Americans Cage Cougars 4-2
November 15, 2007 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
KENNEWICK, WA - It was a hectic night at the Toyota Center. But, despite the craziness that occurred in the rink; the game on the ice was every bit as exciting.
The Tri-City Americans (15-5-0-0, 30 pts) used three period goals to push past the visiting Prince George Cougars (9-15-0-0, 18 pts) 4-2 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. It was the Americans third straight victory on home ice and currently hold a 9-1 record at the Toyota Center thus far this season. Meanwhile, the Cougars dropped their sixth straight contest as they struggle to keep pace in the B.C. Division. The win also gives Tri-City a 2-1 lead in the four-game series with Prince George, as the two will wrap-up the series on Friday night at Toyota Center.
The evening did not start as hot for the Americans as Parker Stanfield notched the Cougars' first goal with one minute remaining in the first period.
However, Tri-City turned it up a notch in the second period, as they launched 15 shots on Cougar net minder Tommy Tartaglione, all while holding Prince George to only two shots on net. The Americans finally broke through at the 16:45 mark of the period, when Petr Stoklasa beat Tartaglione to knot the game at 1-all.
But, the Cougars responded early in the third period while on the power, to retake the lead, 2-1. Center Greg Gardner, slipped the puck past Tri-City goaltender Chet Pickard, as the Cougars seemed to retake the momentum of the game.
But, all that changed two minutes later with the Americans playing short-handed. While killing off a Jason Gardiner instigator penalty, Colton Yellow Horn followed up on a Johnny Lazo pass, to beat Tartaglione and tie the game at 2-apiece. Tri-City made it a 3-1 game just three and a half minutes later, as Taylor Procyshen recorded his team-high 13th goal of the season. With less than three minutes remaining in regulation and on the power play, Shaun Vey capped off the scoring for Tri-City with his 10th goal of the season.
Pickard finished the game with 14 saves on only 16 shots faced in route to his 12th win of the season. Meanwhile, Tartaglione, the game's second star, collected 36 saves on 40 shots faced, while dropping his fourth-straight decision. The Americans were 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Cougars were 1-for-5 on the man-advantage. Tri-City finished with a 40-to-16 shot advantage in the contest.
The two teams will now wait to play again on Friday, November 16 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. Game time is 7:05 PM. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, including the Toyota Center box office, all Fred Meyer locations, or online at ticketmaster.com. And, as always, the game will be broadcast live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Budweiser Warm-Up show at 6:45 PM.
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