EVERETT, WA – Kohl Bauml scored the overtime game-winning goal to complete his first career hat trick as the Everett Silvertips sent a sellout crowd over 8,400 strong to its feet with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds Saturday night at Comcast Arena. The ‘Tips never led in the game, but rallied from deficits of 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3 in the closing minutes to earn the win.
Josh Birkholz scored twice in the third period, including the game-tying goal with 46 seconds left in regulation, and contributed to assists for the first four-point night by a Silvertip this year. Ryan Harrison and Ryan Murray also chipped in two assists apiece as Everett won for the third time in six games.
Neither club surrendered many scoring chances in the first period, but Seattle led 1-0 through 20 minutes after Connor Sanvido scored on a rebound chance midway through the period. The Thunderbirds made it 2-0 early in the second during a 5-on-3 powerplay, with Colin Jacobs putting in another rebound chance.
Just as they did Friday in Vancouver though, the Silvertips rallied to tie the score with two quick goals – both coming from Kohl Bauml. His first tally came on the rebound of a Josh Birkholz shot at even strength, with the second coming on the powerplay 1:59 later when Bauml poked in a loose puck during a scramble in front of the Seattle net. The T-Birds re-took the lead before the end of the period however, going up 3-2 on Jared Hauf’s wrist shot through traffic.
Everett again evened things up in the third, this time off the rush when Reid Petryk found Birkholz streaking down the right wing. Birkholz rifled a perfect shot into the top corner to make it a 3-3 game. Seattle scored again with just 3:10 left in regulation when Justin Hickman tipped a Tyler Alos shot through Kent Simpson’s five-hole to put the T-Birds back ahead. Then with Simpson pulled for an extra attacker in the final minute, Birkholz re-directed Josh Winquist’s shot from the left boards into the net to tie the game at four with only 46 seconds left in regulation.
The Silvertips went on the powerplay in overtime when Cody Fowlie was tripped down along the boards. Ryan Murray then sent a wrister to the net that was stopped by Pickard before Bauml fired in the rebound to complete. The goal completed Bauml’s first career hat trick and lifted Everett to a 5-4 victory as the crowd of 8,456 exploded in celebration.
Kent Simpson (8-23-1-5) stopped 23 shots to earn the victory in goal, while Calvin Pickard (17-20-1-1) made 30 saves for the Thunderbirds. The Silvertips finished the night with a 35-27 shot advantage and scored on 2 of 3 powerplays. Everett also killed off six of seven opportunities for Seattle.
January 22, 2012
Everett Sports