Tipped Off
03-30-2006, 12:03 PM
Unlikely heroes
Cody Thoring and Jesse Smyke score goals as Everett takes a commanding lead in the first-round playoff series.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
KENNEWICK - One hadn't played in nearly a month. The other wasn't even supposed to be in the lineup.
It would have been difficult to find two more unlikely heroes for the Everett Silvertips than Cody Thoring and Jesse Smyke.
Smyke and Thoring scored the decisive goals three minutes apart in the second period, and the Silvertips went on to defeat the Tri-City Americans 4-1 Wednesday night in Game 4 of their Western Hockey League first-round playoff series.
"Playoffs are always, I think, a story of guys who do things that maybe they didn't do during the regular season," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "We're getting contributions from a lot of different people, which is what it takes to be successful in the playoffs."
Everett won both games at the Toyota Center and brings a commanding 3-1 series lead back to Everett. The Tips can close out the best-of-seven series with a win Friday in Game 5 at the Everett Events Center.
"It's not over until you win four," Smyke said. "Going back and having the home-ice advantage will be good, but they're a tough team. They're going to be coming out harder next game, so it's going to be a grind all the way to the end."
Smyke, who didn't even warm up with the team and had to be called down from the stands, broke a 1-1 tie at 15 minutes, 58 seconds of the second period. He capitalized on a turnover deep in the Tri-City zone, then patiently worked his way around Americans goaltender Carey Price to score.
"I came down here to get some stats and it was about eight minutes to go until we were on the ice when they asked if I could go," said Smyke, who got the call when defenseman Graham Potuer proved unable to play because of the flu. "I knew I just had to go out there. I wasn't really mentally prepared, but the coaches said just do your best. That was my first playoff point, so it felt good to get it in that fashion."
Thoring was playing for the first time in nearly a month because of an ankle sprain. He secured Everett's lead on the power play at 18:15 of the second period, one-timing a shot from the left point that squeezed between Price's skate and the near post.
"Welcome back!," exclaimed Thoring, who didn't score a goal in 58 games during the regular season. "It felt good to get that out of the system early - not that I needed to score, but it feels good to help the team."
Shaun Heshka and Karel Hromas also scored for Everett and Leland Irving made 24 saves in goal for the Tips.
Logan Stephenson scored the lone goal for Tri-City, which was unable to capitalize on early momentum that led to an 11-1 shot advantage to open the game.
"We got shots early, but we didn't have anyone in front of Irving," Tri-City center Ian McDonald said. "He's a top-class goaltender and he's going to make those saves with no one in front.
"Our backs are against the wall right now and we have to play real desperate. I think our team knows that and I think we're going to come out focused on Friday."
Price finished with 16 saves.
Tri-City controlled the first 15 minutes, but the Tips came on late in the first period. Price needed to make a nice skate save on a Zach Hamill redirect before Everett grabbed the lead, thanks to a fortunate bounce. Heshka skated into the corner, picked up the puck and threw it toward the crease. No Everett player was anywhere near the goal, but the puck deflected in off Tri-City's Matt Schneider's stick, making it 1-0 at 18:51.
Everett carried its momentum into the second period, creating several chances and rendering a lengthy Tri-City five-on-three power play impotent. However, the Americans managed to tie the game at 11:03. A turnover at the blue line gave Stephenson a free path to goal, and he scored while being hauled down to make it 1-1.
After Smyke and Thoring gave Everett control in the second, the Tips ended the game as a contest at 7:56 of the third, Hromas tipping in Heshka's shot from the point on the power play.
Slap shots: Kyle Beach, Everett's first-round pick in the 2005 Bantam Draft, suited up for the Tips. Beach, whose midget team is still alive in the playoffs, used the fifth of the five allowed games for 15-year-olds. He played in place of left wing Brennan Sonne and recorded an assist on Everett's first goal. ... Everett forwards Brady Calla and Ondrej Fiala remained sidelined with the flu. ... Tri-City made two changes, reinstating defenseman Nicolaus Knudsen and forward Dan Watt, who each sat out the previous two games. They replaced defenseman Ryan Gillen and forward Riley Emmerson.
Silvertips 4, Americans 1
Everett 1 2 1-4
Tri-City 0 1 0-1
First Period-1, Everett, Heshka 2 (Hamill, Beach), 18:51. Penalties-Heshka, Everett (delay of game), 10:24; Smyke, Everett (hold stick), 14:56.
Second Period-2, Tri-City, Stephenson 1 (Inglis), 11:03. 3, Everett, Smyke 1, 15:58. 4, Everett, Thoring 1 (Mueller, Hamill), 18:15 (pp). Penalties-Jones, Tri-City (interference), 1:48; Doyle, Everett (hooking), 4:42; Thoring, Everett (delay of game), 5:10; Jones, Tri-City (slashing), 7:42; Harty, Everett (holding), 13:18; McDonald, Tri-City (cross-checking), 16:38.
Third Period-5, Everett, Hromas 1 (Wheat, Heshka), 7:56 (pp). Penalties-Stephenson, Tri-City (delay of game), 7:50; Schneider, Tri-City (cross-checking), 16:38; Kress, Everett (holding), 12:28; Beach, Everett (roughing), 19:27; Kress, Everett (roughing), 19:27; Stephenson, Tri-City (roughing-roughing), 19:27; Knudsen, Tri-City (roughing), 19:27; Boogaard, Tri-City (slashing), 19:48.
Shots on goal-Everett 7-9-4-20. Tri-City 12-9-4-25.
Power-play opportunities-Everett 2-of-7. Tri-City 0-of-6.
Goalies-Everett, Irving 3-1 (25 shots, 24 saves). Tri-City, Price 1-3 (20 shots, 16 saves).
