Everett vs. Tri-City lineup notes

Published 7:08 pm Friday, February 20, 2015

EVERETT (35-16-3-3)

Forward lines

Leedahl-Bauml-Stadnyk

Low-Laurencelle-Scherbak

Mykitiuk-Nikolishin-Bajkov

Millar-Fonteyne-Aasman

Defensive pairings

Betker-Davis

MacDonald-Pfeifer

Skrumeda-Wharrie

Goaltenders

Lotz

Hart

Scratches: Juulsen, Wegleitner.

Notes: Everett plays without key defenseman Noah Juulsen because of a lower-body injury, forcing shuffling among the defensive pairings — and allowing Jordan Wharrie to return to his natural defensive position. On the plus side the Tips get winger Logan Aasman (concussion) back for the first time since Nov. 30, and center Matt Fonteyne also returns after sitting out three of the past four because of a lower-body injury. Austin Lotz returns between the pipes after Carter Hart received the previous two starts.

Also in the stands for Everett are a pair of 15-year-old prospect forwards. Brian King, a Colorado native who was a fourth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft, has practiced with the team the past two days. Nick Henry, a Manitoba native who was a third rounder in 2014, arrived earlier today day. Both will be with the team throughout the weekend. King and Henry both missed training camp because of injuries, so I guess this serves as their de facto training camp experience.

TRI-CITY (26-29-0-3)

Forward lines

Nickles-Gutierrez-Topping

McCue-Sandhu-Williams

Vickerman-T. Comrie-Lukin

James-Playfair-Nejezchleb/Geekie

Defensive pairings

Wotherspoon-Hamonic

Purtill-Hillis

Morrison-O’Reilly

Goaltenders

E. Comrie

Scratches: Coghlan, Cochrane, Andrusiak, Carlo, Bowles, Sarthou, Kaiser, Nejezchleb/Geekie.

Notes: Tri-City is banged up. The Americans recently learned they will be without leading scorer Parker Bowles and former Silvertip defenseman Carter Cochrane for the remainder of the season because of shoulder injuries. Tonight Tri-City is also without key defenseman Brandon Carlo, who took a puck to the head during Tri-City’s 5-1 loss to Portland on Tuesday and did not return. In addition, offensive standout Richard Nejezchleb is a game-time decision because of a lower-body injury that kept him out Tuesday. Call-up Morgan Geekie will play if Nejezchleb can’t. With defenseman Dylan Coghlan (upper body) also out injured, winger Braden Purtill continues to fill in on the blue line. No. 2 goalie Evan Sarthou (lower body) is also out, and emergency call-up Casey Kaiser is also listed as a scratch, but there’s someone out there for warm-ups to serve as the back-up netminder.