TALKING POINTS
It’s been a remarkable three days in Spokane for Carter Hart.
Consider this. Hart made his WHL debut in Spokane as a 15-year-old call-up, suffering a 5-3 loss last season. He hadn’t set foot on the ice in a game in Spokane since until Game 3, as Austin Lotz made all four starts at Spokane during the regular season. Then in Game 2 in Everett Hart was pulled just 11 minutes into the game after allowing three quick goals.
All Hart did in the two games in Spokane was stop 79 of the 81 shots he faced in seven-plus periods. It was a special two games for any goaltender, let alone a 16-year-old rookie in his first playoff series.
This game was scoreless after one period, but it was probably decided in the first. Everett had all kinds of penalty trouble early, at one point giving Spokane more than five consecutive minutes of power-play time, including 56 seconds of five-on-three. The Tips managed to kill it off, with Hart playing a big role.
Everett’s penalty kill in general came up big. The Tips struggled mightily against Spokane’s power play during the regular season, but Everett killed off the first six Spokane power plays in this one, building a 3-0 lead before the Chiefs finally converted on the power play on their seventh attempt with nine minutes remaining.
This was also a breakout performance for Nikita Scherbak. Everett’s leading scorer during the regular season had just one assist in the first three games of the series. But he made two NHL-caliber plays, first using quick hands to score the Tips’ second, then showing a tremendous burst of speed to set up Everett’s third. The Tips have been missing some offensive explosion so far in the playoffs, so seeing Scherbak making big-time plays has to be encouraging for Everett.
The Tips now hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Everett has a chance to close it out at home Saturday in Game 5.
TURNING POINT
Surviving those five-plus minutes of penalties in the first period was the difference for Everett.
THREE STARS
First star: Hart. 34 saves, he got the job done in Spokane.
Second star: Scherbak. One goal and one assist, he made gamebreaking plays.
Third star: Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane. One goal, competes for a little guy.
The Herald’s honorable mention, Everett: Low. One goal and one assist, while Scherbak did the skill part on both those goals, Low’s role was just as important.
The Herald’s honorable mention, Spokane: Jason Fram. One assist, also made some desperation never-say-die plays.
BOX SCORE
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Everett 5, Spokane 1
Game 2: Spokane 6, Everett 2
Game 3: Everett 2, Spokane 1 (2OT)
Game 4: Everett 3, Spokane 1 (Everett leads series 3-1)
Game 5: Spokane at Everett, Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
Game 6 (if necessary): Everett at Spokane, Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.
Game 7 (if necessary): Spokane at Everett, Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.
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