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WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Hit Road Bump in Spokane, Fall to Chiefs 4-2

February 21, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


SPOKANE, WA. The Tri-City Americans (28-27-2-1, 59 pts) missed an opportunity to pull within 1 point of the rival Spokane Chiefs (28-22-5-3, 64 pts.) in the wide open U.S. conference playoff positioning. The game was played in front of 9,534 fans at the Spokane Veterans Memorial arena where the Chiefs took down the American 4-2.

The first period is always important on the road, and the Americans have been very good lately at not getting behind early. Tonight was a different story. The Americans had 25 minutes of penalty time and gave up 5 straight power play opportunities to the Chiefs. An early elbowing penalty to Parker Bowles allowed Spokane their first power play chance and the Chiefs converted early. Spokane center Hudson Elynuik scored at 2:12 on the power play for his 15th of the season. It would be the only power play goal the Americans would give up in the game, but it would set the tone early. Tri-City was never able to get any offensive rhythm in the frame as they spent most of the period killing penalties. Ethan McIndoe and Jacob Cardiff would add goals in the period and Spokane would enter the first intermission with a 3-0 lead. The Chiefs did take a late penalty in the period as Tyson Helgesen was assessed an interference penalty against Michael Rasmussen at 19:40. The Americans would start the 2nd period with 1:40 left on their first power play opportunity of the game. Spokane outshot the Americans 10-5 in the frame.

Despite being down, the Americans came out firing in the 2nd. At 3:42 of the frame, Parker Wotherspoon fired a blast from the point past Spokane goaltender Tyson Verhelst for his 11th of the season. Tyler Sandhu and Bowles were credited with the assists. Spokane received their 6th power play chance of the game at 7:24 but the Americams killed it off without giving up a shot on net to the Chiefs. Halfway through the 2nd, Tri-City was outshooting Spokane 8-0. That offensive pressure paid off as Bowles scored his team leading 34th goal of the season to pull the Americans to within 1. Evan Sarthou came up huge in the period making some incredible saves on the Chiefs 7th power play opportunity of the game to close out the period. The Americans had made it a whole new game heading to the 3rd. Tri-City outshot the Chiefs 13-6 in the period.

The Americans came out firing again in the 3rd as they held the momentum. Bowles had a great chance early with a nifty move to split the Chiefs "D" and skate in all alone on Verhelst. His backhander hit the post. The Americans chances continued as Tri-City received its 3rd power play chance at 6:35 of the final frame as McIndue was called for roughing to Morgan Geekie. Unfortunately it was the Chiefs who capitalized on the opportunity by scoring shorthanded on their penalty kill. Elynuik scored his second of the game and the Chiefs were back to a 2 goal lead. The Americans would never get any closer. Sarthou finished the game with 17 saves on 21 shots for the loss, while Verhelst stopped 24-of-26 shots for the win. The Americans were 0-for-4 on the power play and spent 31 minutes in the box. The Chiefs went 1-for-8 with the man advantage and spent 13 minutes in the box. Tri-City outshot the Chiefs 26-21.

Despite the loss, the Americans playoff hopes are still alive and well. Tri-City sits just 3 points back of the Kamloops Blazers (27-24-5-3, 62 pts) for the 8th and final Western Conference playoff spot. The Americans will host the Blazers on Tuesday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. Game time is 7:05pm. Tri-City won the last meeting against the Blazers, 5-3, on February 2nd in Kennewick. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations, including the Toyota Center Box Office, at any Fred Meyer outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com.

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