The Everett Silvertips scored with 1:50 left in the game Saturday night to break a tie game and secure a 2-1 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds at Xfinity Arena.
The game was a matchup of the top two teams in the U.S. Division. The Silvertips are now seven points ahead of the second-place T-Birds.
Everett (29-15-2-2) took a 1-0 lead early in the first period. Brandon Ralph scored from the slot at 2:50 of the period. Devon Skoleski and Lucas Skrumeda had the assists.
Seattle (26-19-3-0) tied the game on the power play with five minutes left in the first. Mathew Barzal won a faceoff in the left circle of the Everett zone backward. He got the puck and crossed it to Jerret Smith at the right point. Smith passed the puck to Ryan Gropp in the slot. Gropp beat Everett goalie Carter Hart over the blocker for his 23rd goal of the season.
Seattle outshot Everett 12-7 in the first period and 12-10 in a scoreless second period.
The T-Birds had a five-minute power play at the midway point of the third period but were not able to score the go-ahead goal.
Everett’s Graham Millar scored the game winner unassisted from the left of the Seattle net with 1:50 left in the game.
Seattle goalie Landon Bow had 21 saves on 23 shots and his record is now 15-18-4-0.
Hart had 34 saves on 35 shots and his record is now 28-14-1-2.
Coming home
The T-Birds host the Kelowna Rockets at 5:05 p.m. Sunday at the ShoWare Center.
Single-game tickets for the 2015-16 season are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Everett, Ralph 5 (Skoleski, Skrumeda), 2:50. 2, Seattle, Gropp 23 (Smith, Barzal), 15:00. Penalties – Gropp, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 4:42. Ottenbreit, Sea (checking from behind), 9:05. Martin, Evt (boarding), 13:19.
Second period – No scoring. Penalties – Holowko, Sea (hooking), 7:31. Eansor, Sea (interference), 12:11. Leedahl, Evt (interference), 13:04. Leedahl, Evt (major-fighting), 15:30. Bear, Sea (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 15:30.
Third period – 3, Everett, Millar 12, 18:10. Penalties – Gropp, Sea (high-sticking), 3:03. Laurencelle, Evt (roughing, major-checking from behind, game misconduct), 10:13. Barzal, Sea (roughing), 10:13. Bear, Sea (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 15:30. Leedahl, Evt (major-fighting), 15:30.
Shots on goal – Seattle 12-12-11 35, Everett 7-10-6 23. Goalies – Seattle, Bow 23 shots-21 saves (15-18-4-0); Everett, Hart 35-34 (28-14-1-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-3; Everett 0-6. A – 8,352. Referees – Mike Campbell, Jeff Ingram. Linesmen – Adam Brastad, Ron Dietterle.
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