Tri-City Drops Seattle in Shootout
January 10, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
Kennewick, WA- The Tri-City Americans (20-19-0-2, 42 pts) were down by two goals to the Seattle Thunderbirds (19-16-2-3, 43 pts) with less than seven minutes remaining in the game. But the Americans scored two goals in the final 2:02 of regulation, and Richard Nejezchleb scored the only goal in the shootout to lead the Americans to a 3-2 win in thrilling fashion in front of 4,079 at the Toyota Center on Friday night.
Seattle got on the board early in the first period, as Shea Theodore fired a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and into the net for a 1-0 lead. Midway through the first, Tri-City tied the game, as Tyler Morrison scored his first goal in an Americans uniform, cleaning up a rebound and slipping it into an open net to even the score at one. Tri-City had the shot edge in the first, 11-6, as the game was tied after one period.
Both teams fought to get the go ahead goal, and the Thunderbirds broke through midway through the second period. Theodore scored his second goal of the game, firing a rocket from the slot that beat Evan Sarthou on the power play to give Seattle a 2-1 lead. The Americans again had the shot edge, 13-7, but trailed heading into the third period.
The Americans were looking to tie the game in the third, but were unsuccessful as Seattle notched a goal 13:41 into the period on the power play. Jerret Smith's shot from the point found the back of the net to make it 3-1 Thunderbirds. Tri-City pressed to get back into the game, and found a goal, as Richard Nejezchleb slapped in a shot from the side of the net to bring the Americans within a goal with just more than two minutes remaining. The Americans found the tying goal 30 seconds later, as Brian Williams fired a shot off of a faceoff victory, find a way past Taran Kozun to even the score at three and send the game into overtime.
There were no goals in the overtime session, which led to a shootout. Nejezchleb was the first shooter and beat Kozun to put the Americans up 1-0. Misses from Theodore and Donovan Neuls as well as from Brian Williams and Tyler Sandhu gave Seattle's Roberts Lipsbergs a chance to tie the shootout, but Evan Sarthou made the save and gave the Americans the big win.
Nejezchleb extends his point streak to seven games. Tyler Sandhu recorded his first Americans point on Tri-City's first goal.
Tri-City recorded 11 penalty minutes and was scoreless on two power play attempts, while Seattle had 19 penalty minutes and was 2-of-3 on the power play.
Evan Sarthou stopped 21 shots in the win while Taran Kozun made 34 saves in the loss.
The Americans have tomorrow off, but will play the second game of the home-and-home series with the Seattle Thunderbirds this Sunday, Jan. 11, at the ShoWare Center. Game time is at 5:05 p.m. Tri-City lost in a shootout to the Thunderbirds in Kent on Jan. 2, 3-2. Listen to the game on NewsTalk 870, or watch the game on WHL Live or at Kimo's, your Americans home away from home.
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