On Nov. 16, fans got to know Jake Smith—former Windsor Spitfire—as the person who scored Carleton’s tying goal—the player who saved the Ravens’ Colonel By Classic hopes.
As a Spitfire last season, Smith recorded 20 goals and 28 assists to rack up 48 points in 59 games played.
Since coming to Carleton, Smith has been thriving on the Ravens. He is currently tied for the team lead in points with eight goals and eight assists in 13 games played.
“It’s very fast hockey—we’ve got a good squad,” Smith said. “This year and next year, the years with the amount of talent and coaching we have is when we want to try and win a national championship.”
In his last two games played, Smith has put up quite a points streak—most notably, scoring the game winner in the Colonel By Classic shootout win.
“It was a fun game—it was something I was really looking forward to since the start of the season, so was everyone else . . . ” Smith said. “We wanted to get that banner back, and where it’s in its right spot now, and that’s where it’s going to stay, so it was a fun game and I’m happy and glad a lot of people came out.”
Smith also scored the 5-4 overtime winner to the McGill University Redmen the following night on Nov. 17. Head coach Shaun Van Allen said he has been impressed with Smith’s recent play.
“He started the third goal that started the comeback and then he scored the winner in overtime,” Van Allen said. “Stripped the puck, goes in on a short breakaway, made a phenomenal move with a lot of patience and beat their goaltender, so he played really well, so we’re really happy with him.”
Since coming to the Ravens, Smith’s character and personality has been noticed by his teammates such as forward Dakota Odgers.
“I think as a teammate he has been a great addition to our team,” Odgers said. “I think he leads by example with his determination and his passion for scoring. I think he has many great things coming his way in the hockey world.”
With his short time at Carleton so far, Smith credits his teammates to helping him adjust to the team and said this team is one of the closest groups of guys he’s played with.
“This is a very close group. It’s one of the closest group of guys, probably the closest group of guys I’ve ever played with, and we’re all together—we’re always doing stuff,” Smith said.
Coming in with little to no expectations, Smith said his experience so far on the team has been far greater that what he thought it would be like.
“Yeah, it’s been way more than that. I didn’t really have much expectations, right? You can’t go into anything having expectations because nothing good comes out of that,” Smith said.
“I just went in there with a smile on my face and you have thoughts on what things are going to be, and everything has been beyond that,” he added. “I’ve been nothing but happy since I’ve been here and I know it’s going to be even greater moving forward as well.”
In regards to helping the team in moving forward through their season, Smith said his only goal is one that has been voiced by many of his teammates in the locker room—winning a national championship.
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