EVERETT – To a man, the Everett Silvertips will defiantly insist that they’re not done.

Yet, if the Silvertips come out of Thursday night still alive in the WHL Western Conference finals, it’s an early Christmas present.

Or is it a temporary stay of an all-but-certain execution?

The first two games in Vancouver suggested a distinct Giants advantage. Tuesday’s Game 3, a 5-0 Giants victory, confirmed it.

The Giants are a better team. They’re more mature. More physical. Certainly, they’re healthier.

It’s no disgrace. But it’s as plain as the ice is cold.

Down 3-0 in the series, Everett will never admit it. And they shouldn’t. But it’s hardly brain surgery to conclude this one’s conclusion.

The Tips were fast and quick enough to skate around Tri-City and, to a lesser extent, Kelowna in the playoffs. Against Vancouver, that’s nearly impossible.

The Giants combine Kelowna’s size with Everett’s speed. That especially shows up on the defensive end. Giants defensemen Paul Albers (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) and Cody Franson (6-5, 205) both are quick enough to recover in the rare instance that they’re caught out of position. Same with Brett Festerling (6-1, 201) and Mark Fistric (6-2, 230). Coach Don Hay likes to say they finish their checks, which, as the Silvertips can attest, means Contusion City.

Gilbert Brule is a vicious hitter, as is J.D. Watt, who racked up 213 penalty minutes this year.

Do they step over the line into playing dirty? It depends on whom you ask.

It’s a brand of physical hockey that Everett hasn’t seen in the 2006 playoffs. Yes, Tri-City liked to bang, but it can only dream of playing with the speed, intensity and discipline with which Vancouver plays.

Everett’s penalty kill, lethal in the first two rounds, is missing against the Giants. Most likely, it’s hiding in the same place as the Tips’ power play – 0-for-18 in the series.

On Tuesday, Everett had more shots on goal 32-26, but the number of truly dangerous scoring chances was in the low single digits. The Giants’ defensemen were touted as the best in the WHL. They’ve done nothing in this series for anyone to believe anything different.

And goalie Dustin Slade is simply sensational.

Looking at this series, who could have guessed that Everett took the regular-season series against this crew, 4-2?

What’s that mean for Everett Thursday and beyond?

Nothing particularly encouraging.

Even at the top of their game, the Silvertips would carry a heavy burden. And the Tips simply aren’t at that level at this stage of the playoffs. As great as they were against Tri-City and Kelowna, the Giants are that good in this one.

Vancouver would be difficult enough to beat were the Silvertips completely healthy. In that regard alone, Everett is really up against it.

With all due respect to rookie goalie Matt Esposito, Leland Irving was having a superb playoff season. His ailing groin may allow him back Thursday. Maybe. Ondrej Fiala probably is history with a concussion.

Jonathan Harty lay on the ice for more than a minute and had to be helped to the dressing room after a fearsome hit into the boards by the ever-fierce Brule, Vancouver’s unquestioned star.

The Giants are forcing the Tips into making uncharacteristic mistakes and taking brainless penalties. Everett allowed Spencer Machacek to waltz in for a short-handed goal to make it 2-0 in the second period. A horrible turnover deep in Everett’s zone directly led to Vancouver’s third goal.

Did the Silvertips feel so comfortable with Irving that they’re unwilling to take certain risks with Esposito in the net? Did the Kelowna series rob them of emotion? Did injury, a constant problem nearly all season, come back to bite them? Did they come out of the Kelowna series satisfied with having a great season, one that surpassed most expectations? Did the Tips’ youth finally catch up to them?

Maybe all of it’s true. Maybe just some. Maybe none.

One thing’s certain.

The Vancouver Giants have a lot to do with it.