EVERETT – It turns out Saturday night’s bust up between Everett and Tri-City may have ended up costing both teams.
In the aftermath of Saturday’s line brawl, both the Silvertips and the Americans may be without key defensemen for an extended stretch of the playoffs.
Review of the video from the end of Saturday’s 3-0 Tri-City victory shows that Americans defenseman Clayton Stoner threw the first punch. With 13 seconds remaining, the teams lined up for a faceoff when Stoner grabbed Everett defenseman Taylor Ellington by the chest and delivered a roundhouse right to Ellington’s face, setting off the melee.
Ellington, who never dropped his gloves or his stick, crumpled to the ice, then slowly made his way back to the bench – aided by Tri-City’s Aaron Boogaard.
Ellington, who suffered a concussion, skated sparingly in Wednesday’s practice and is questionable for Friday’s series opener at Portland.
In addition, Silvertips forward Zach Sim also suffered a concussion in the brawl and is questionable for the start of the playoffs, Everett was fined $750 for its fourth multiple-fight situation of the season and head coach Kevin Constantine was suspended for one game as a result. Constantine served the suspension Sunday in the Silvertips’ regular season finale at Seattle.
Meanwhile, Stoner was suspended for Tri-City’s season finale Sunday at Portland and is subject to supplemental discipline from the league. Whether Stoner receives any further suspension and for how long has yet to be determined.
Awards: The WHL announced its all-star teams and award finalists Wednesday. No Everett players were among the honorees.
The Western Conference first-team all-stars were Kootenay goaltender Jeff Glass, Portland defenseman Braydon Coburn, Kelowna defenseman Shea Weber, Vancouver forward Gilbert Brule, Kootenay forward Nigel Dawes and Seattle forward Aaron Gagnon. The second team was Seattle goaltender Bryan Bridges, Vancouver defenseman Andrej Meszaros, Stoner, Portland forward Dan DaSilva, Spokane forward Chad Klassen and Kootenay forward Dale Mahovsky.
The Eastern Conference first team was Lethbridge goaltender Aaron Sorochan, Saskatoon defenseman Mike Green, Red Deer defenseman Dion Phaneuf, Brandon forwards Eric Fehr and Ryan Stone and Medicine Hat forward Clarke MacArthur. The second team was Medicine Hat goaltender Kevin Nastiuk, Medicine Hat defenseman Kris Russell, Lethbridge defenseman Brent Seabrook, Calgary forward Ryan Getzlaf, Saskatoon forward Ryan Keller and Lethbridge forward Colton Yellow Horn.
The finalists for award trophies are: Rookie of the Year, Brandon’s Tyler Plante and Spokane’s Derek Ryan; Goaltender of the Year, Sorochan and Glass; Defenseman of the Year, Phaneuf and Weber; Scholastic Player of the Year, Moose Jaw’s Kenndal McArdle and Brule; Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, Russell and Gagnon; Coach of the Year, Saskatoon’s Lorne Molleken and Kootenay’s Cory Clouston; Executive of the Year, Brandon’s Kelly McKrimmon and Kootenay’s Jeff Chynoweth.
Slap shots: The Silvertips have added right wing Matt Meropoulis to their roster for the playoffs. The 1989-born Meropoulis, who turned 16 on Mar. 2, was Everett’s seventh-round pick in the 2004 Bantam Draft. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound native of Edmonton, Alberta, had eight goals and two assists in 32 games for the K of C Pats of the Alberta Midget Hockey League. … The WHL announced the order for the 2005 Bantam Draft on Wednesday. Regina, which finished with the worst record in the league, won the draft lottery and will pick first overall. Everett will pick 10th.
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