Here’s some notes from the off day in Spokane between Games 3 and 4:
– There was a Ben Betker sighting on the ice this morning at Spokane Arena. The Silvertips defenseman, who missed most of Game 2 and all of Game 3 because of an upper-body injury, took part in an informal practice for those who didn’t play in Game 3. He’s still being listed as day-to-day.
Betker’s absence was alleviated in large part by the return of defenseman Tristen Pfeifer to the lineup. Pfeifer missed more than a month because of an upper-body injury of his own, but he returned for Game 3 and played well for someone just getting back into action.
“It was really important because of Betker being out, just the fact that someone had to take up those minutes,” Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. “So just getting a body back was important. But besides just being a body back, I thought for his first outing he was pretty good. He drew a couple penalties early in the game and played pretty solid, so it was a great first game back.”
– Speaking of Constantine, he had some choice words in the wake of Nikita Scherbak being called for a stand-alone embellishment penalty during the first overtime of Game 3. Constantine’s comments were less about the Scherbak call in particular, but more about Spokane and claiming the Chiefs are the ones who are diving. You’ll have to read Friday morning’s story to get Constantine’s comments in full.
– The Tips used the off day to announce the signing of prospect winger Spencer Gerth to a WHL education contract.
Gerth, a 16-year-old from Langley, B.C., went unselected in the 2013 bantam draft and was added to Everett’s protected list last season. This season he had eight goals, 14 assists and 69 penalty minutes in 52 games with the Golden Rockets of the junior B KIJHL. He spent a couple weeks practicing with the Tips after his season with the Rockets was over.
Gerth’s biggest asset is that he’s, well, big. He measures in at 6-foot-3 and a chiseled 200 pounds. His future with Everett is probably that of a grinding forward who does a lot of the dirty work.
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