Silvertips squeak past Thunderbirds in intense rivalry game

KENT – Saturday’s match up between the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Everett Silvertips had all the ingredients needed for a tasty rivalry game.

Was there a controversial goal? Check. Was there a hit that resulted in bad blood, an ejection and a possible suspension? Check. Was there playoff intensity in front of a sold out arena? Check.

In the end, the Silvertips squeaked out a tight, 2-1 win over the Thunderbirds at the accesso ShoWare Center.

With the score tied, the game was decided by a back and forth play midway through the third period. Seattle’s Andrej Kukuca got a pass in deep on a rush and seemingly had the whole net to fire at. Everett goalie Dustin Wolf flung his pad across the crease and somehow got a piece of it.

Everett snapped up the rebound and Max Patterson was off to the races by himself as the Thunderbirds got caught deep. He made one move and was able to slide the puck past Liam Hughes for his ninth of the year and gave the Silvertips a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

“We’ve talked about the big play, that was a big play,” Seattle head coach Matt O’Dette said. “We had a three-on-one and our fourth and fifth guys got involved when they shouldn’t have. They got a breakaway the other way, that was the difference. Big save by Wolf and a mistake by our fourth and fifth guys going up ice.”

Wolf made 43 saves to keep the Thunderbirds at bay as Seattle (10-14-3-0) would out shoot the Silvertips 44-38 on the night.

It was a far cry from the two clubs previous two meetings where Everett (24-7-1-0) had badly out played the Thunderbirds.

“I think we played really well,” Thunderbirds captain Nolan Volcan said. “Everett is probably the second best team, if not the best team. I think it was statement game for us. The last time they were here, they kind of gave it to us a bit. We were with them for 60 minutes and we have a full lineup now and we have the mind set we’re going to win every game.”

The game was not without its fair share of controversy, as is expected in heated rivalry.

It started late in the first period with the game still scoreless. A mad scramble in front of Hughes broke out and all ten skaters on the ice converged on the Seattle net. It appeared there was contact between Hughes and Everett’s Sean Richards but there was no call and Richards poked the puck in the net.

“I mean, the guy is standing right in the middle of our crease,” O’Dette said. “Kind of blocking our goalie out from freezing the puck and that’s the guy who scores. I don’t know. I’m kind of bewildered at what goalie interference is now. We had one waived off last night for goalie interference outside the crease.”

The officials huddled after the play but there was no video replay as O’Dette said he didn’t think that kind of play was reviewable.

“I kind of got an explanation,” O’Dette said. “I disagree with his explanation. I think they initially thought it was all blue guys in the crease, which clearly it wasn’t.”

That play seemed to galvanize the Thunderbirds as they came out to start the second period. Seattle pushed the pace and crashed the Everett net often.

They would cash in at 3:59 when Volcan fired a shot through a good screen in front from Samuel Huo. It was Volcan’s seventh marker of the year and extended his point streak to eight games.

With the score tied at one in the second period, the second controversial moment came.

Richards hit Seattle defenseman Loeden Schaufler from behind and into the boards in behind the Seattle net. He was assessed a five-minute major for boarding. Schaufler was hurt on the play and did not return to the game.

The hit will most likely bring a suspension for Richards, who has a history of such hits. He was suspended five games on Oct. 5^th for a hit to the head of Seattle’s Reece Harsch. Richards has been suspended a total of four times – including one against Seattle last year — over the past season-plus and if he is suspended it would be the sixth suspension for a hit by an Everett player in the past 18 games against Seattle.

“It’s a lot,” O’Dette said of the suspensions. “But, over the years their known as the angel team. Can’t figure that one out but it’s the norm for those guys.”

Seattle would end up with an extended three-minute power play for the major penalty but could not capitalize. Getting set up in the Everett zone was a struggle and the penalty would expire without the Thunderbirds taking advantage.

The Thunderbirds ended the night 0-for-2 with the man advantage.

“We haven’t been able to get (Jarret) Tyszka out on the power play because he’s been in the box,” O’Dette said of the power play. “That’s the way it’s worked out. He’s the guy that’s running that for us ideally, he was unavailable again for that power play. they’ve got a good penalty kill, it’s not easy to access their zone and get set up and that was the case tonight.”

With the rivalry on boil, the two teams will see each other again next Saturday. For Seattle, despite the loss, there were some positives as with a regular lineup, they’re generating shots and chances and played with the top team in the Western Conference.

“I think we see what we can do with a full lineup,” O’Dette said. “That team’s been on a roll and knocking everybody off while making it look easy. There’s no moral victories, we’re disappointed we didn’t win the game but I think with our full lineup we can play with any team in the league.”

Notes

• Several Thunderbirds had scoring streaks snapped Saturday. Zack Andrusiak had recorded a point in nine straight and Matthew Wedman had a five-game point streak snapped.

• Hughes was strong Saturday night in making 36 saves in the loss.

• Seattle falls to 0-2-1-0 in the season series against the Silvertips.

• After a month of November where Seattle was routinely out shot, the Thunderbirds have now played two games in a row where they have out shot their opponents.

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