Everett Score Seven in Win
September 24, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL) - Everett Silvertips News Release
EVERETT, Wash. - Devon Skoleski and Graham Millar each scored two goals and the Everett Silvertips used a five-goal first period to rout the Vancouver Giants in a 7-3 victory before a sellout crowd of 4,875 at Langley Events Centre on Friday, the opener of the 2016-17 WHL season.
Before a nationally televised crowd, the Silvertips posted their largest margin of victory in a season opening win since an 8-3 win over Prince George on Sept. 21, 2013. Their five goals were most in one period since Sept. 28, 2014 (6-4 win vs. Portland) and the Silvertips, in the absence of Carter Hart, Noah Juulsen and Eetu Tuulola, had 11 players earn at least a point in the win.
Mario Petit won his season debut on 20 stops.
The Silvertips went to work quickly on their first power play, using a Bryce Kindopp rebound goal (first in his WHL career) to go up 1-0 at 2:59 of the first period. After Petit flashed his left pad to stop a chance by Jack Flaman, Millar's first goal of the night extended the lead to 2-0 on a nifty dish by Bajkov to the front of the net, off the rush at 8:28.
Skoleski hammered a one-timer at the right circle for a 3-0 lead at 9:35 on the Tips second power play, and Skoleski converted another chance in a similar spot at 11:27, extending the rout to 4-0.
Dawson Holt crashed the net for a rebound goal to put Vancouver on the board at 17:05, but Jake Christiansen restored the Silvertips lead on the next shift with a snipe over Ryan Kubic's shoulder at 17:42 for a 5-1 cushion.
Holt earned his second goal of the game at 9:35 of the second period, chopping the deficit to 5-2 but Sean Richards responded with a goal in his Tips debut at 17:01, walking out from behind the net and burying a wrister from the right circle.
Millar earned his second goal of the game, a set up at the net by Bajkov again, to bolster the lead to 7-2 with 1:27 left in regulation and Flaman's goal with 31 seconds left closed the game's scoring.
Kubic stopped 26 shots to take the loss.
SILVERTIPS LINE COMBOS
22 / MILLAR - 17 / FONTEYNE - 8 / BAJKOV
15 / RICHARDS - 43 / DEWAR - 33 / KING
14 / SUTTER - 28 / SKOLESKI - 19 / KINDOPP
13 / MUCKA - 47 / KEMP - 44 / GERTH
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
24 / SKRUMEDA - 38 / DAVIS
23 / CHRISTIANSEN - 4 / WALKER
29 / WYLIE - 5 / ONYEBUCHI
BOX SCORE | GAME AUDIO
NOTES: Scratches included Noah Juulsen, Mackenzie Dwyer, Orrin Centazzo, Brandson Hein, Gianni Fairbrother, Eetu Tuulola, and Carter Hart ... Brett Kemp earned his first career WHL point (assist on Skoleski's first goal) ... the jersey #9 of Gordie Howe was retired before the opening face-off ... Everett outshot Vancouver, 33-23.
The Silvertips have their home opener next against the Giants, Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. (Fox Sports 1380 / WHL Live) at XFINITY Arena. Silvertips season ticket or mini-plan packages are available at www.everettsilvertips.com/season or by calling (425) 252-5100.
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