Spokane Chiefs shut out by Everett Silvertips’ Carter Hart

EVERETT – Patrick Bajkov had a goal and an assist and the Everett Silvertips beat the Spokane Chiefs 3-0 in Western Hockey League play at the XFINITY Arena.

Carter Hart made 39 saves for the shutout for the Silvertips, his fifth of the season and 24th in his fifth season with Everett. Hart was a second-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2016 HNL entry draft and owns an 12-3-0-1 record with a goals-against average of 1.34.

The Chiefs (15-11-1-2, 33 points, third in U.S. Division) outshot Everett 39-20.

Everett (17-12-1-1, 36 points, second in U.S.) broke a scoreless tie in the second period. With 48 seconds left in the frame, Sean Richards scored an unassisted goal, his 12th overall of the season, to give Everett a 1-0 lead.

One minute into the third period, Everett scored on its first shot of the frame. Matt Fonteyne picked up his 15th of the season off assists from Bajkow and Kevin Davis.

Everett notched its third goal of the night into an empty net with2 1/2 minutes left. Bajkov registered his 18th of the campaign, assisted by Montana Onyebuchi.

The Chiefs were not without their chances.

They were the beneficiaries of four consecutive power-play opportunities at the end of the second period and start of the third. Onyebuchi went off for holding 1:27 into the final frame, Ian Walker took the same call at 7:31 and Kyle Walker was called for a cross check at 11:35 – all unsuccessful.

The Chiefs were 0 for 5 with the extra man on the night.

Spokane goalie Declan Hobbs, acquired from Kootenay in July in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, who joined the team as an affiliate player on Dec. 1, made 17 saves.