<< Previous   of   Next >> Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review  (click to enlarge) Silvertips defenseman Mike Alexander (center) regains control of the puck behind Everett's goal during the first half of Saturday's game. The Silvertips lost the game 4-1. Everett's Dane Crowley (left) and Spokane's Mitch Wahl (14) look on.

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WHL playoffs

Chiefs dominate Silvertips, take control of series

Spokane outshoots Everett 45-19, takes 2-0 series lead over Silvertips

By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer

SPOKANE -- Friday night the Everett Silvertips shot themselves in the foot.

Saturday night it wouldn't have mattered where the Tips shot themselves. The Spokane Chiefs were not going to be denied.

Spokane put on a clinic on how to grab a game by the scruff of its neck, completely controlling both ends of the ice, and the Silvertips fell 4-1 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

Ondrej Roman scored two goals and the Chiefs smothered Everett's offense to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"They were unbelievably sharp," Everett coach John Becanic said of the Chiefs. "That was the best I've seen them play against us in 10 games, that's for sure.

"I thought we were ready, we just didn't play at the level they played at tonight," Becanic added. "I didn't think they were pleased with their effort five-on-five (Friday) and I knew they would be better team. We just couldn't generate any offense."

The series switches back to Everett for the next three games, beginning Wednesday, and the Tips realize their situation is urgent.

"Game 3 is huge," Everett right wing Dan Gendur said. "We're either down 3-0 or it's 2-1 and we're right back in the series. Game 3 is always the most pivotal game in any series no matter what the score is in the series."

Seth Compton also scored for the Chiefs and Mitch Wahl added an empty-net goal. Dustin Tokarski had a quiet time in goal for Spokane, forced to make just 18 saves as the Chiefs outshot the Tips 45-19.

Clayton Bauer scored the lone goal for Everett. Leland Irving finished with 41 saves in net for the Tips.

In Friday's Game 1, won by the Chiefs 5-2, Everett was its own worst enemy. The Tips took several undisciplined penalties, and Irving had an off night, getting pulled early in the second period.

Everett was more disciplined Saturday and Irving was improved, but it made no difference as the Chiefs dominated play.

The Chiefs were particularly effective on the defensive end as they didn't allow the Tips to get anything going offensively. Becanic even tried shuffling his lines in the third period to create a spark, but to no avail.

"The work ethic was real good," Spokane coach Bill Peters said of his team's defense. "The commitment to playing good defense was there and we had guys blocking shots and sacrificing themselves physically. That's what you need all the time, but especially at this time of year."

Everett has scored just three goals in two games, with two of those goals coming in the third period of games where the Tips already trailed by three.

"They packed the net quite tight and there's no plays out front," Gendur said. "I don't know, we've got to figure something out."

Meanwhile, Spokane peppered Irving with shots, crashed the net and caused all kinds of havoc on rebounds. With a little sharper finishing the margin could have been greater.

"Spokane was really good out there today," Bauer said. "They're putting pucks on net and throwing everything at Irv, and some of those are bound to go in. I think we ought to take a page out of their book and start throwing stuff on their goalie."

Spokane hammered Everett in the first period, outshooting the Tips 13-3, and Everett was fortunate to exit the period trailing just 1-0. That goal came at the 15-minute, 57-second mark on the power play, Roman beating Irving with a shot from the left circle high to the near post.

The Chiefs took a 2-0 lead at 10:37 of the second period. Stefan Ulmer's shot from the point was deflected in front and Irving was unable to hold it. The rebound came right to Compton, who scored easily.

Roman then struck again 2:18 into the third period to put the game away. The Tips turned the puck over behind their own net and it squirted out front, where Roman fired it into the top of the net to make it 3-0.

Everett scored a consolation goal with 5:24 remaining, Bauer scoring from his stomach on a scramble in front.

But the Chiefs completed the scoring at 18:06, Wahl scoring into an empty net.

Slap shots: Both teams used the same lineups they used for Friday's Game 1. ... Everett's penalty kill, which was shredded Friday as Spokane went 4-for-8 on the power play, was better Saturday, limiting the Chiefs to 1-for-5. ... For the second straight night Spokane limited Everett to just three power plays. The Tips finished 0-for-3.

Nick Patterson's Silvertips blog: www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog