Americans Drop 3-1 Game To Medicine Hat Tigers

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WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Drop 3-1 Game To Medicine Hat Tigers

January 26, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Kennewick, WA - The Tri-City Americans (22-18-3-1) played a hard-fought game against the Eastern Conference-leading Medicine Hat Tigers (30-15-2-0) Saturday night, but dropped a 3-1 game at the Toyota Center.

A scoreless first period saw a number of great chances for both teams, but specifically for Tri-City. Their best chances didn't result in shots on goal as they missed the net on a couple of loose pucks near the blue paint, with Tigers goaltender Harrison Meneghin out of position.

Shots read 12-5 in favor of Medicine Hat after 20 minutes.

The Tigers opened the scoring 7:20 into the second. After the Americans called their 30-second timeout following a lengthy shift in the defensive zone and an icing to get fresh legs on the ice.

Tri-City cleared the puck out of the zone on the ensuing faceoff, but Medicine Hat came bursting back in and scored. Bryce Pickford and Gavin McKenna played give-and-go with Pickford finishing off the play, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Just over three minutes later Medicine Hat extended the lead. After the puck was worked toward the crease off the rush, Lukas Matecha reached out with his stick to take away a cross-crease pass.

He didn't know where the puck was as it was sitting in the blue paint to his right and Mathew Ward swooped in and fired it into the open net as the Tigers jumped ahead 2-0 with 4:14 remaining in the second.

The Americans went into the locker room trailing 2-0 with the Tigers leading 20-13 on the shot clock.

Early in the third Tri-City pulled within one. A strong forecheck saw Max Curran get control below the goal line before sliding it in front for Jake Sloan. He cut toward the front of the net before pulling the puck to his backhand and lifting it past the outstretched arm of Meneghin for his 15th of the year, 3:48 into the third.

While they were looking to build momentum with the goal, Tri-City was then sent to the penalty box as Jake Gudelj chopped the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty less than two minutes after the goal.

On the power play Tanner Molendyk gained the Americans line off the rush before dropping it to McKenna who spotted Oasiz Wiesblatt heading toward the back post. He fed him the puck and Wiesblatt snapped a shot past the blocker of Matecha to restore the Tigers two-goal lead at 3-1.

Neither team scored after the goal as the Tigers held on for the 3-1 win, their ninth in a row.

The Americans look to regroup as have a quick turnaround for a 4:05 puck drop on the road against the Everett Silvertips (33-6-4-3) on Sunday.

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