If there was any luck to be had in a game on St.Patrick’s Day, it definitely favoured the team in green. The Everett Silvertips (47-20-2-3), dressed in their head-to-toe green uniforms, controlled the play Saturday night en route to a 8-1 victory over the Victoria Royals (39-27-4-2). Sniper Patrick Bajkov led the way with a hat trick and four points total in the game.
Coming into the game, the Royals looked for a fundamental tune-up before their first round matchup versus the Vancouver Giants. For the Silvertips however, the stakes were a little higher needing a point to clinch the US Division title and a second consecutive division championship.
Everett struck first for the important first goal as Bryce Kindopp scored at 4:48. On the goal the Royals defense were unable to move the scrum in front of starting goalie Dean McNabb, as a result he had little chance to make a stop.
The Silvertips extended their lead on the powerplay, as they were able to setup and move the puck around nicely. Consequently, offensive leader Patrick Bajkov received the puck, did a little drag past a defender and fired a sharp shot for the 2-0 goal at 15:07.
Everett made it three goals for the period as at 17.19 Connor Dewar flipped a shot from the point that made it through a mass of traffic in front.
Everett added to their lead at just 39 seconds of the second as a nice tic-tac-toe passing sequence lead to a powerplay goal for Dewar, his second goal of the night. The Royals were finally able to get on the scoreboard with a powerplay marker of their own at 5:55. Matthew Phillips scored his 48th of the year, tipping a slap-pass from Noah Gregor behind Carter Hart to make it 4-1.
Frustration began to set in for Victoria and the game began to see a lot of shenanigans as Everett did not back down. On a resulting powerplay, Everett again moved it around nicely and Bjakov fired it home from the faceoff dot for his second goal of the evening at 10:37. Not finished, Bajkov secured the hat trick at 19:26 as s bobbled puck at centre ice led to a breakaway, where he made no mistake and made it 6-1.
To start the third period, Everett gave Hart a rest and in came Dustin Wolf to mind the net. Victoria tested the young goalie at the start of the third, as they were looking to salvage some of the game. However, the push by Victoria was quickly extinguished as the puck came to Kindopp who got his second of the game, making the score 7-1 at 6:46.
The final goal of the game came as Kevin Davis carried the puck into the zone, took a shot and Everett captain Matt Fonteyne tipped it in front to make it 8-1.
Victoria struggled to clear the front of the net and therefore McNabb was unlucky on many goals. The rest and return from injuries of Scott Walford and Ralph Jarratt will help rectify this, but overall Victoria will look to do better job of clearing traffic in front. Victoria’s offense was also lacking, only mustering 19 shots which were not nearly enough to defeat a team like Everett.
For Everett, it was mission accomplished as the swept the home-and-home against the Royals to close out the season. In doing so, the Silvertips repeat as US Division champions and also secured the title of Western Conference Champions. Bajkov led the way with his hat trick but also added an assist to secure the record for most all-time assists in Silvertips’ franchise history. Bajkov also became the first player in franchise history to hit 100 points in a single season.
Bajkov got the assist on the 8th goal and has broken ANOTHER record!!! What a season!!! pic.twitter.com/JXd6veHiFl
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) March 18, 2018
Everett now draws the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round of playoffs, with the first game going Friday Mar.23 at the Angels of the Winds Arena in Everett.
Victoria will regroup and look forward to their first round opponents the Vancouver Giants, that game also on Friday Mar.23 in Victoria.
ROYALS SUBJECTS
- Victoria fell one win short of a third 40-win season in the seven years it has been on the island
- Scott Walford missed the game after suffering an upper body issue on Friday versus Everett
- Lane Zablocki sat out the game due to suspension after being assessed a boarding major and game misconduct on Friday. The length of his suspension is still pending.
