Silvertips make it back-to-back wins over Chiefs

EVERETT – The Everett Silvertips used Clayton Bauer and the power play to power their way to a 4-2 Western Hockey League victory over the Spokane Chiefs on Saturday night.

Everett (27-20-0-2, 56 points) connected on 4 of 10 opportunities with a man advantage – three of those by Bauer – and was never threatened after jumping out to a 3-0 first-period lead. The four power-play goals were the most given up by the Chiefs this season.

Spokane (32-10-1-3) continued its power-play struggles. The Chiefs whiffed on five attempts – making them 0 for 20 in their last three defeats, including 0 for 13 in back-to-back losses to the Silvertips.

Spokane’s loss and Vancouver’s 2-1 victory over Swift Current leaves the Chiefs two points behind the front-running Giants in the Western Conference. Tri-City remains one point back of the Chiefs after losing 2-0 at Lethbridge.

Dan Gendur staked the Silvertips to a 1-0 lead at the 10-minute, 5-second mark of the first period with his 18th goal of the season.

Bauer followed with back-to-back goals at 14:15 and 18:42 to stretch the lead to 3-0.

Bauer put the Silvertips up 4-0 with his third score of the night and 20th of the season just 2:25 into the second period.

Spokane’s goals came in the third period – Judd Blackwater scored at the 6:31 mark, his 15th of the season, and Stefan Ulmer notched his second of the year at 17:51.

The bad blood between the teams continued. Spokane’s Blackwater and Mike Reddington and Everett’s Graham Potuer and Taylor Ellington received 5-minute major penalties for fighting. Rutherford and Everett’s Zack Dailey were hit with 10-minute misconduct penalties – all coming in the first period.

KIJHL

Kamloops scored four third-period goals to eke out a 7-6 win over the Spokane Braves. Connor Olstad and Alex Lelwica each scored twice for Spokane.