Cody Thoring and Jesse Smyke score goals as Everett takes a commanding lead in the first-round playoff series.
By Nick Patterson
Herald Writer
KENNEWICK - One hadn't played in nearly a month. The other wasn't even supposed to be in the lineup.
It would have been difficult to find two more unlikely heroes for the Everett Silvertips than Cody Thoring and Jesse Smyke.
Smyke and Thoring scored the decisive goals three minutes apart in the second period, and the Silvertips went on to defeat the Tri-City Americans 4-1 Wednesday night in Game 4 of their Western Hockey League first-round playoff series.
"Playoffs are always, I think, a story of guys who do things that maybe they didn't do during the regular season," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "We're getting contributions from a lot of different people, which is what it takes to be successful in the playoffs."
Everett won both games at the Toyota Center and brings a commanding 3-1 series lead back to Everett. The Tips can close out the best-of-seven series with a win Friday in Game 5 at the Everett Events Center.
"It's not over until you win four," Smyke said. "Going back and having the home-ice advantage will be good, but they're a tough team. They're going to be coming out harder next game, so it's going to be a grind all the way to the end."
Smyke, who didn't even warm up with the team and had to be called down from the stands, broke a 1-1 tie at 15 minutes, 58 seconds of the second period. He capitalized on a turnover deep in the Tri-City zone, then patiently worked his way around Americans goaltender Carey Price to score.
"I came down here to get some stats and it was about eight minutes to go until we were on the ice when they asked if I could go," said Smyke, who got the call when defenseman Graham Potuer proved unable to play because of the flu. "I knew I just had to go out there. I wasn't really mentally prepared, but the coaches said just do your best. That was my first playoff point, so it felt good to get it in that fashion."
Thoring was playing for the first time in nearly a month because of an ankle sprain. He secured Everett's lead on the power play at 18:15 of the second period, one-timing a shot from the left point that squeezed between Price's skate and the near post.
"Welcome back!," exclaimed Thoring, who didn't score a goal in 58 games during the regular season. "It felt good to get that out of the system early - not that I needed to score, but it feels good to help the team."
Shaun Heshka and Karel Hromas also scored for Everett and Leland Irving made 24 saves in goal for the Tips.
Logan Stephenson scored the lone goal for Tri-City, which was unable to capitalize on early momentum that led to an 11-1 shot advantage to open the game.
"We got shots early, but we didn't have anyone in front of Irving," Tri-City center Ian McDonald said. "He's a top-class goaltender and he's going to make those saves with no one in front.
"Our backs are against the wall right now and we have to play real desperate. I think our team knows that and I think we're going to come out focused on Friday."
Price finished with 16 saves.
Tri-City controlled the first 15 minutes, but the Tips came on late in the first period. Price needed to make a nice skate save on a Zach Hamill redirect before Everett grabbed the lead, thanks to a fortunate bounce. Heshka skated into the corner, picked up the puck and threw it toward the crease. No Everett player was anywhere near the goal, but the puck deflected in off Tri-City's Matt Schneider's stick, making it 1-0 at 18:51.
Everett carried its momentum into the second period, creating several chances and rendering a lengthy Tri-City five-on-three power play impotent. However, the Americans managed to tie the game at 11:03. A turnover at the blue line gave Stephenson a free path to goal, and he scored while being hauled down to make it 1-1.
After Smyke and Thoring gave Everett control in the second, the Tips ended the game as a contest at 7:56 of the third, Hromas tipping in Heshka's shot from the point on the power play.
Slap shots: Kyle Beach, Everett's first-round pick in the 2005 Bantam Draft, suited up for the Tips. Beach, whose midget team is still alive in the playoffs, used the fifth of the five allowed games for 15-year-olds. He played in place of left wing Brennan Sonne and recorded an assist on Everett's first goal. ... Everett forwards Brady Calla and Ondrej Fiala remained sidelined with the flu. ... Tri-City made two changes, reinstating defenseman Nicolaus Knudsen and forward Dan Watt, who each sat out the previous two games. They replaced defenseman Ryan Gillen and forward Riley Emmerson.
Silvertips 4, Americans 1
Everett 1 2 1-4
Tri-City 0 1 0-1
First Period-1, Everett, Heshka 2 (Hamill, Beach), 18:51. Penalties-Heshka, Everett (delay of game), 10:24; Smyke, Everett (hold stick), 14:56.
Second Period-2, Tri-City, Stephenson 1 (Inglis), 11:03. 3, Everett, Smyke 1, 15:58. 4, Everett, Thoring 1 (Mueller, Hamill), 18:15 (pp). Penalties-Jones, Tri-City (interference), 1:48; Doyle, Everett (hooking), 4:42; Thoring, Everett (delay of game), 5:10; Jones, Tri-City (slashing), 7:42; Harty, Everett (holding), 13:18; McDonald, Tri-City (cross-checking), 16:38.
Third Period-5, Everett, Hromas 1 (Wheat, Heshka), 7:56 (pp). Penalties-Stephenson, Tri-City (delay of game), 7:50; Schneider, Tri-City (cross-checking), 16:38; Kress, Everett (holding), 12:28; Beach, Everett (roughing), 19:27; Kress, Everett (roughing), 19:27; Stephenson, Tri-City (roughing-roughing), 19:27; Knudsen, Tri-City (roughing), 19:27; Boogaard, Tri-City (slashing), 19:48.
Shots on goal-Everett 7-9-4-20. Tri-City 12-9-4-25.
Power-play opportunities-Everett 2-of-7. Tri-City 0-of-6.
Goalies-Everett, Irving 3-1 (25 shots, 24 saves). Tri-City, Price 1-3 (20 shots, 16 saves).