Thunderbirds battle but fall just short to Silvertips

Jeri-Leon, Mount score in 3-2 loss

March 9, 2020 1:30 pm
1The Thunderbirds’ Keltie Jeri-Leon handles the puck in front of the Silvertips’ Ethan Regnier and goalie Dustin Wolf during WHL action Sunday at the accesso ShoWare Center. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds
1The Thunderbirds’ Keltie Jeri-Leon handles the puck in front of the Silvertips’ Ethan Regnier and goalie Dustin Wolf during WHL action Sunday at the accesso ShoWare Center. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

The Everett Silvertips defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds in WHL play 3-2 Sunday night at the accesso ShoWare Center.

The T-Birds (24-32-4-3, 55 points) and are in the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The T-Birds are nine points behind the Kelowna Rockets (29-27-3-3, 64 points) for the first wild-card playoff spot.

The T-Birds’ magic number to clinch the second wild-card berth is six points. Any combination of the T-Birds’ earning points and the Prince George Cougars’ losing points equaling six puts the T-Birds in the playoffs.

Everett took a 1-0 lead on a goal from Bryce Kindopp at 14:44 of the first period.

Seattle tied the game 1-1 at 2:23 of the second period on Keltie Jeri-Leon’s power-play goal. Henrik Rybinski won a faceoff in the right circle that Conner Roulette tapped back to Jeri-Leon at the right point. Jeri-Leon held the puck then took a wrist shot with traffic in front of Everett goalie Dustin Wolf. Jeri-Leon’s shot hit the top left corner of the net for his 23rd goal of the season.

The Silvertips went in front 2-1 at 11:12 of the second on a goal from Gage Goncalves.

Everett took a 3-1 lead on a Ty Kolle’s goal at 17:15 of the second.

The T-Birds scored a power-play goal at 16:49 in the third period to cut the Everett lead to one goal. With goalie Roddy Ross heading to the bench for an extra attacker, Owen Williams passed the puck from the right point down the wall to Roulette, who made a cross ice pass to Payton Mount pinching down from the right point. Mount one-timed the pass and beat Wolf low for his 15th goal of the season.

Ross was pulled for an extra attacker with under a minute to go in the game. Seattle generated pressure but could not come up with the tying goal.

Elsewhere

The T-Birds’ next game is 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Vancouver Giants. They host the Giants at 6:05 p.m. Saturday.

Single-game tickets are on sale online on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare box office. Fans who purchase the 24-flex ticket package will be able to select any available premium seat for any game, in any ticket combination, during the 2019-20 season.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Everett, Kindopp 40 (Goncalves, Puttio), 14:44. Penalties – Goncalves, Evt (high-sticking), 7:18. Berezowski, Evt (tripping), 10:52. McNelly, Sea (roughing), 16:24.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Jeri-Leon 23 (Roulette, Rybinski), 2:23 (pp). 3, Everett, Goncalves 33 (Christiansen, Fonstad), 11:12. 4, Everett, Kolle 22 (Puutio, Sutter), 17:15. Penalties – Kolle, Evt (hooking), 1:11. Rybinski, Sea (tripping), 9:05.

Third period – 5, Seattle, Mount 15 (Roulette, Williams), 16:49 (pp). Penalties – Kolle, Evt (hooking), 1:20. Puutio, Evt (tripping), 3:14. Bruggen-Cate, Sea (roughing), 3:32. Regnier, Evt (tripping), 4:28. Kolle, Evt (tripping), 6:56. Berezowski, Evt (goaltender interference), 15:47.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-7-9 25, Everett 11-14-5 30. Goalies – Seattle, Ross 30 shots-27 saves (20-21-4-3); Everett, Wolf 25-23 (34-10-2-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-8; Everett 0-2. b Mike Campbell, Brett Iverson. Linesmen – Mark Heier, Trevor Beaton.