Americans beat Rio Grande Valley 5-2 to win fourth straight
December 4, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Allen Americans News Release
ALLEN, Texas - The Allen Americans beat the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees 5-2 in a solid team effort at the Allen Event Center. The win brings the Americans' record to 14-4-1 (29 points).
Defenseman and Americans' captain Erik Adams started the scoring at 16:46 of the first to give the Americans a 1-0 lead. Minutes later, forward Liam Huculak sent a scorcher past Killer Bees' goalie Andy Franck to put the Americans up by two. Allen would head into the locker room with a two-goal lead.
In the second period, the Americans netted another two goals but allowed Rio Grande Valley to get on the board. Alternate captain Bruce Graham scored at 7:30, and forward Tobias Whelan tipped in a shot from Nino Musitelli to get the Americans' fourth goal six minutes later. Musitelli extended his point streak to 13 games after the assist. At 16:30, Jesse Bennefield, the Killer Bees' leading scorer, found the back of the net on the power play to make the score 4-1.
The fifth Americans' goal came at 3:06 of the third when Justin Bowers scored with a wrist shot from the high slot. The Killer Bees answered 13 seconds later with a goal from Daymen Rycroft but couldn't generate any more offense after that. The game ended 5-2.
Goaltender Chris Whitley made 18 saves. Graham, Bowers and Adams earned first, second and third stars of the game honors, respectively. Grahams had a goal and an assist on the night and was +3. Bowers, who was named Oakley CHL Player of the Week Monday, continued his good play with a goal and two assists. Adams scored his second goal of the season and was +3.
After the Americans travel to Corpus Christi tomorrow for a 7:05 p.m. start, they return to the Allen Event Center for back-to-back home games Dec. 11 and 12 against Tulsa and Laredo, respectively.
The Americans waived goaltender Hugh "Trey" Boylan Thursday and signed former IceRay Kris Tebbs to take his place today. Tebbs, 28, hails from Calgary, Alberta. Charlie Effinger is on goaltender IR after a hit from the Brahmas' James Hiebert last Saturday.
Also, prior to tonight's game, Mike Willemsen was activated from 14-day IR, and Bill Loupée was placed on 14-day IR retroactive to Nov. 29 for a lower body injury.
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