EVERETT — Two days before the start of the regular season and the Everett Silvertips already face a crisis.
Goaltender David Reekie was diagnosed with mononucleosis Tuesday, meaning he’ll be unavailable for the start of the season.
With No. 1 netminder Leland Irving still at training camp with the NHL’s Calgary Flames, the Tips might be forced to go into Friday’s opener against Tri-City with the unproven Shayne Barrie in goal.
“Barrie’s our starter right now for Friday,” Everett coach John Becanic said. “That’s what we’re prepared to do. He helped us get a win against Seattle on Saturday (in Everett’s final exhibition game), so hopefully he’s up to the task Friday night should Irv not come back in the next (two days).”
Reekie would have gotten the nod Friday if Irving wasn’t back. But Reekie sat out all last week because of the illness. He underwent blood tests and the bad news was confirmed Tuesday. He’ll be unavailable a minimum of three weeks.
Up until now, Everett appeared to be in good shape in net heading into the season. The 19-year-old Irving is a first-round NHL draft pick and two-time second-team Western Conference all-star who could be the league’s best goalie this season. And while Irving was away the Tips had the 20-year-old Reekie, the league’s best backup last season, available to fill in, at least until the Oct. 11 overager cutdown date.
Everett general manager Doug Soetaert sounded confident that Irving would be sent back in time for Friday’s game. But as of Tuesday, Irving was still in Calgary and with Reekie now on the shelf, the Tips may have to go with the 18-year-old Barrie — who has a grand total of four minutes of WHL experience — between the pipes this weekend.
“Would we like to have Irv? Absolutely,” Becanic said. “But we’re not playing Irv 72 games this year either. At some point (Barrie) has got to step up to the plate. It’s a little sooner than he probably expected, but by the same token his first game is always going to be his first game, whether it’s the first game of the year or the 10th game. I’m sure after he gets through the first couple periods he’ll be fine, and I think our guys will be fine, too.”
Barrie had his ups and downs this preseason. He was in net for Everett’s 7-6 overtime loss to Portland on Sept. 8 in Kennewick, giving up seven goals on 29 shots. However, he was better Saturday when the Tips beat Seattle 4-3 in OT in Kent, making 29 saves and getting stronger as the game progressed.
“It’s exciting,” Barrie said about the possibility of starting opening night. “If I get the chance it will be a great opportunity for me. It’s just an opportunity to really prove myself and prove I can play at this level.
“I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be,” Barrie added. “I’ve been here for three weeks, I’m feeling really good and that win down in Kent was a real confidence boost.”
Soetaert said that if Irving isn’t returned by the weekend, 15-year-old Kent Simpson, the team’s first-round pick in this year’s bantam draft, would be brought in to serve as the backup.
On the plus side of the roster situation, the Tips did have one of their NHL campers back at practice Tuesday. Center Vitali Karamnov was returned by the Edmonton Oilers.
That leaves six players still at pro camps:
n Center Peter Mueller has already played in two preseason games for the Phoenix Coyotes and is expected to make the club as a 19-year-old. The Tips don’t expect him back.
n Irving, center Zach Hamill (Boston), left wing Ondrej Fiala (Minnesota) and defenseman Taylor Ellington (Vancouver) remain with their NHL teams. Fiala is the only real threat to play professionally this season. It’s possible any of Irving, Hamill and Ellington could be back by the weekend.
n Defenseman Dane Crowley is in Norfolk, Va., at camp with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s American Hockey League affiliate. He definitely won’t be back this weekend.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/section/BLOG12
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