The Portland Winterhawks wrapped up their third week of play in a back-to-back outing against the Everett Silvertips.
The two teams have spent the last two seasons in a heated battle for the top spot in the US Division.
While the Silvertips came into the weekend undefeated, Winterhawks fans were hoping to see a change in that status following the games in Portland. Unfortunately, the Silvertips would not be defeated so easily, and they remained perfect when the dust settled on Saturday night.
Different styles, different teams
While the Mike Johnston era of Winterhawks is known for the smaller, faster, plucky style of play, with a focus on scoring goals and out-maneuvering their opponents, the Silvertips get things done in net. While they have the scoring and defensive capabilities anybody should expect at this level, the netminders that have come through Everett have been the backbone for the team. This weekend was a bright reminder of that fact.
Missing some key pieces
While Seth Jarvis and Jaydon Dureau are still off on NHL and AHL rosters, respectively, the Winterhawks were also missing veteran forward Robbie Fromm-Delorme over the weekend due to an injury sustained during a practice earlier in the week. Also missing from the first game of this back-to-back series was sophomore defenseman Jonas Brøndberg, who had been out with an injury since returning to the Winterhawks. Brøndberg did come back to make his season debut for the Winterhawks on Sunday night.
Friday night faceoff
Starting their first of the two games on Friday night, the Winterhawks fought to finish the first period with no goals allowed by either team. However, just nine seconds into the second period Anaheim Ducks prospect Olen Zellweger sent the first one into the net behind Portland goaltender Dante Giannuzzi.
Aidan Litke responded for the Winterhawks just minutes later to even the score.
In the last five minutes of the middle frame, Alex Swetlikoff scored twice for the Silvertips to put them up 3-1. His second goal of the night came on the powerplay just two seconds before the end of the period.
The first half of the final period saw both teams hold each other off well, with Giannuzzi stopping an Austin Roest penalty shot chance. However, the visiting team found their scoring touch once again as Beau Courtney broke through for Everett to pick up his first WHL goal.
It wasn’t too much later that Swetlikoff finished off the hat trick to put the Silvertips up 5-1.
These guys are good 🔥
Congratulations to Alex Swetlikoff on the hat trick and to Beau Courtney on scoring his first WHL goal! 👏#LetsGoTips pic.twitter.com/51F1ucdzIl
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) October 23, 2021
The Winterhawks had one more goal to put up as Gabe Klassen put one past Koen MacInnes for his third goal of the season. In the first game of the back-to-back series, the Silvertips walked away with a hard-fought victory.
Saturday’s story
Picking up right where these two teams left off, just with a fresh pair of netminders, the two teams looked to finish the weekend on a high note.
In the dwindling minutes of the first period, Jonny Lambos found his first of the season in the net behind Lochlan Gordon and it was the only one the Silvertips needed to complete their weekend sweep.
In his second regular-season appearance for the Winterhawks, Gordon continued to impress. Allowing just the one goal on 26 shots faced, he finished the night with a .962 sv%.
Through the final two periods of the game, nine penalties were assessed between the two teams. Three were minors for roughing, there were two fighting majors, one unsportsmanlike minor, and Jack O’Brien found himself with a 10-minute misconduct as the game ended.
Braden Holt found himself with his second shutout against the Winterhawks this season as the Silvertips headed home with a weekend sweep.
Coming up next…
The Winterhawks will host the Seattle Thunderbirds this Wednesday, 10/27, before heading to Everett on Friday, 10/29 for another crack at taking down the undefeated Silvertips. Both games will likely be physical and high-energy so you won’t want to miss out.
