Game 5: Spokane 4, Everett 3 (OT)

TALKING POINTS

How to sum this one up?

Everett came 2:18 away from ending the series, but it’s hard to say the Tips would have deserved to win it tonight.

Everett had the favor of the calls through the first two periods, building a 3-2 lead. But we saw the Tips have stretches during the regular season where they went into defensive shells when holding third-period leads, completely surrendering the initiative. That’s what happened tonight. Not only did Everett play defensive, the Tips played very nervous in the process, repeatedly giving the puck back to Spokane with poor passes and questionable decisions.

Still, it nearly worked out for Everett until Spokane defenseman Nick Charif had a good look at goal from the top of the right circle, firing a shot past Everett goaltender Carter Hart with 2:18 remaining in regulation to force overtime.

What ensued was perhaps the craziest overtime period I’ve ever witnessed. I have to think tired legs — the teams were playing their third game in four nights, with two of those going into overtime — played a role, but a game that wasn’t anything special in terms of the number of scoring chances suddenly became a frantic affair with grade-A chances coming by the bucket. Spokane’s Dominic Zwerger had Hart beat on a breakaway, but somehow slid the puck wide. Everett’s Remi Laurencelle twice had great chances in close, but all he could find was post.

Then after 15 minutes of this the Chiefs finally won it. Liam Stewart skated the puck into the zone on the left and centered a pass that Riley Whittingham just got a stick to, gently directing the puck into the far corner.

So instead of resting up for the second round, the Tips must now get back on the bus for Tuesday’s Game 6 in Spokane. We’ll see if Everett ends up rueing letting this one slip away.

TURNING POINT

From the start of the third period the Chiefs continued to play offense while the Tips sat back and played defense, and it seemed just a matter of time before Spokane scored the tying goal.

THREE STARS

First star: Carson Stadnyk, Everett. One goal and one assist, but how many times was he caught offside?

Second star: Kohl Bauml, Everett. One goal and one assist, had the game winner until Charif scored.

Third star: Liam Stewart, Spokane. One goal and one assist, got lucky on his goal (“Some Guys Have All The Luck”) as Hart should have stopped that one, but made a positive rush to set up the winner.

The Herald’s honorable mention: Whittingham. One goal, there’s nothing quite like an overtime playoff winner.

BOX SCORE

Spokane 4, Everett 3 (OT)

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

Game 5: Spokane 4, Everett 3 (OT) (Everett leads series 3-2)

Game 6: Everett at Spokane, Tuesday, 7:05 p.m.

Game 7 (if necessary): Spokane at Everett, Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.