Americans Explode in Third Period, Take Down Warriors, 7-3
WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Explode in Third Period, Take Down Warriors, 7-3

Published on January 10, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Kennewick, WA. - The Tri-City Americans (21-15-3-0) trailed the Moose Jaw Warriors (15-20-3-1) 3-2 after 40 minutes of play but rattled off five unanswered goals in the third period with a 7-3 win at the Toyota Center Saturday night.

Moose Jaw opened the scoring 6:36 into the game. Aiden Ziprick took a pass while gliding across the slot and snapped a shot over the blocker of Xavier Wendt to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

Shorlty after killing off a four-minute penalty, Tri-City tied the game. Cruz Pavao gained the Warriors line and had Grady Martin hustling toward the net. Pavao fed Martin the puck and he jammed it through the five hole of Kyle Jones for his fifth of the season.

The game was 1-1 heading into the second with the shots 11-7 Warriors.

Just 40 seconds into the middle frame Moose Jaw regained the lead. A turnover in the Tri-City zone wound up with Connor Schmidt blasting a slap shot from the left point into the net to put the Warriors up 2-1.

The game remained 2-1 until late in the period when the two teams traded goals. First was Ziprick scoring his second of the game with 3:33 left in the period to extend Moose Jaw's lead.

Two minutes later Jakub Vanecek scored to bring Tri-City within one. After Connor Dale was denied by Jones charging to the net, Vanecek lifted the rebound over the left pad of the Warriors goaltender for his seventh of the year. The goal came with just 1:23 left in the period.

In the final minute of the period each team was called for a penalty, Carter Savage for interference and Ziprick for playing with a broken stick, sending the two teams into the intermission playing four on four.

A few minutes after the four-on-four sequence ended the Americans went to the power play. Less than a minute into the man advantage, Vanecek fired the puck on net, and it snuck through the pads of Jones, barely sliding over the goal line for Vanecek's second of the game.

Two and a half minutes later, Connor Dale skated out from below the goal line in the Warriors zone and saw Jake Gudelj parked in front of the net. Seeing a small opening, Dale picked the corner over the shoulder of Jones to give the Americans their first lead of the game.

Wendt came up with one of his biggest saves of the game with his team leading 4-3, denying the Warriors with a blocker save on a two-on-one rush.

Tri-City's third period explosion boiled over in the final minutes of the game. Cruz Pavao jumped on a rebound in front of the net for his 12th of the season with 2:14 remaining.

Jaxen Adam then hit the highlight reel. Starting from his own end, Adam raced up the ice and stepped between two Warriors defensemen. After the puck slid toward Jones, Adam banged the loose puck in for his second goal of the season.

Adam then scored his second of the game a minute later, wiring a one timer from the right-wing boards through Jones to round out the scoring.

The five goals in the third period were the most the Americans have scored in a single period this season, and the seven goals were a season high.

Tri-City now hits the road for three more games, starting Wednesday night against the Calgary Hitmen (20-10-5-1).

Announced attendance was 4,643.

Check out the Tri-City Americans Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2026


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