Americans end 2025 on six-game winning streak with 3-2 victory over Spokane
WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans end 2025 on six-game winning streak with 3-2 victory over Spokane

Published on December 31, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Kennewick, WA - The Tri-City Americans (19-13-2-0) won their sixth game in a row, heading into the New Year by hanging on for a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs (18-18-0-0) on the strength of 48 saves from Xavier Wendt Wednesday night.

Spokane opened the scoring 7:28 into the game. After a turnover by the Americans in their own zone, Dominik Petr found Coco Armstrong in the left circle, and he picked the corner over the blocker of Xavier Wendt.

The score remained 1-0 Chiefs before the momentum swung in Tri-City's favor. It started with a fight as Grady Martin dropped the gloves with Chase Harrington, with Martin motioning to the crowd to make some noise on his way to the penalty box.

Just over two minutes following the fight, the Americans tied the game. Dylan LeBret and Savin Virk played give-and-go inside the Chiefs zone with LeBret taking the return feed in the right faceoff circle.

He quickly fired the puck on net, beating Carter Esler through the five hole with 4:10 remaining in the first period.

In the final minute of the period the Americans took the lead. Jaxen Adam let a hard one timer go from the right point that missed the net, but the puck bounced off the end wall and came out toward the left circle.

Jake Gudelj picked it up on his backhand and lifted a shot over the glove of Esler for his fourth of the season, putting Tri-City ahead 2-1 with just 12.5 seconds left in the opening frame.

Tri-City took the 2-1 lead into the intermission with the shots reading 14-7 Spokane.

The Chiefs thought they had tied the game four minutes into the second, but after video review it was determined that Petr forced the puck into the net after it was stopped under Wendt's left pad.

A few minutes later Tri-City extended their lead. After the Chiefs turned the puck over in their zone, Carter Savage poked the puck down the slot. It hopped over a Spokane stick and came right to Virk who quickly snapped a shot past the glove of Esler for his 17th of the year. The goal gave Virk six consecutive multi-point games.

Spokane responded three minutes later as Owen Martin wired a shot past the blocker of Wendt off the rush, cutting the lead to 3-2 with nine minutes left in the second.

Tri-City carried their one-goal lead into the third period with Spokane peppering them on the shot clock, 33-16.

The third period had a furious pace to it as the Chiefs ramped up the pressure trying to tie the game. Esler went to the bench for the extra attacker late in regulation, and fired pucks on Wendt from all angles, but the Americans held on for the 3-2 win, their sixth in a row.

Tri-City now travels to Victoria to meet the Royals (14-12-5-3) for a pair of games Saturday at 4:05 and Sunday at 2:05.

Announced attendance was 5,751, a sellout.

Check out the Tri-City Americans Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2025


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