The Portland Winterhawks lost game six to the Everett Silvertips Saturday night by a score of 8-4. The Winterhawks were riding a high of three straight wins against Everett, including a Game 5 win just 23 hours prior at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. With the loss, the series is now tied at three games a piece.
Everett hit the ice running with a goal just 44 seconds into the match. The Silvertips dumped the puck in around the offensive zone boards. Portland netminder Ondrej Štěbeták left the crease to try and slow the puck down once it rolled behind the net. Unfortunately, the puck ricocheted off the boards went right to the front of the net. Štěbeták would have to dive to try and get back into position in time. However, it was too late. Everett’s Lukas Kaplan was already racing in, ready to tap the puck home. Kaplan’s third goal of the postseason would give the Silvertips the early 1-0 lead.
Then, with 4:48 left in the first, Everett would strike again. This time, a shot from the point would be blocked in front. The puck would bounce to Štěbeták’s left, but the Portland goaltender struggled to find the puck. Meanwhile, Julius Miettinen saw the rebound immediately, and was able to win the race over to the loose puck. Miettinen would flick the puck on net, and over a sliding Štěbeták, giving the Silvertips a 2-0 lead.
Portland found their offensive footing with 2:54 left in the first period. Kayd Ruedig would rush through the neutral zone. Ruedig would weave around a poke check, and gain an outside edge on his defender. Warding off a final desperate check, Ruedig would deke to the front of the net. Everett goaltender, Jesse Sanche would make the save on Ruedig’s shot. However, Kyle McDonough would crash the net and fork the rebound in over Sache’s leg. McDonough’s first goal of this postseason would cut the lead down to 2-1.
Everett was quick to squash Portland’s momentum. Shortly after McDonough’s goal, the Silvertips would earn their second power-play of the game. After a battle for possession in the corner, the puck would get thrown around the boards to the point. Landon DuPont would be there to control the puck, and would skate in for a wrist a shot from the top of the faceoff circle. DuPont’s shot would get through unobstructed, and find the back of the net with 17.1 seconds left in the period. DuPont’s fourth goal of the postseason would put Everett up 3-1 headed into the first intermission.
Seconds in the second period, the Silvertips would strike again. This time, Everett found themselves a 2-on-1 rush as they crossed the offensive blue line. Kaden Hammell would catch up to a pass out wide in the offensive zone. From there, Hammell would throw the puck from the faceoff dot to the top of the crease. Jesse Heslop would be there to receive Hammell’s pass, and tap in a goal behind Štěbeták. Heslop’s second goal of the playoffs made the score Everett 4, Portland 1.
Riding the momentum of an early period goal, the Silvertips did not take their foot off the gas. Just one minute and one second later, a shot on the rush from Tyler MacKenzie would beat Štěbeták over his shoulder. The Silvertips would grab a 5-1 lead, and the Winterhawks would make a goalie substitution. Ondrej Štěbeták would finish the night saving 10 of 15, and Marek Schlenker would see his first playoff action as a goaltender.
Portland needed a momentum change, and would find one with 12:50 remaining in period two. A shot from the point would be saved, and the rebound would bounce all the way back out to Tyson Jugnauth at the opposite point. Jugnauth then shifted the puck over to Alex Weiermair who would uncork a powerful slap shot. The puck would rip past Sanche, putting Portland back on the board, making the score 5-2 Everett.
Then, with 10:46 remaining, Portland’s power-play got another chance to go to work. Down low, Kyle Chyzowski would skip a pass back to the point for Diego Buttazzoni. Buttazzoni would move the puck over to Tyson Jugnauth in the high slot. Jugnauth then immediately passed the puck back to Buttazzoni for a one-timer. Buttazzoni’s slap shot would beat Sanche low to the near post for his eighth goal of the postseason. With 10:46 remaining in period 2, Everett’s lead had once again been cut, now down to 5-3.
Everett would answer back in 4-on-4 hockey with 8:42 left in period 2. A shot by DuPont would deflect off the shin pad of a defensman, and squeak through Marek Schlenker in the crease. The puck would sit loose in the blue paint for just a moment, but that was all Austin Roest needed. Roest had a step on his defender as he crashed the net, and would tap in a wide open goal. Once again, Everett regained a three goal lead.
Everett’s offense continued to pour it on, scoring again with 5:20 remaining in period two. Austin Roest would draw two defenders with him to the top of the zone. From there, Roest passed the puck across to Tarin Smith along the blue line. Smith would then one-time the puck, beating Schlenker low blocker side. The Anaheim Ducks prospect would make the score 7-3 Silvertips.
With only 1:20 remaining in the second period, Portland found their fourth score of the game. Winning a battle for the puck along the boards, Max Pšenička poked the puck forward to Ryan Miller, creating a 2-on-1. Miller’s shot would trickle through the blocker of Sanche. Kyle Chyzowski would then jab home the loose puck as he careened into the net. The Portland captain’s 11th goal of the postseason would give the Winterhawks some momentum headed into the third period.
However, that momentum was once again ripped away at the start of the final frame. Just 50 seconds into the third period, Zackary Shantz would find his linemate Austin Roest skating outside on the rush. Roest would the lead a pass back across to Shea Busch on the late rush. Busch would wrist the puck by Schlenker, and Everett would find their 8-4 score line that would hold true for the remainder of the game.
After the game, Winterhawks head coach Kyle Gustafson said they just weren’t sharp.
“We weren’t as crisp with the puck.,” Gustafson said. “Coming out of our zone, it seemed like we had the odd turnovers where, in the previous games we’re clean and crisp coming out of our zone. So our puck movement wasn’t there, what we’ve seen in the regular season and in the playoffs.”
He said it’s something they have to look at.
“The second thing I would say is just sustaining the offensive zone,” Gustafson said. “I didn’t like our time of possession.” I thought we were too much one-and-done. So if there’s something that we need to look at, it’s probably our puck movement and hanging on to pucks in the offensive zone.”
Game seven will be played Tuesday, April 22 at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington with puck drop set for 7:05 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 