to get them back into the game. They would get an opportunity at 6:52 when Dawson Davidson was called for holding.

Three seconds -- that’s all it took on the power play for Everett to get on the board. Right after a faceoff win by Matt Foneteyne, Carson Stadnyk would fire a shot past Connor Ingram giving the Silvertips their first goal of the night.

With less than two minutes remaining, Petit would be pulled for an extra attacker.

Time was dwindling down, but with 31 seconds left Everett pulled a miracle and tied the game.

Laurencelle buried a deflection from a Kevin Davis shot and for the second straight game Everett came back from a deficit in the 3^rd period to force overtime.

Unfortunately for Everett, the same result would happen in overtime when Deven Sideroff scored 1:25 into the OT period.

Mario Petit stopped 24/27 shots in the loss.

Despite losing two games in a row, Remi Laurencelle commented "every point counts right now, we have 11 games left and every point is crucial."

Loss to Seattle 2-0

This game would be the Thunderbirds first win in regulation against Everett.  It was the Mathew Barzal show as he scored two goals, one in the 1^st period and an empty netter in the 3^rd. A scary moment occurred for Everett during the 2^nd period when Carter Hart went down after taking a Ryan Gropp slap shot around the shoulder. Hart would be taken out but make a return later in the game.

Carter Hart stopped 19/20 shots in the loss and Mario Petit did not face a single shot in the nine plus minutes in relief when Hart was being tended to in the locker room with an apparent upper-body injury..

Defeated Tri-City 3-2

Tri-City would get an early lead with a goal from Park AuCoin at 2:17 in the 1^st period.

Evan Sarthou would flip the puck into the stand and be called for a delay of game at 6:59.  Everett would cash in on the man advantage 7:22 when Patrick Bajkov zipped a shot past Sarthou’s glove side.

Carson Stadnyk took advantage of a miscue by Tri-City leaving a loose puck right in front of Sarthou burying it to give Everett a 2-1 lead.  After one period Everett would lead 2-1 while heavily outshooting the Americans 15-5.

There would be no goals during the 2^nd period with Everett continuing to lead in shots 8-4.

Lucas Skrumeda would be called for a hook at 3:03 which led to a Tri-City power play goal from Beau McCue. McCue re-directed a deflection past Carter Hart to help Tri-City even the game at two.

Everett would get a power play at 15:38 when Brandon Carlo was called for a trip.  Stadnyk, from the left circle centered a pass to Dario Winkler who wristed a quick shot past the glove of Sarthou for the game winner.

Carter Hart stopped 18/20 shots to pick up his 34^th win of the season which now ties Leland Irving’s franchise for the second most wins by a goaltender in a season.  Irving set the 34-win mark during the 2006-07 season and still holds the Silvertips franchise record for wins with 37 set in 2005-06.

The Silvertips lead in the US Division has dwindled down to three points with Seattle having a game in hand.  Everett will return to action for home games against Seattle on Friday March 4^th and Tri-City Saturday.

More Tips News

Everett announced the signing of defenseman Wyatte Wylie to a WHL Standard Player Agreement.

Wylie becomes the first Everett native that was taken in the WHL Bantam Draft to sign with the Silvertips. He was taken in the 6^th round during the 2014 draft.

In 32 games this season with the Dallas Stars U-16, Wylie has recorded 4 goals and 7 assists for 11 points.