TALKING POINTS
Well that was fun.
Everett and Portland put on a show well worthy of the top two teams in the U.S. Division, and if this game is any indication it should be a wild ride to the finish line. This was an entertaining back-and-forth encounter full of drama that was appropriately decided in overtime.
It was the Saskatoon Platoon that did all the damage for Everett offensively. Kohl Bauml, Carson Stadnyk and Dawson Leedahl combined to score all four Tips goals, and it was Stadnyk who scored the winner in OT. It was something of a reversal from when the teams met last weekend in Portland, when the Tips couldn’t handle the Winterhawks’ top line in a 6-3 defeat. Oliver Bjorkstrand had three goals and three assists in that encounter, but Everett did a good job of limiting Bjorkstrand’s chances in this one.
Credit Portland for never giving up. Everett took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission only for the Winterhawks to tie it up in the second. Then after the Tips regained the lead in the third, Portland was able to get a desperation goal with its goalie pulled with 31.3 seconds remaining to salvage a point.
This was an important win psychologically for Everett. The Tips were battered by Portland the previous four seasons, winning just six of the 40 regular season encounters during the Winterhawks’ reign of Western Conference domination. Earlier this season Everett sort of shrugged that off by winning four of the first five between the teams, but that came with an asterisks as Portland didn’t have the real Bjorkstrand or Nicolas Petan for any of those games. This was the first time Everett beat a full-strength Winterhawks team this season, and the Tips did it legitimately as they outshot Portland 49-33.
Everett managed this despite the schedule makers. The Tips were playing their second three-in-three of the season. Both times Everett faced Portland on the Sunday. Both times Portland had the Saturday off and was fresh for the encounter. Last time the Winterhawks ripped the Tips 7-1 in the Sunday game. But this time the Tips somehow found the energy to pull off this kind of performance.
Now that all the dust has settled, Everett finds itself leading Portland by six points at the top of the division standings. The Tips have 18 games remaining, the Winterhawks have 17. Everett came into the weekend with a three-point lead over Portland and two games in hand. I think it’s safe to say the Tips are thrilled to emerge from the weekend up by six, despite the disappointing loss at Tri-City on Saturday.
TURNING POINT
So many to choose from, but let’s take the final one. In OT Tips defenseman Noah Juulsen found some daylight at the point. He stickhandled himself toward goal and fired a shot that didn’t make it through traffic. But Stadnyk was there to lift a backhander over Portland goaltender Adin Hill and into the net to win it for Everett.
THREE STARS
First star: Stadnyk. One goal and two assists. This was a masterful performance by Stadnyk. His assists were both phenomenal passes that set up Everett’s first two goals. I’m told a scoring change will probably give him another assist on Everett’s third goal. Plus he seemed to win all of his puck battles. Great game from him.
Second star: Bauml. Two goals and one assist, the Saskatoon Platoon rides again.
Third star: Hill. 45 saves, he deserves the bulk of the credit for Portland coming away with a point from this one.
The Herald’s honorable mention: Leedahl. One goal and one assist, did I mention that the Saskatoon Platoon rides again?
BOX SCORE
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