WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Defeat Bruins, 5-1

Published on January 14, 2009 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


CHILLIWACK, BC - Broadcast throughout the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada, the Americans' six-day, five-city hockey tour got off to a great start Tuesday night.

Taylor Procyshen, Mitch Fadden, Johnny Lazo and Brett Plouffe all had a goal and an assist to lead the visiting Tri-City Americans (30-11-0-2, 62 pts) past the Chilliwack Bruins (12-28-2-3, 29 pts) 5-1 in front of 4,720 fans at Prospera Centre. With the win, the Americans improved to 6-0 at Prospera Centre and 10-1 all-time against the Bruins. The win also gives Tri-City five victories in their last six road contests. Meanwhile, the Bruins have now lost four straight and fall to 0-2 against Tri-City this season.

Early into the first period, Tri-City jumped on top of the Bruins. Less than five minutes into the contest, rookie Justin Feser beat Bruins goaltender Lucas Gore for his seventh goal of the season and first since October 29. Eleven and a half minutes later, after he put back a shot from Procyshen, Lazo made it 2-0.

But, just 25 seconds later and on the power play, Kevin Sundher sent a pass from behind the net to Jesse Craige, who was able to beat goaltender Chet Pickard at the far post. Craige's first goal of the season cut the Bruins' deficit in half, as the Americans took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

The one-goal game continued until late into the second period, when Fadden took the puck off the back boards and stuffed it on net. The puck bounced into the air and over Gore's shoulder, giving Fadden his 15th goal of the season and seventh goal in his last seven games.

Now up 3-1 going into the third period, Tri-City's special teams took over.

Near the midway point of the period and while killing off a Chilliwack power play, Lazo and Procyshen took off on a 2-on-1 breakaway into the Bruins' zone. As he was falling, Lazo passed the puck off to Procyshen, who maneuvered the puck around Gore, for his team-leading 25th goal of the season and fourth shorthanded goal. Then, a minute and a half later, Plouffe connected on the power play, capping the scoring in the contest.

Appearing in his first game with the Americans since December 6, Pickard returned to stop 19 of the 20 shots he faced in the win. Meanwhile, Gore collected a personal-best 37 saves in the loss. Both teams finished 1-for-4 on the man-advantage, while Tri-City finished with a 42-to-20 shot advantage in the contest.

The Americans' road trip will now take them north-east, where a match-up with the B.C. Division's Kelowna Rockets awaits tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Prospera Place. In their final meeting of the regular season, Tri-City leads the four-game series with the Rockets, 2-1. In their last meeting back on November 19, a 3-1 Kelowna victory at Prospera Place snapped the Rockets' 10-game losing skid to the Americans. The game will be broadcast live, via WHL WebTV, at the Americans' home away from home, Kimo's Sports Café and R.F. McDougall's in Richland, starting at 7:00 p.m. Fans can also catch all the action live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Sterling Savings Bank Warm-up Show at 6:45 p.m.

U.S. Cellular Three Stars:

1, Taylor Procyshen, Tri-City

2, Brett Plouffe, Tri-City

3, Lane Werbowski, Tri-City

Check out the Tri-City Americans Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 14, 2009


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