Published: Sunday, March 9, 2008
Giants snap Silvertips' 5-game win streak
Herald staff
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The Everett Silvertips have not been able to solve the Vancouver Giants this season.
The Tips were unable to put the puck past Giants goaltender Tyson Sexsmith, and Everett fell 1-0 Saturday night to end its five-game winning streak.
James Henry scored the game's only goal and Sexsmith stopped all 23 shots he saw as Vancouver (46-15-2-6) completed the season 5-1 against Everett. The Giants also reached the 100-point barrier for the third consecutive season and remained tied with Spokane and Tri-City for first place in the WHL.
Leland Irving did everything he could for Everett (39-26-0-3), stopping 41 shots in goal. But the Tips, playing without leading scorer Dan Gendur for the second straight night because of the flu, were unable to generate much offense. When the Tips finally got something going late, Sexsmith made stops on Kyle Beach and Shane Harper, and Jesse Burt smacked the crossbar.
The loss was Everett's first in regulation since Feb. 6, a span of 11 games.
Fortunately for the Tips from a playoff standpoint they received a little help Saturday as Portland snapped its 22-game losing streak by beating Seattle 4-3. Therefore, Everett remained just four points behind Seattle for fourth in the Western Conference, and with two games remaining against the T-birds the Tips still control their own destiny for earning home-ice advantage in the first round. The Tips also remained three points ahead of sixth place Kelowna, which fell 2-0 to Tri-City.
There was no scoring during an ill-tempered first period that featured two fights. The best scoring chances fell to Vancouver, but Irving was able to stop both James Wright and Lance Bouma from point-blank range to keep the game scoreless.
Vancouver found the net 2 minutes, 30 seconds into the second period. The Giants forced a turnover at the Everett blue line, then Garet Hunt fed Henry streaking down the middle for a one-timer that gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead.
Everett had a golden opportunity to tie it later in the period when Zack Dailey had a breakaway, but Sexsmith made a nice glove stop to keep the Tips off the board.
The Tips were unable to get much going in the third period until receiving a late power play, but Sexsmith was able to shut the door.
Giants 1, Silvertips 0
Everett 0 0 0 -- 0
Vancouver 0 1 0 -- 1
@5. NHL box :First Period--No goals. Penalties--English, Everett (fighting), 2:46; Hunt, Vancouver (fighting), 2:46; Beach, Everett (charging), 3:00; Harty, Everett (fighting), 5:21; Cloud, Vancouver (instigator-fighting-10-minute misconduct), 5:21; Berube, Vancouver (cross checking), 8:20; Karamnov, Everett (tripping), 14:17; Hamill, Everett (hooking), 16:29; Beach, Everett (roughing), 19:13; LaRochelle, Vancouver (roughing-roughing), 19:13.
Second Period--1, Vancouver, Henry 7 (Hunt), 2:30. Penalties--Karamnov, Everett (interference), 3:07; Wright, Vancouver (interference), 3:07; Skauge, Everett (slashing), 8:30; Stephen, Everett (hooking), 12:12; Harty, Everett (fighting), 14:30; Henry, Vancouver (boarding-fighting), 14:30.
Third Period--No goals. Penalties--Crowley, Everett (hooking), 3:55; LaRochelle, Vancouver (hooking), 6:29; Karamnov, Everett (interference), 8:20; Dailey, Everett (roughing), 10:42; Repik, Vancouver (roughing), 10:42; Ius, Everett (elbowing), 13:02; Cunningham, Vancouver (goaltender interference), 16:04; Beach, Everett (roughing), 18:00; Repik, Vancouver (roughing), 18:00.
Shots on goal--Everett 5-8-10--23. Vancouver 11-15-16--42. Power-play opportunities--Everett 0 of 7. Vancouver 0 of 9.
Goalies--Everett, Irving 27-22-0-3 (42 shots, 41 saves). Vancouver, Sexsmith 41-11-2-6 (23 shots, 23 saves).
A--7,982.
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