KENT, Wash. — Montreal Canadiens’ 2014 first-round draft pick Nikita Scherbak was stretchered off the ice Saturday with a "potential back injury" sustained in a Western Hockey League game between his Everett Silvertips and the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Scherbak was hit in the second period by Seattle’s Keegan Kolesar and was transported to a local hospital as a precautionary measure.
The game was delayed 10 minutes as medical staff attended the 18-year-old forward. Kolesar was not penalized on the play.
"The latest post-game update indicated a potential back injury for Scherbak, who had movement in all of his extremities," the Silvertips said in a release.
The Silvertips (15-4-3) beat the Thunderbirds (9-11-4), 3-2 in a shootout.
Carter Cochrane scored the winner for Everett with Patrick Bajkov and Graham Millar finding the back of the net in regulation.
Justin Hickman and Kolesar supplied the offence for the Thunderbirds