For the second time in two nights, the Portland Winterhawks found themselves on the wrong end of a lopsided second period. The Everett Silvertips scored three goals in less than six minutes to take control of the game and go onto beat the visiting Winterhawks 3-1.
The Everett Silvertips and Portland Winterhawks played Sunday afternoon coming off a loss the previous night. Everett opened the season with a tough three games in three nights and were looking to avoid starting the season 0-3. Portland was looking to rebound from a 5-3 loss to Seattle.
The first period saw Portland take three trips to the penalty box, each time for a different stick infraction. The majority of Everett’s first period chances came via the power play, but Shane Farkas was able to stop all eight Silvertips shots. His best save came moving left to right to make a pad save off a one-timer. Clay Hanus thought he scored in the final minute of the opening frame, but the puck hit both posts and somehow stayed out preventing the Excelsior, Minnesota native from registering his first WHL goal.
All of the game’s scoring came in the second period. Portland would strike first thanks to Jaydon Dureau using his speed to create time and space. His hard work was rewarded, notching his first WHL goal at the 7:16 mark taking a cross-ice pass from Joachim Blichfeld and beating Dustin Wolf. Portland would continue to test the young netminder sending 12 shots his direction in the middle frame. Wolf was up to the task making a timely glove save on Mason Mannek shifting all momentum to Everett.
Portland’s struggle keeping the puck out of their net in the second period carried over from last night as Everett found the twine three times in the final nine minutes. Everett’s captain, Connor Dewar, who spent time at the Minnesota Wild’s training camp, evened the score with a nice turnaround shot from the right circle. Less than two minutes later Jackson Berezowski scored his first WHL goal on a scramble play in front of Shane Farkas’ crease. Portland then began their parade to the penalty box as Lukus MacKenzie took a Tripping penalty 200 feet from his own net putting Everett on the power play. Eight seconds later 20-year-old Brendan De Jong would join him as he took a delay-of-game penalty. Jake Christiansen, a former fifth round bantam pick by Everett, would make the Winterhawks pay scoring his first goal of the year on a one-timer from the right circle extending the Silvertips lead to 3-1.
Everett entered the third period on the power play with 1:05 carryover time while Portland waited for Jake Gricius’ delay-of-game penalty to expire. The Winterhawks were able to keep the Silvertips primarily to the outside, with only a few low-quality chances on net. Dustin Wolf answered the call stopping everything Portland sent his way in the third. While the chances were sparse, Riley Sutter helped his goaltender out blocking numerous shots. Portland’s best opportunity in the third came on an end-to-end rush by Seth Jarvis; however, his diving shot went wide.
While Everett only capitalized on one of their eight power plays, anytime Portland put several quality shifts together, a penalty required their focus be killing the penalty. Portland was not able to convert on their three power plays.
Everett salvaged two points on the weekend after losing to Vancouver Friday and Saturday.
Portland will head south on I-5 with an 0-2 record, but will look ahead to Friday night’s game against the Tri-City Americans. Portland opens the season with three games on the road before finally having their home-opener against Seattle next Saturday night.
Notes:
– Cody Glass remains with the Vegas Golden Knights and Ryan Hughes remains sidelined with an injury.
– The only lineup change was 17-year-old defenseman Kade Nolan taking Nick Cicek’s spot next to Quigley.
– Mike Johnston did adjust three forward lines trying different line combinations; however, the only line that remained the same was Seth Jarvis, Cross Hanas, and Michal Kvasnica.
