EVERETT – Jesse Smyke isn’t known for his flashy puck skills. The Everett Silvertips right wing is a grinder, a player who’s made his mark with his speed and persistence rather than his scoring touch.
But Smyke used those two characteristics to decisive offensive effect Saturday night.
Smyke did what he does best, using speed and determination to score the game-winning goal in overtime, giving the Silvertips a 3-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series.
“It’s a tremendous feeling,” Smyke said. “I don’t even know what to say right now.”
On a night when the Tips collectively fought the puck, Everett turned to sheer willpower to pull this one out. Everett trailed 1-0 and 2-1, only to fight back twice, Peter Mueller scoring both times. Mueller’s second goal came with a mere 3 minutes, 35 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.
And thanks to Smyke’s goal, the Tips now have a 2-0 series lead as they head to Prince George for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
“I don’t think we can get any more high than this,” Mueller said. “It’s a big high coming back and beating these guys in overtime when we were down by one in the third.”
And it was Smyke who provided the finishing touch.
Smyke, who scored just eight goals during the regular season and had yet to tally in the playoffs, pounced 2:28 into overtime. The Cougars had the puck in the Everett zone when he intercepted a pass and headed up ice. As he blew between two Prince George defenders, he was hooked from behind. But he managed to stay on his feet and put a shot on goal. Prince George goaltender Real Cyr got a piece of it, but the puck trickled into the corner of the net and the Tips mobbed Smyke in celebration.
“I just picked off the pass and took off,” Smyke said. “The coaches are always telling me to use my speed and I just decided to go for it. I just threw the puck on net, (Brennan) Sonne was going in for the rebound, and I guess I just got lucky as it went over (Cyr’s) pad.”
Smyke’s goal was a killer for Prince George, which was hoping to come away with a split from the opening two games. Instead, after a pair of one-goal losses, the Cougars have their work cut out for them if they want to come back against the top-ranked team in the Candian Hockey League.
“Any time you can get into overtime in the other team’s building and you don’t win, it’s certainly tough,” Prince George coach Drew Schoneck said. “But we’ve been on the other side of that and won some overtime games (three in the first round against Kamloops). I still think the series is a long ways from over. The margin for error is very small at this time of year against a team like this, so two critical mistakes and they made us pay.”
Leland Irving has a solid night in goal for Everett, making 18 saves.
Nick Drazenovic scored both goals for Prince George. Cyr, who replaced Game 1 starter Scott Bowles, made 26 saves. Schoneck didn’t say whether Cyr, who backstopped the Cougars to their first-round sweep of Kamloops, or Bowles, who had the edge during the regular season, would get the nod in Game 3.
Everett struggled with the puck much of the game, and when Drazenovic scored his second goal with 13.4 seconds remaining in the second period to make it 2-1, it looked like the Tips were in trouble.
The Tips continued to be just off most of the third period, often getting in good scoring positions only to misfire. But Mueller took matters into his own hands to tie it.
Mueller had space in the left corner and made as if to pass, but instead went for a shot from a tight angle. The puck just squeezed past Cyr at the near post, tying it again and forcing overtime.
“Their defenseman slid and I saw a tad bit of opening under the arm,” Mueller explained. “I shot it there, it bounced off him and went in.
“I thought pass at first, but (the defenseman) slid down and all I had was a shot, so I took it.”
Prince George came out hitting from the start, and when the Cougars received a five-on-three power play midway through the first period they capitalized. Chris Durand sent a pass across the crease to Drazenovic, who put his shot into the top of the net as Irving had no chance, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead.
However, the Cougars didn’t escape the first period unscathed. Prince George captain Eric Hunter had to be helped off the ice after a collision with Everett’s Dan Gendur and did not return. Schoneck said Hunter had a lower-body injury that still needed to be evaluated.
Everett huffed and puffed to get the tying goal in the second period and finally hit paydirt at 15:39. Mueller’s shot straight off the faceoff brought a good kick save out of Cyr. However, the rebound pinballed back to Mueller, who ripped a backhand shot into the right corner to tie it at 1-1.
Everett had the momentum, but a late penalty gave Prince George a power play and the Cougars scored a beautiful goal with 13.4 seconds remaining in the period. Devin Setoguchi shot from the center point and Drazenovic, knifing in, tipped the puck from out of the air past Irving to restore Prince George’s lead.
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