In an overtime thriller that nearly tilted the other way, the Portland Winterhawks managed to pull the rug out from under Everett, leveling the playoff series to a standstill. Portland's Josh Zakreski scored in overtime at the 4:10 mark, securing the Winterhawks a victory that evened the series at two games each. The clinching goal came as a relief for the team, which found itself on shaky ground after a spree of contentious calls and a late penalty had them trailing back from a comfortable lead.
Zakreski emerged as the hero of the night, righting the ship after Portland squandered a three-goal advantage, largely due to a late penalty against Alex Weiermair, as noted by OregonLive. The game's intensity did not wane, especially after Everett netted two goals in the last four minutes of the third period, sending the match into overtime. A key mistake by Everett's Tarin Smith led to a misfired clear that Zakreski capitalized on, firing the puck past Raiden LeGall to end the game in favor of Portland.
While Zakreski might have landed the knockout blow, it was Kyle Chyzowski's performance that had the crowd on its feet earlier in the game. Chyzowski managed to bag a hat trick, with his third goal vital in giving the Winterhawks a temporary 4-2 lead late in the second period. His stellar performance earned him First Star honors and was a focal point in the team's offensive strategy throughout the game. This accomplishment came despite the Winterhawks being outshot by Everett 48 to 31, a stat highlighted by KOIN.
The series is headed back to Everett for a high-stakes Game 5, set to occur at 7 p.m. tomorrow. The teams will then return to Portland for Game 6, which will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday. The pressure is on for both teams, but the Winterhawks' resilience has been put on display, bouncing back from what could have turned into their first consecutive loss this postseason. Notably, this game marked Everett’s first overtime loss in five extra periods this postseason, a fact underscored by KATU, indicating the heightened competitive nature of this playoff series.
