EVERETT — There is only one more weekend until the games count for real.
In the meantime, though, the Everett Silvertips will play a final preseason home-and-home series with the Seattle Thunderbirds this weekend in their final tuneup.
“We’re going to try to get more continuity between some lines,” head coach Dennis Williams said. “As we’re gearing up for the final two exhibition games, I told these guys we’re going to try to get what will be some looks for (opening) weekend and put our time in and effort into that.”
It’s also a final evaluation opportunity for Williams and the organization. There are currently 22 skaters and four goaltenders still on the preseason roster. That total includes 2001-born forwards Ethan Browne, Mark Liwiski and Reece Vitelli who are angling to spend their rookie campaigns with the big club. Fellow 2001-born draftees Conrad Mitchell and Alex Moar were each assigned back to their midget teams following last weekend’s games in Langley, British Columbia.
“It’s something that myself and Garry (Davidson) and Mitch (Love) will sit down after this week again and reevaluate exactly where we’re at,” Williams said. “Right now we’re going to keep evaluating as we move into next week.”
The goaltenders are Dorrin Luding, Danton Belluk, Dustin Wolf and Carter Hart. Luding and Belluk figure to start the season as the two dressed goalies with Hart away at Philadelphia Flyers training camp and Wolf out until at least late October as he recovers from hip surgery.
Luding is 1-1 with a 4.50 goals-against average and an .852 save percentage in the preseason. He recorded a 26-save shutout in Everett’s 1-0 win over the Prince George Cougars last weekend in Langley. Belluk is also 1-1 with a 4.05 GAA and an .857 save percentage.
Connor Dewar (four goals, three assists) and Matt Fonteyne (two goals, five assists) lead the Tips in preseason scoring with seven. Riley Sutter and Martin Fasko-Rudas each have six points. Orrin Centazzo recorded a hat trick in last Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Vancouver Giants. Patrick Bajkov has three goals and two assists in three games, but is currently at training camp with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Williams likes the chemistry demonstrated by the Sutter-Centazzo-Fasko-Rudas line and plans to keep that line together this weekend as the coaching staff looks to determine what the season-opening lineup will be.
“We’ve had five exhibition games for players to show us what they have and where they want to play within the lineup,” Williams said. “Everyone’s had opportunities on power play and penalty kill. We’ve rolled four lines all exhibition. I think it’s important now that we hone in and get some distinguished lines going.”
The Tips take on the T-birds at 7:35 p.m. Friday at Xfinity Arena. The teams conclude the preseason schedule at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at ShoWare Center in Kent.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
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