for the playoffs for the first time 2014, the were humbled by the first place .
A four-goal second period for Everett spelled doom for the Giants, who lost 6-1 at the on Sunday afternoon.
Vancouver head coach Jason McKee said the middle frame sealed his team鈥檚 fate.
鈥淎 bad period sunk us and that was the difference in the hockey game,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a first place team and we鈥檙e not and they played 60 minutes tonight and the same way every period.鈥�
McKee pointed out that it was his team鈥檚 fifth game in seven nights, but said he鈥檚 confident the club will bounce back. He also didn鈥檛 lay any blame on starting goalie Trent Miner, who made 31 saves in a losing cause.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 very good in front of him.鈥� he said of the Manitoba native making just his fifth appearance of the season.
Giants forward Jared Dmytriw opened the scoring at 13:35 of the first period after a nice individual effort, but that was the only time the Giants could solve Everett goalie Dustin Wolf.
The Tips tied the game up late in the first, the scored four more in the second period, including a goal that was awarded at 19:59 of the second period after a video review. Connor Dewar, Bryce Kindopp, Kevin Davis (two), Garrett Pilon (penalty shot) and Riley Sutter lit the lamp for Everett.
It was a rare night off the scoresheet for Vancouver鈥檚 Ty Ronning, who said his team can take something from the loss.
鈥淭hey worked harder than us and they鈥檙e a first place team for a reason,鈥� he said of Everett. 鈥淭his game can be a learning experience fo us.鈥�
Everett improved to 44 wins, 18 losses, two overtime losses and three shootout losses with the win, while Vancouver dropped to 33 wins, 23 losses, six overtime losses and three shootout losses.
The Giants remain in third in the B.C. Division and are still chasing the Victoria Royals for second and home ice in round one of the playoffs.
Vancouver returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to Kamloops to battle the Blazers. The next home game for the club is the final one of the season, when the Kelowna Rockets come to town on March 16.
