Carter Hart is the prized goaltender of the Everett Silvertips and Team Canada. On this night he was less than stellar, allowing five goals for just the second time this season. The last time he allowed five was on January 28th against the Spokane Chiefs in a 6-5 overtime win.
With 5:04 gone in the first overtime, it was Zack Andrusiak making a move between two Silvertip defenders and placing a backhand shot beyond Hart. The Thunderbirds would stream on to the ice, knowing they were lucky to take game 2 out of downtown Everett.
With less than a minute left in regulation and with Carter Hart pulled for the extra attacker Everett was able to send the game to overtime. Garrett Pilon scored his third goal of the night, banging at the puck to the left of Liam Hughes and slipping it by him.
It was a fiesty, back and forth affair in Everett at Angel of the Winds Arena.
5,694 fans barely had time to get to their seats before the home side opened up a 1-0 lead.
Martin Fasko-Rudas put the Silvertips in front putting a puck past Hughes at 2:17 of the first period.
It wouldn’t take long for the Thunderbirds to slip one past Hart. On the power play with Pilon in the penalty box, Austin Strand hammered a shot from the point past a screened Hart.
The Finnish star of the Thunderbirds scored next on Hart, Moilanen’s goal would come just 2:21 after Strand’s goal.
Late in the first period, Seattle found themselves in penalty trouble. Zach Andrusiak hooked an Everett player with 1:21 left in the first period. The T-Birds followed that up with a second penalty, this one right at the period buzzer. Captain Turner Ottenbreit was saddled with a roughing penalty, despite other players on both sides also being involved in the after whistle silly business.
With both Thunderbirds still in the box, the Silvertips potted a five-on-three power play goal to tie the game at two.
It took just 33 seconds of the second period to earn the tie, this time it was Garrett Pilon scoring his second goal of the playoffs. Kevin Davis and Patrick Bajkov were credited with assists after helping work the puck around on the power play.
Again, Seattle retook the lead, this time on a power play of their own. Turner Ottenbreit’s point shot beat Hart cleanly to give the Thunderbirds a 3-2 edge.
Garrett Pilon scored the second of his three goals before the end of the second period. At 17:11, after a pass from Reece Vitelli, Pilon snuck another puck past Hughes to tie the game at three.
With two minutes to play, a very dangerous knee-on-knee hit occurred in the Seattle end of the ice. Jake Lee had the puck and was making an attempt to clear the puck out of his end. Riley Sutter was closing in on Lee and when he released the puck and attempted to make his way up the ice, Sutter caught him with his knee sticking out. The impact was enough to flip Lee onto the ice, where he stayed for a few moments. Sutter was given a five minute major and a game misconduct. Depending on the severity of Lee’s injury, he did not return, Sutter could be looking at spending time in the press box.
At this point the Silvertips were outshooting the 29-22.
The Thunderbirds were unable to convert on their five minute power play but they were able to retake the lead with 12:25 to play in the third period. Big Mike MacLean would be an unlikely goal scorer as a pass through the crease made it’s way to where MacLean was standing. From the faceoff circle, his shot gave Hart no chance to make the save. The T-Birds would find themselves in the lead again.
After regulation ended Everett had taken 17 shots to Seattle’s nine to take a 46-31 shot lead heading into overtime.
Seattle would go 2-for-3 on the power play in this game while Everett would go just 1-for-5.
