Thunderbirds fly past Silvertips in shootout

Strand scores only goal, Hughes stops three Everett shooters in 3-2 win

January 28, 2018 10:30 am
The Thunderbirds’ Austin Strand slides the puck past Silvertips goalie Carter Hart in what turned out to be the game-winning shot in Saturday night’s shootout at the accesso ShoWare Center. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

Austin Strand scored the only goal in the shootout and goalie Liam Hughes stopped all three shooters to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 3-2 shootout win over the Everett Silvertips in front of 5,476 raucous fans at the accesso ShoWare Center on Saturday night.

This was the second of a home-and-home series against the Silvertips. Everett won 3-1 on home ice Friday night, snapping the T-Birds’ five-game winning streak.

The T-Birds travel to Kennewick to face the Tri-City Americans at 5:05 p.m. Sunday at the Toyota Center.

Hughes and Everett goalie Carter Hart each made a pair of saves in the shootout, setting the stage for Strand’s game-winning shot.

Strand, the T-Birds’ third shooter, stickhandled and beat Hart through the legs for the goal. Garrett Pilon, the Silvertips’ third shooter, took a wrist shot from the middle of the circle, and Hughes made a glove save to secure the win and snap the Silvertips’ eight game winning streak.

Everett (31-16-1-2) took a 1-0 lead at 3:44 of the first period on a goal from Connor Dewar. Pilon had the only assist.

Seattle (27-17-4-2) tied the game 1-1 at 7:34 of the second period. Noah Philp carried the puck from right to left behind the Everett net and passed the puck to Blake Bargar in the low left circle. Bargar quickly put the puck on goal and beat Hart over the glove. Donovan Neuls had the second assist.

Dewar scored at 7:41 of the third period to put the Silvertips in front 2-1. Pilon and Riley Sutter had the assists.

The T-Birds tied the game 2-2 on the power play at 10:25 of the third. Zack Andrusiak took a shot from the right circle that rebounded off Hart into the low slot. Nolan Volcan and Mathew Wedman crashed the net. Volcan got a shot off and then Wedman punched the rebound past Hart for his 10th goal of the season.

The T-Birds were awarded a power play 21 seconds into overtime when Kevin Davis was called for interference on Turner Ottenbreit. The T-Birds had several good chances, but Hart made the saves.

Hughes stopped 34 of 36 shots and his record is 9-6-1-1.

Hart had 29 saves on 31 shots and his record is 18-3-0-2.

For tickets, go online or visit the ShoWare Center box office.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Everett, Dewar 24 (Pilon), 3:44. Penalties – No penalties.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Bargar 10 (Philp, Neuls), 7:34. Penalties – Hamaliuk, Sea (checking from behind), 5:03. Fasko-Rudas, Evt (roughing), 8:36. Hamaliuk, Sea (roughing), 8:36. MacLean, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:43.

Third period – 3, Everett, Dewar 25 (Pilon, Sutter), 7:41. 4, Seattle, Wedman 10 (Andrusiak, Volcan), 10:25 (pp). Penalties – Bajkov, Evt (goaltender interference), 3:53. K. Walker, Evt (tripping), 8:47. Bajkov, Evt (10-minute misconduct), 10:25.

Overtime – No scoring. Penalties – Davis, Evt (interference), :21.

Shootout – Seattle 1 (Philp NG, Andrusiak NG, Strand G). Everett 0 (Bajkov NG, Fonteyne NG, Pilon NG).

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-7-13-3-1 32, Everett 12-10-13-1-0 36. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 36 shots-34 saves (9-6-1-1); Everett, Hart 31-29 (18-3-0-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-3; Everett 0-2. A – 5,476. Referees – Adam Bloski, Mark Pearce. Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Brett Mackey.