For the Everett Silvertips, opening night went as perfectly textbook as it possibly could have. With the 19-20 season coming to a screeching halt and leaving the Silvertips just a point behind the Portland Winterhawks in the standings, Everett likely felt like they had something to prove in their first game back and prove it they did.
The Everett Silvertips, in their 2021 home opener, shutout the Spokane Chiefs with a score of 2-0.
With the first Everett goal of the season coming off the stick of forward Jacob Wright in the second period.
In the third period, 19-year-old Jackson Berezowski secured the win for the Silvertips, scoring their second goal of the season. No small feat against a team like Spokane, especially given the long break between playing together. However, it wasn’t only the goal scorers that paved the way to win. Spokane’s loss drops them to 0-2 on the season.
? GOAL ?
Jacob Wright puts home the first @CocaCola Silvertips goal of the season! ?#LetsGoTips pic.twitter.com/eXPJihsT6j
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) March 21, 2021
Impressive Goaltending
Dustin Wolf, the 6-foot Tustin, California native, faced 22 shots and turned them all away for the 21st shutout of his career in the WHL. He’s currently five shutouts away from Carter Hart’s record for shutouts.
Coming off an extended offseason for the WHL, Wolf, who the Calgary Flames drafted in the seventh round, was anything but idle in the game. With some of the most minor rest during the league’s break, Wolf kept himself limber and focused on the game by continuing his play in the AHL and the IIHF World Junior Championships- where he took home gold for the USA. While the WHL took its time returning to play, putting together safety measures to ensure that all teams could play, Wolf was making sure he was ready for when the call to play eventually happened.
Spokane goaltender, Mason Beaupit, fought to keep his team in the game. The 6-foot-5 netminder turned away 20 of 22 shots faced. Beaupit entered the game as the Chiefs faced the middle frame of their opening weekend. Spokane has a heavy start to the season with their first three games taking place in the first three nights of the season and none of them on their home turf.
Held off the score sheet
Last year’s Four Broncos Memorial Trophy recipient, Adam Beckman, was kept off the scoresheet, perhaps one of the most impressive displays of the Silvertips’ dominant win. Just the night before, in the Chiefs’ opening game against the Seattle Thunderbirds, Beckman tallied three points on his quest to defend his title as the league’s leading scorer.
When they play again
Both the Everett Silvertips and the Spokane Chiefs will suit up again tomorrow and do it all over again, though both face different opponents.
The Spokane Chiefs will face the Portland Winterhawks, who will be playing their only home game at their makeshift home in Kent, Washington. Puck drop for that game is at 5 pm PDT.
The Silvertips face the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick at 4:05 pm PDT.
