For the Reporter
The Everett Silvertips defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-3 in Game 4 of their first-round WHL playoff series at the accesso ShoWare Center on Friday night.
Everett, with a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, can clinch it with a win in Game 5 Saturday. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.
Everett took a 1-0 lead on Patrick Bajkov’s power-play goal at 12:10 of the first period. Connor Dewar and Kevin Davis had the assists.
Davis scored at 12:48 to put Everett up 2-0.
Seattle cut the lead to one at 13:12 of the first. Jake Lee took a wrist shot from the left point with bodies in front of Everett goalie Carter Hart. The puck came off Hart to Nolan Volcan to the left of the net. Volcan snapped the rebound past Hart for his second goal of the playoffs.
The Silvertips took a 3-1 lead at 19:26 of the first when Dewar scored on a penalty shot.
Everett outshot Seattle 18-14 in the first period.
Sean Richards scored at 3:45 of the second period and Ethan O’Rourke scored at 13:08 of the second to make it a 5-1 Everett lead after two periods.
The Silvertips led 29-22 in shots after two periods.
Seattle mounted a comeback at 1:36 of the third period. Matthew Wedman drove the net hard off the right wing and crossed the puck through the crease. Dillon Hamaliuk was at the back post and banged the puck past Hart for his first goal of the playoffs. Blake Bargar had the second assist.
Wedman cut the Silvertips leads to two goals at 6:41 of the third. Turner Ottenbreit dislodged the puck from Reece Vitelli with a good check in the Seattle zone. Mike MacLean got the loose puck and moved it up ice to Wedman on the left wing. Wedman skated into the Everett zone, around a Tips defenseman and beat Hart with a hard wrist shot.
The T-Birds kept the pressure after cutting the lead to two goals. Late in the third, they missed chance to cut the lead to one, and Everett’s Connor Dewar came the other way and scored at 15:37.
Seattle pulled goalie Liam Hughes with 3:14 left in the game for an extra attacker. Matt Fonteyne was able to hit the empty net to get Everett’s seventh goal.
Hughes finished with 29 saves on 36 shots. Hart had 28 saves.
PLAYOFF GLANCE
Best-of-7, first-round schedule
Game 1 – At Everett 4, Seattle 1
Game 2 – Seattle 5, at Everett 4, OT
Game 3 – Everett 3, at Seattle 1
Game 4 – Everett 7, at Seattle 3
Game 5 – Seattle at Everett Saturday, March 31, 7:05 p.m.
Game 6 – Everett at Seattle Tuesday, April 3, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 7 – Seattle at Everett Wednesday, April 4, 7:05 p.m.*
*if necessary
Game 6 promotion: Directors Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game, if played, will feature two-for-one tickets and beers and $2 popcorn, $2 hot dogs, and $2 soda.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Everett, Bajkov 3 (Dewar, Davis), 12:10 (pp). 2, Everett, Davis 1 (Sutter, Vala), 12:48. 3, Seattle, Volcan 2 (Lee), 13:12. 4, Everett, Dewar 1, 19:26 (pen). Penalties – Bajkov, Evt (holding opponents stick), 2:56. MacLean, Sea (hooking), 2:56. Wedman, Sea (slashing), 11:53. Fairbrother, Evt (holding), 19:00.
Second period – 5, Everett, Richards 1 (Fonteyne, Fairbrother), 3:45. 6, Everett, O’Rourke 1 (Gerth), 13:08. Penalties – Dewar, Evt (roughing), 4:19. Philp, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 4:19. Sharp, Evt (roughing), 7:44. Wedman, Sea (roughing), 8:33. Wedman, Sea (delay of game), 19:11.
Third period – 7, Seattle, Hamaliuk 1 (Wedman, Bargar), 1:36. 8, Seattle, Wedman 1 (MacLean), 6:41. 9, Everett, Sutter 1 (Pilon, Dewar) 15:37. 10, Everett, Fonteyne 3 17:15 (en). Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 14-8-7 31, Everett 18-11-7 36. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 35 shots-29 saves (1-3); Everett, Hart 31-28 (3-1). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Everett 1-3. A – 4,175. Referees – Mark Pearce, Brett Iverson. Linesmen – Adam Brastad, Nathan Van Oosten.
