KELOWNA, B.C. — The Everett Silvertips put Kelowna in their rearview mirror Tuesday night.
At least for now.
Everett continued down its path of destiny as the Silvertips defeated the Kelowna Rockets 2-1 in overtime Tuesday night to win the Western Hockey League’s Western Conference finals.
"Unbelievable, unbelievable," Everett goalie Jeff Harvey repeated. "There’s no word to describe it. I’m in shock."
Ivan Baranka tied the score with a goal with 3 minutes, 46 seconds remaining in regulation play, nullifying Simon Ferguson’s first-period goal, and Jeff Schmidt scored the winner 7:56 into overtime when Barry Horman’s cross deflected off Schmidt’s leg and into the net as Everett rebounded from a 3-1 series deficit to win the conference title. Each of Everett’s last three victories came in overtime.
Everett advanced to the WHL Presidents Cup championship series against the Medicine Hat Tigers, which is tentatively scheduled to begin Friday in Medicine Hat.
And now the Silvertips are one series win away from returning to Kelowna for the 2004 Memorial Cup — something that floors even the players.
"There’s no way," Everett defenseman Mitch Love said about the probability of their incredible run. "You try and work hard and compete and say the right things. The goal of every junior hockey player is to play for the WHL championship, and there’s 25 guys in that room living a dream."
When the season began in September, no one associated with the WHL had any expectations for Everett. The general belief around the league was that the expansion Silvertips would do well to win 20 games. The playoffs were not even a consideration.
While no one around the league believed in the Silvertips, they believed in themselves, steadfastly saying that the Memorial Cup was their goal. It may have seemed a pipe dream at the time, but it’s reality now. Everett had an unprecedented inaugural season, breaking virtually every WHL record for an expansion team.
Now they’re on the brink of the unthinkable — an expansion franchise playing for the Memorial Cup, the most prestigious trophy in all of junior hockey.
All it will take is four more victories, and with the way things are going for the Silvertips, it seems destined to happen.
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