MacInnes, Silvertips Blank Thunderbirds in Battle of the Sound

SEATTLE -- The Battle of the Sound turned into a goaltending show and Everett goalie Koen MacInnes was the star, leading the Silvertips to a 4-0 shutout against the Seattle Thunderbirds at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday.

Playing in this game in an NHL arena was a special experience for the players from both teams and the proceeds from the ticket sales went to help the Ronald McDonald House.
"When we got here and were able to go look at the rink and just see how bright it is," Everett coach and general manager Dennis Williams said. "You know the music, I could hear them on the bench saying 'I wish we had this sound system.' I know they're excited, it was great to see a pretty good balance of fans from Seattle and Everett so it made a real fun atmosphere and I'm sure for our guys will be a game that they never forget."
MacInnes stopped 48 shots to earn his fourth shutout of the season and seventh of his WHL career and the Silvertips (36-7-3-5), extended their point streak to 15 games in a row. He out-dueled Thunderbirds goalie Thomas Milic, who stopped 24 shots for Seattle (30-13-4-1), who have last two straight.
"If we didn't have Koen MacInnes tonight, we don't end up on that side of the win," Williams said. "Good job on the penalty kill, when you're out there you gotta give them a shot, so as long as your goalie knows where they're coming from. We had to kill way too many, and it was an undisciplined effort from our group. We're fortunate to get away with the win."
Seattle had eight power-play chances but could not get one past MacInnes.
"I thought the power play was really good, first two periods," Seattle coach Matt O'Dette said. "We were generating lots of chances, generating momentum even though we didn't score. You know, we hit a few posts, that goalie was playing well, and then we had frustration set in on the power play on our last couple of opportunities.
Everett's Hunter Campbell scored twice.
The Silvertips broke through first at 10:35 of the second period when Campbell, who grew up in Everett, was able to put a shot through traffic and Milic's pads to make it 1-0. It was Campbell's 17th of the season.
Conner Roulette had two great looks to tie it in the second on a Seattle power play but was stopped by MacInnes and then seconds later missed a wide-open net.
"We had our chances, obviously MacInnes played pretty good," Roulette, a Dallas Stars prospect, said. "We get those momentum shifts, and get the guys out there, the power play's rolling and you're not able to put the puck in the net, that's a little frustrating but got to keep your composure. We had the chances, and it just came down to putting the puck in the back of the net and we had trouble with that tonight."
Reid Schaefer then rang a shot off the goal post and seconds later MacInnes kicked away a shot from Lucas Svejkovsky from point plank. Seattle ended up outshooting Everett 22-9 but scored the lone goal of the period.
Everett extended their lead to 2-0 at 2:38 of the third period during 4-on-4 play when Ryan Hofer raced down the wing into the Seattle zone and scored his 23rd by wiring a wrist shot that beat Milic on his stick side.
Hofer's goal came just prior to the Thunderbirds going on an extended power play.
"He's got one of the best releases and shots I've seen in some time," Williams said. "Big, hard, heavy shot and it was obviously a huge goal and a bit of a tipping point."
Alex Swetlikoff flung a backhander that got underneath Milic to make it 3-0 at 16:04 and Campbell scored an empty-net goal at 18:29 to make the 4-0 final.
The game on the ice was intense with hitting and emotion but the atmosphere with fans supporting both sides stole the show. With the arena split in half based on allegiances, there were dueling chants back and forth that enhanced what was a good game.
"It was awesome," Roulette said of the atmosphere. "It's pretty neat how they're able to put both fans in the rink and obviously, it's a big rivalry between the fans and the players and all that. It was a cool experience. Playing in this rink, it's one of the newest rinks in the NHL so that's a great experience."