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WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Fall 6-4 On The Road To Winterhawks

January 25, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Kennewick, WA - The Tri-City Americans (22-17-3-1) battled back multiple times, but the Portland Winterhawks (26-16-2-1) hit the empty net with under a minute to go, fending off the Americans push in a 6-4 final at the Veterans Memoral Coliseum Friday night.

Portland opened the scoring with a power play goal 9:02 into the game. A clearing attempt by Tri-City was held in by Tyson Jugnauth who swung the puck across to Diego Buttazzoni. He leaned into a one timer and fired it past the glove of Lukas Matecha to give Portland a 1-0 lead.

Tri-City then answered with a power play goal of their own. Max Curran's shot from the blue line was stopped but the rebound went to Brandon Whynott who snapped it home for his 22nd of the year, tying the game at one. Charlie Elick picked up the second assist on the goal.

The Winterhawks answered back three and a half minutes later to regain the lead. Josh Zakreski was able to get a stick on a bouncing puck in the Americans zone and whipped it over the glove of Matecha to give Portland a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission.

Halfway through the second period, while playing four-on-four, Tri-City tied the game. Jackson Smith stepped around a Portland defender along the right wing boards in the Winterhawks zone before finding Cash Koch in the slot. Koch beat Ondrej Stebetak with his eighth of the year to pull the Americans even at 2-2, 10:03 into the period.

Portland went back to the power play late in the period and scored in the final minute to regian the lead. Jugnauth fired a shot through traffic that beat a screened Matecha over the blocker with just seven seconds left in the period, putting Portland ahead 3-2 heading into the third.

Alex Weiermair put Portland ahead by two just 1:37 into the third period. His shot off the right wing hit the blocker of Matecha and went into the net.

The Americans once again answered back, this time off the stick of Cruz Pavao. After Smith gained the Portland line the puck rolled off his stick, but Pavao was able to get a backhander away through the five hole of Stebetak six minute into the third.

The Winterhawks restored their two-goal lead four minutes later as Carsyn Dyck redirected a shot from Jugnauth past Matecha 9:54 into the third period.

Portland was called for a penalty while the two teams were playing four-on-four, giving the Americans a rare four-on-three man advantage.

On the power play, Curran dragged the puck into the slot before beating Stebetak over the blocker, once again bringing the Americans within one with 3:43 to play.

Matecha went to the bench for the extra attacker with two and a half minutes left in regulation, but the Winterhawks denied the Americans trying to gain the Portland line on multiple occasions before Zakreski eventually scored into the empty net with 55 seconds remaining, sealing the 6-4 Winterhawks win.

The Americans now return home to welcome the Eastern-Conference-leading Medicine Hat Tigers (29-16-2-0) on Saturday, who just had their eight-game winning streak snapped with a 3-2 loss in Spokane.

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