WHL Tri-City Americans

Shinnimin's Career Night Leads Americans' 7-2 Rout of 'Tips

Published on February 22, 2012 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


KENNEWICK, WA - In the midst of an incredible month, Brendan Shinnimin used a career night to join some of the Americans' elite.

Recording a career-best 6 points, Shinnimin joined franchise's 300-point club while pacing the Tri-City Americans' (41-15-1-2, 85 pts) 7-2 rout of the visiting Everett Silvertips (16-34-1-8, 41 pts) in front of 3,749 fans at the Toyota Center. With the win, the Americans picked up their third straight victory while improving to 4-1 vs. Everett this season. Additionally, Shinnimin became just the sixth player ever to reach 300 points for Tri-City, joining teammate Adam Hughesman, who did it earlier this season. Meanwhile, Everett has now dropped three of their last five and remained one point out of the final playoff position in the conference.

Playing for the first time since early January, the two squads skated through a fairly even, tight-checking first period. But, with 2:24 left in the period, the Americans' offense finally broke through. After taking a pass from Sam Grist, Shinnimin then skated the puck into the left circle and waited before dishing it to a hard-charging Brian Williams. From the slot, Williams connected for his 8th marker of the season to make it 1-0.

Tri-City then tacked on two more inside the first six minutes of the second period. At the 4:46 mark of the second, and on the power play, Shinnimin shoved a Jordan Messier pass past starter Kent Simpson for his first of three goals on the night. Then, 1:21 later, Shinnimin fired a wrist shot from the slot, scoring to stretch Tri-City's lead to three.

Everett, though, battled back and snapped Ty Rimmer's shutout bid. With 11:57 left in the second, Reid Petryk tipped in a Josh Birkholz set-up to make it a 3-1 game.

But, on the ensuing shift, Shinnimin whipped a shot in front of Simpson before Hughesman buried the backdoor rebound, as the Americans regained their three-goal cushion headed into the first intermission. It also marked the end of Simpson's night, who was replaced by Austin Lotz.

Lotz didn't fare much better in the third period, though, as Tri-City tacked on three more goals to break the contest open. Just 3:50 into the third, and back on the power play, Hughesman knocked back a Messier rebound for his 35th goal of the season. Then, at the midway point of the period, Shinnimin capped his second hat trick of the season when he lifted Patrick Holland's rebound over Lotz's shoulder. Finally, with less than three minutes left in regulation, Holland swiped the puck off the stick of an Everett defender and beat Lotz to snap his 11-game goal-less drought while making it 7-1 Tri-City.

Inside the final minute of play, the 'Tips' Jordyn Boyd tacked on his 8th goal of the season, but it was as close as they would come before time expired.

Rimmer, behind 21 saves, earned his 24th win of the season while improving to 14-1-0-1 inside the Toyota Center. Meanwhile, Simpson played the first 28:24, picking up 9 saves on 13 shots in the loss. Lotz finished with 23 saves in over 31 minutes of relief work. The Americans ended the night going 2-for-7 on the power play and were a perfect 2-of-2 on the penalty kill.

Tri-City will now take a couple of days to rest and prepare for a 3-in-3 weekend that kicks off against these same Everett Silvertips on Friday, February 24. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at the Toyota Center. The Americans will be gunning for their fourth consecutive win and looking to keep pace atop the division standings with Portland. Meanwhile, Everett will aiming to snap their four-game losing streak to Tri-City in their battle for a playoff spot. Tickets are available through all Ticketmaster outlets, including online at ticketmaster.com, the Toyota Center box office, or all Fred Meyer outlets. The game will also be broadcast live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Sterling Savings Bank Warm-up Show at 6:45 p.m.

Notes:

Not only did Brendan Shinnimin finish with a career-high 6 points tonight, but his first point of the game was his 300th and set a new career-high for total points in a season. Later on, following his assist on Hughesman's first goal, Shinnimin became the first Tri-City player to record 100 points in a season since Eric Johansson (103, 2001-02). His final point of the game, which capped his hat trick, also pushed him past Terry Degner (304) and into 5th on Tri-City's all-time scoring list...Additionally, Shinnimin extended his career-best goal-streak to 7 games, the longest active streak in the WHL. Furthermore, since December 1, Shinnimin has recorded 70 points in 32 games, while failing to record a point in just 3 of those games...17-year-old forward, Parker Bowles, who was a listed player signed by Tri-City two weeks ago, made his WHL debut tonight after being called up from the Okanagan Rockets (BCMML) for tonight's contest.

Applebee's 3 Stars:

1, Brendan Shinnimin, Tri-City

2, Patrick Holland, Tri-City

3, Parker Bowles, Tri-City

Check out the Tri-City Americans Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 22, 2012


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