Who starts in goal for Everett when the 2014-15 season begins Saturday against Seattle in Kent?
No. 1 goaltender Austin Lotz is currently attending training camp with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. Lotz will undoubtedly carry most of the load for Everett in goal this season. However, barring unforeseen circumstances he won’t be available Saturday.
That leaves a pair of rookies: 17-year-old Nik Amundrud and 16-year-old Carter Hart. So who gets the call?
Apparently even the Tips aren’t even sure yet. Everett coach Kevin Constantine said following Friday afternoon’s practice that a decision had yet to be made on who gets the nod.
It’s an interesting decision. Hart, and eighth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft, seemed to be ahead of Amundrud in the pecking order at the end of last season. Though Amundrud was called up to serve as the back-up after Daniel Cotton was suspended by the team, he never actually got into a game. Meanwhile, Hart received two brief call-ups by the Tips and he played both times, getting a start at Spokane, then being in net during the season-finale shootout against Portland that determined whether Everett or Seattle would have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. All this as a 15-year-old.
But Hart missed a big chunk of the preseason because of a groin injury, only getting into action last weekend. Meanwhile Amundrud, a third-round bantam pick in 2012, was excellent during the preseason, finishing atop the WHL goaltender standings in both goals against average and save percentage as he allowed just one goal in four appearances.
I guess we’ll all find out when we see who leads the team out for warm-ups at ShoWare center Saturday night.
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