Silvertips down Thunderbirds in a battle as tight as I-5 traffic
By Charles Hamaker
Everett, WA – Just a night after a blow for blow battle between two heated rivals, another brutally tight contest commenced between the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds. In this second game of the back-to-back between the I-5 rivals, Everett’s goaltender Tyler Palmer put on a clinic, making 35 saves on the night and shutting out the talented Thunderbirds roster. While Seattle did get Hyde Davidson back, playing another game without their captain Lucas Ciona proved to be difficult as the Thunderbirds could not beat Everett netminder Tyler Palmer on those 35 shots. Seattle will have to play a third straight game tomorrow, when they host the Spokane Chiefs.
Silvertips goaltender Tyler Palmer lays out in an effort to cover the puck (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Getting on the board late into frame one... for the only score
Unlike yesterday's eleven goal tug of war for the lead, today’s effort between Seattle and Everett was a defensive war. Despite playing in the first game of this back-to-back, Silvertips goaltender Tyler Palmer was between the pipes for Everett and was able to put on an absolute masterclass in net, locking down the loaded Seattle lineup. Thunderbirds netminder Scott Ratzlaff also had a solid game in his own right, but the one goal that the Silvertips were able to put past him ended up being the game winner.
On a rush, Everett had caught Seattle in a two on one opportunity. Silvertips forward Ben Hemmerling had jumped into the play and was barreling down into the Thunderbirds zone, wristing a shot on net as the lone Seattle skater went to the ground in an attempt to block the shot. Hemmerling’s shot rang the pipe to Ratzlaff’s right, but took an immediate and direct bounce to the high slot. Everett forward Beau Courtney had been following the play, and for that was rewarded with a rebound as juicy as the steaks at the Metropolitan grill. Courtney, who scored the game tying goal in the third period yesterday, simply took a good whack at the puck and gave his team a lead that never got equalized, let alone surpassed.
Everett goaltender Tyler Palmer prepares to stop the puck (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Seattle fails to solver Palmer
The injuries to team captain Lucas Ciona and Jordan Gustafson have certainly hurt the team’s offensive prowess, but the firepower at the disposal of the Thunderbirds is still impressive. There have been some juggernaut-like outings from Seattle throughout the course of this season and more recently over the past few weeks, so a display such as tonight where the Thunderbirds get shutout is bound to happen at some point. On the other side of that, considering who you’re playing and the location of that shutout, it has to be salt in the wound for Seattle. Again, there are several factors that need to be remembered when it comes to acknowledging that Seattle was shutout such as the injury to their captain, playing a back-to-back, each team is gunning for themselves, it’s a rivalry game, etc. But this loss and the fashion that it came in should motivate the Thunderbirds.
Seattle’s Kyle Crnkovic tries to chase down Everett’s Caden Zaplitny (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Quick notes
Seattle Thunderbirds captain Lucas Ciona did not suit up for a second consecutive game.
When Thunderbirds forward Kyle Crnkovic records his next point, it will be the 275th of his career.
Both teams went 0-3 on the power play tonight
Thunderbirds defenseman Nolan Allan tries to win a race to the puck (Photo by Liv Lyons)
What’s next?
Rest is a word that the Thunderbirds don’t know this weekend, as Seattle will play their third game in as many days when they wrap up the weekend against Spokane. The Thunderbirds host the Chiefs inside of the Accesso Showare Center on Sunday, February 5th with a puck drop of 5:05PM PST. Seattle, playing a packed schedule currently, will try to secure a victory against lowly Spokane before they get a five-day break between games.