EVERETT — The Everett Silvertips held Oliver Bjorkstrand, the WHL’s scoring champion, pointless through the first seven periods of their second-round playoff series against the Portland Winterhawks.
But the Tips weren’t going to be able to keep the wraps on Bjorkstrand indefinitely, and Saturday night Bjorkstrand made the decisive play.
Bjorkstrand scored 29 seconds into the second overtime period, giving the Winterhawks a 4-3 victory over the Tips in Game 2 at Xfinity Arena.
Portland’s Nicolas Petan won a faceoff in the Everett zone, and Bjkorstrand worked his way across the slot before burying a shot into the top corner to end the game.
Blake Heinrich, Chase De Leo and Adam Henry scored in regulation for the Winterhawks, who tied the best-of-seven series at one game apiece. It was the eighth straight time Portland won Game 2 of a playoff series after dropping Game 1, dating back to 2011.
“We’ve never been down 2-0 in a series,” Bjorkstrand said. “We needed to make sure to kept it even after tonight. It was fun to play in a two-overtime game, but a lot better when you get the win.”
Adin Hill finished with 41 saves in net for Portland, including 17 during the first overtime to keep the Winterhawks in the game.
Nikita Scherbak scored twice and Jake Mykitiuk also scored for Everett. Carter Hart stopped 41 shots in net for the Tips.
“It was a tight game, both teams had a chance,” Scherbak said. “They buried and they won.”
It was Everett’s fourth overtime game in eight playoff contests this year, and the third time multiple overtimes were required. The Tips had two multiple-overtime playoff games total the previous 11 seasons of franchise history.
“It’s not really (weird),” Scherbak said about Everett’s penchant for overtime in these playoffs. “It’s a tough game. Tough games go to overtime, easy games finish 5-2 or 6-2. It’s been good teams we’ve been playing, so it was a tough game and it will be a tough series for sure.”
The series now takes four days off before resuming with Game 3 Thursday in Portland.
Everett scored early in the first period for the second straight game. The game was just 3:12 old when Carson Stadnyk blocked off Hill’s rim around the boards. The puck bounced into the slot, and Mykitiuk was able to slam it past Hill to stake Everett to a 1-0 lead.
Portland was the better team the remainder of the first period and surged ahead. The Winterhawks tied it at 12:48 as Heinrich beat Hart at the near post with a one-timer from the top of the left circle. Portland then took the lead on the power play at 15:29, De Leo’s centering feed deflecting off a defender and into the far corner to make it 2-1.
There were good chances at both ends of the ice in the second period, all of which went begging until Scherbak got going. Everett’s leading scorer during the regular season had just three points through the Tips’ first seven playoff games. But he tied the score at 12:49. Cole MacDonald’s shot from the point was blocked in the slot, and Scherbak fished the puck out of skates and backhanded a shot over Hill to knot it at 2-2.
Scherbak then gave the Tips the lead with 34.8 seconds remaining. Everett’s Remi Laurencelle had just missed a chance at the far post seconds earlier. But the puck was worked to Ben Betker at the left point with Scherbak setting up in front. Betker fired a shot and Scherbak tipped it into the far corner to give the Tips a 3-2 lead heading into the third.
“Of course it was good for me to score a couple goals, but I need to worry about the team in the playoffs,” Scherbak said. “It would have been better if we won.”
Everett did a good job limiting Portland’s chances in the third, but the Winterhawks put the puck in the net on their first good opportunity. Henry had jumped into the play from his defensive position, won the puck down low, skated around the net and put a wraparound through Hart to tie it at 3-3 at 10:18.
The Tips received a late power play with a chance to win it, but couldn’t convert. Then Portland had one last chance in the final minute, only for De Leo’s backhand rebound try to fly wide, and the game headed to overtime.
Everett had two great chances to end it early in the first overtime, but Hill made big saves on both occasions. First, Everett’s Matt Fonteyne got free on goal, but Hill made the stop. Then Scherbak had a free shot from the slot that Hill was able to deny. Later in the period Everett’s Kevin Davis’ shot had the puck free under Hill, but the Portland defense was able to clear before the Tips could find it.
Portland had a great shift late in the period when its top line had all kinds of possession in the Everett zone, but the Tips were able to keep the puck away from the front of the net and the game headed to a second overtime.
“If we bury in the first overtime we win,” Scherbak said. “It was a lot of chances, but it’s hockey. You can hit the post, and then the other team can score.”
Slap shots
The Tips remained without winger Dawson Leedahl and defenseman Noah Juulsen because of injuries. It’s possible Leedahl and Juulsen could return at some point during the series. Defenseman Tristen Pfeifer is out for the rest of the season because of injury.
Winterhawks 4, Silvertips 3 (2OT)
Portland 2 0 1 0 1 — 4
Everett 1 2 0 0 0 — 3
First Period—1, Everett, Mykitiuk 3 (Stadnyk), 3:12. 2, Portland, Heinruch 2 (Bittner), 12:48. 3, Portland, De Leo 2 (Petan, Viveiros), 15:29 (pp). Penalties—Wharrie, Everett (hooking), 5:49; MacDonald, Everett (interference), 14:05; De Leo, Portland (hooking), 20:00.
Second Period—4, Everett, Scherbak 2 (MacDonald, Laurencelle), 12:49. 5, Everett, Scherbak 3 (Betker, MacDonald), 19:25. Penalties—Petan, Portland (cross checking), 3:53; Everett bench (too many men, served by Nikolishin), 15:53.
Third Period—6, Portland, Henry 3 (De Leo, Bittner), 10:18. Penalties—Bjorkstrand, Portland (cross checking), 17:00.
First overtime—no goals. Penalties—none.
Second overtime—7, Portland, Bjorkstrand 6 (Petan), 0:29. Penalties—none.
Shots on goal—Portland 12-9-11-11-2—45. Everett 8-11-8-17-0—44. Power-play opportunities—Portland 1 of 3. Everett 0 of 3.
Goalies—Portland, Hill 5-3 (44 shots, 41 saves). Everett, Hart 5-3 (45 shots, 41 saves).
A—4,579.
Check out Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
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