PORTLAND, Ore. — Oliver Bjorkstrand tore the Everett Silvertips apart Saturday night.
The Portland Winterhawks star winger tallied six points as the Winterhawks knocked off the Silvertips 6-3 to tighten the race for first place in the WHL’s U.S. Division.
Bjorkstrand had three goals and three assists as he was in on all six Portland goals. His third goal snapped a 3-3 tie early in the third period as the Winterhawks used a dominating third to win the battle of division contenders.
Nicolas Petan added a goal and four assists, while Chase De Leo added two goals for Portland (31-19-0-3), which won its eighth straight to move within one point of Everett atop the division standings. Adin Hill earned the win in goal, making 22 saves.
Noah Juulsen had a goal and two assists, while Remi Laurencelle and Ivan Nikolishin also scored for Everett (31-15-3-1). Austin Lotz finished with 30 saves in net for the Tips.
Everett led 2-1 late in the second period, but goals immediately on either side of the second intermission turned the game Portland’s way. With just 10 seconds remaining in the second Bjorkstrand put a shot into the top corner after an extender period of pressure to tie. Then a mere 16 seconds into the third period the Winterhawks took advantage of an unforced turnover by the Everett defense, with Bjorkstrand setting up Petan for a 3-2 Portland lead.
The Tips recovered by scoring their second power-play goal of the game at 1:50, Nikolishin powering a shot past Hill to make it 3-3.
But Bjorkstrand was back at it again at 3:43. He got behind the Everett defense, then beat Lotz with a move to his backhand to complete his hat trick and put Portland ahead again.
The Winterhawks quickly made it 5-3 with a power-play goal at 5:53, Petan setting up De Leo on the doorstep. Everett showed no sign of coming back after that, and Portland clinched it in the dying seconds as De Leo scored into the empty net to complete the scoring.
Everett opened the scoring on the power play at 7:47 of the first period. Juulsen’s shot from the point went off the post, off Hill and into the net to give the Tips a 1-0 lead.
Portland tied it at 10:45. Petan made a nice back-door pass that Bjorkstrand put away to knot it at 1-1.
Everett regained the lead at 13:09. Nikita Scherbak made a nice rush toward goal and although Hill saved his shot, Laurencelle was on hand to put away the rebound and make it 2-1.
Winterhawks 6, Silvertips 3
Everett 2 0 1 — 3
Portland 1 1 4 — 6
First Period—1, Everett, Juulsen 6 (Bajkov, Nikolishin), 7:47 (pp). 2, Portland, Bjorkstrand 33 (Petan, Bittner), 10:45. 3, Everett, Laurencelle 12 (Scherbak, Juulsen), 13:09. Penalties—Leedahl, Everett (high sticking), 0:25; Hanson, Portland (hooking), 3:19; Bittner, Portland (interference), 7:21.
Second Period—4, Portland, Bjorkstrand 34 (Heinrich, Bittner), 19:50. Penalties—De Leo, Portland (slashing), 15:29.
Third Period—5, Portland, Petan 10 (Bjorkstrand), 0:16. 6, Everett, Nikolishin 14 (Juulsen), 1:50 (pp). 7, Portland, Bjorkstrand 35 (Petan, Bittner), 3:43. 8, Portland, De Leo 25 (Petan, Bjorkstrand), 5:53 (pp). 9, Portland, De Leo 26 (Petan, Bjorkstrand), 19:40 (en). Penalties—Turgeon, Portland (hooking), 1:16; Leedahl, Everett (slashing), 4:51.
Shots on goal—Everett 7-10-8—25. Portland 6-10-20—36. Power-play opportunities—Everett 2 of 4. Portland 1 of 2.
Goalies—Everett, Lotz 21-11-1-1 (35 shots, 30 saves). Portland, Hill 20-7-0-0 (25 shots, 22 saves).
A—10,819.
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