PORTLAND, Ore — The Everett Silvertips had an opportunity to open the 2011-12 Western Hockey League season with a splash.
Instead, the Tips will have to be content with a point.
Everett had opportunities to win its season opener, but ended up losing in a shootout, falling 3-2 to the Portland Winterhawks on Friday night.
The rebuilding Tips were faced with the daunting task of opening on the road against Portland, which beat Everett in nine out of 10 games last season and swept the Tips out of the first round of the playoffs en route to the Western Conference championship.
Everett led 2-1 going into the third period thanks to goals from Josh Winquist and Josh Birkholz, and after Portland tied the game in the third period, Tips sniper Tyler Maxwell had a breakaway in the final minute of regulation. But Portland goaltender Mac Carruth made a shoulder save on Maxwell to keep the score tied.
Then in the shootout, Derrick Pouliot scored on Portland’s third attempt, and Maxwell followed by hitting the post, giving the Winterhawks a 1-0 shootout win.
Taylor Peters and Nic Petan scored in regulation for Portland, which pulled out the victory despite being severely short-handed because of players at NHL training camps. Carruth finished with 26 saves.
Luke Siemens finished with 36 saves in net for Everett, which still earned a point for the shootout loss.
Everett scored its first goal of the season 8 minutes, 48 seconds into the game to take a 1-0 lead. Vladimir Dolnik created a turnover and fed Winquist out front, and Winquist buried his shot.
Portland tied the game at 18:09. Peters drove the net and threw the puck out front, where it deflected off traffic and behind Siemens to make it 1-1.
The Tips regained the lead 7:39 into the second period. Darian Henry’s shot from the point went wide, but Birkholz collected the rebound off the back boards and stuffed it past Carruth to make it 2-1.
But Portland tied it again 1:45 into the third period during a four-on-three power play. Petan got his stick on Josh Hanson’s shot from the point, deflecting the puck past Siemens to knot it at 2-2.
Winterhawks 3, Silvertips 2 (SO)
Everett 1 1 0 0–2
Portland 1 0 1 0–3
Portland won shootout 1-0
First Period–1, Everett, Winquist 1 (Dolnik), 8:48. 2, Portland, Peters 1, 18:09. Penalties–Mychan, Everett (roughing), 10:14; Parker, Portland (slashing), 10:14; Birkholz, Everett (hooking), 10:57; Winquist, Everett (goaltender interference), 13:04; Erricson, Everett (tripping), 18:46.
Second Period–3, Everett, Birkholz 1 (Henry, Bauml), 7:39. Penalties–Bauml, Everett (tripping), 4:55; Franczyk, Portland (high sticking), 8:07; Erricson, Everett (roughing), 10:14; Hanson, Portland (roughing), 10:14; Leipsic, Portland (roughing), 10:14; Morden, Everett (interference), 15:06; Murray, Everett (fighting), 17:10; Ross, Portland (slashing-fighting), 17:10; Morden, Everett (roughing), 19:16; Peters, Portland (roughing), 19:16; Yadlowski, Everett (elbowing), 20:00.
Third Period–4, Portland, Petan 1 (Hanson, Wrenn), 1:45 (pp). Penalties–Maxwell, Everett (slashing), 17:31; Leipsic, Portland (10-minute misconduct), 17:31.
Overtime–no goals. Penalties–none.
Shots on goal–Everett 5-11-8-4–28. Portland 9-10-14-5–38.
Power-play opportunities–Everett 0-of-3. Portland 1-of-7.
Goalies–Everett, Siemens 0-0-0-1 (38 shots, 36 saves). Portland, Carruth 1-0-0-0 (28 shots, 26 saves).
A–6,342.
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