SPOKANE — The Everett Silvertips came oh so close to ending their futility at Spokane Arena.
However, the curse lives on.
Everett dropped its 16th straight game at Spokane Arena as the Silvertips fell 5-3 to the Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday night.
Everett rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie it in the third period, and the Tips were controlling play in search of the game winner.
However, Spokane received its first power play of the game with 5 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in regulation, and the Chiefs converted, Mike Aviani poking a loose puck under Everett goaltender Austin Lotz with 3:48 remaining.
Mitch Holmberg added two goals, including the clinching empty netter, while Jeremy McIntosh and Dominic Zwerger also scored for Spokane (19-12-0-2), which had dropped five of its previous six. Eric Williams made several big saves among his 34 to earn the win in goal for the Chiefs.
Joshua Winquist, Carson Stadnyk and Tyler Sandhu scored for Everett (21-7-4-0). Lotz finished with 17 saves.
The bounces went Spokane’s way in the first period as the Chiefs grabbed a 2-0 lead. Both Spokane’s goals came off deflections as Holmberg’s shot off the rush deflected past Lotz at 15:55, and McIntosh’s shot from the point deflected past Lotz at 17:47. Meanwhile, Everett saw Ivan Nikolishin’s shot beat Williams but hit the far post flush, and Williams moved laterally to rob Darcy DeRoose.
It seemed it wouldn’t be Everett’s night when another bounce led to Spokane’s third goal early in the second period. The puck bounced over Everett defenseman Kevin Davis’ stick at the blue line, sending Zwerger off to the races. Zwerger beat Lotz with a backhander to give the Chiefs a 3-0 lead at 4:19.
But Everett rallied to get back into it. Winquist scored shortly after at 5:09, tipping in Noah Juulsen’s shot from the point. Then the Tips got back within one with a power-play goal with just 9 seconds remaining in the period, Stadnyk redirecting Mirco Mueller’s shot from the point past Williams to make it 3-2.
Everett completed its comeback 8:19 into the third period when Winquist set up Sandhu on the rush to make it 3-3. Everett actually had a chance to go ahead during Spokane’s power play as Kohl Bauml had a breakaway, but Williams made the stop, and the Chiefs scored the game winner shortly after.
Chiefs 5, Silvertips 3
Everett 0 2 1—3
Spokane 2 1 2—5
First Period—1, Spokane, Holmberg 34 (Helewka, Chartier), 15:55. 2, Spokane, McIntosh 3, 17:47. Penalties—Whittingham, Spokane (holding), 3:49.
Second Period—3, Spokane, Zwerger 5, 4:19. 4, Everett, Winquist 24 (Juulsen, Khaira), 5:09. 5, Everett, Stadnyk 9 (Sandhu, Mueller), 19:51 (pp). Penalties—Bobyk, Spokane (hooking), 13:47; Zwerger, Spokane (tripping), 18:31.
Third Period—6, Everett, Sandhu 13 (Winquist, Mueller), 8:19. 7, Spokane, Aviani 24 (Fram, Holmberg), 16:12 (pp). 8, Spokane, Holmberg 35 (King, Chartier), 19:38 (en). Penalties—Wedman, Spokane (roughing), 0:46; Sandhu, Everett (holding), 14:43.
Shots on goal—Everett 10-13-14—37. Spokane 8-7-7—22. Power-play opportunities—Everett 1 of 4. Spokane 1 of 1.
Goalies—Everett, Lotz 16-6-1-0 (21 shots, 17 saves). Spokane, Williams 16-8-0-1 (37 shots, 34 saves).
A—3,828.
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