WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Sweep Bruins with SO Win; Pickard Claims Ams Single-Season Wins Title

Published on February 6, 2008 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


CHILLIWACK, BC - It took seven rounds in a shootout, but Chet Pickard finally can stand alone in the Tri-City Americans' record books.

Pickard stopped all seven of Chilliwack's attempts and Radek Meidl scored the lone goal in the shootout, as the Tri-City Americans (39-12-1-2, 81 pts) came from behind to defeat the Chilliwack Bruins (23-24-3-3, 52 pts) 5-4 in front of 3,771 fans at Prospera Centre. With the win, the Americans complete the four-game series sweep of the Bruins and improve to 8-1 lifetime against their B.C. Division rivals. The win also gave Pickard 34 wins on the season, moving him past Brian Boucher as the Americans' single-season wins leader. However, the win would not come easy for Tri-City, as they had to fight their way from behind most of the game.

Just 2:08 into the game, Chilliwack's Ryan Howse collected his seventh goal of the season, after he redirected a Dylan Chapman shot past Pickard for the 1-0 lead.

But, Tri-City responded two and a half minutes later, as team-captain T.J. Fast let a shot go from the high slot and beat Bruins netminder, Mark Friesen, for his first of two goals on the night. Colton Yellow Horn gave the Americans a 2-1 lead at the 7:03 mark of the period, as he notched his league-leading 37th goal of the season.

The lead stood until mid-way through the second period, when Tri-City killer, Oscar Moller, broke out and beat Pickard glove side to tie the game at 2-apiece. While on the power play, the Bruins retook the lead with just over five minutes remaining in the second period. Nick Holden stuffed a backhanded shot past Pickard as Chilliwack took a 3-2 lead into the final period. Just 3:44 into the third period, the Bruins extended their lead to 4-2 after Mark Santorelli registered his 22nd goal of the season and his third point of the night. But, penalties cost the Bruins down the stretch.

Despite coming up empty on their second power play of the period, the Americans' offense began to put the pressure on Friesen and the Chilliwack defense. Finally, with 8:16 remaining in regulation, Meidl secured a Brett Plouffe rebound and put a backhander past Friesen to pull Tri-City to within one.

Still clinging to a one-goal lead, the Bruins took back-to-back penalties with less than five minutes remaining, giving the Americans a golden opportunity to tie the game. As their 5-on-3 power play opportunity expired, Fast fired a slap shot past Friesen for his second goal of the game and tied the game at 4-all. But, the excitement had just begun.

At the 2:36 mark of the overtime period, Chilliwack's Brandon Campos took a high sticking penalty, putting Tri-City on their eighth power play of the game and fifth in the final period and overtime. After some close calls, however, the Bruins managed to kill off the penalty and move the puck into the Tri-City zone with five seconds left on the clock. As the horn sounded to end overtime, Moller let a shot go that beat Pickard, sending the Chilliwack bench into a celebration. But, after conferring with his crew, referee Matt Kirk determined that the puck went in after the horn sounded, reversing his original call, and sent the game into a shootout.

Once in the shootout, both Pickard and Friesen refused to give an inch, as they stopped each team's best. Save after save, the shootout reached the seventh round, before Meidl connected on Tri-City's attempt. Meidl was able to beat Friesen, after faking a slap shot, for the lone mark in the shootout. Pickard then stopped Howse in Chilliwack's final attempt to secure the record-setting win. Pickard finished with 26 saves in the win, while Friesen grabbed 38 saves in the loss. Tri-City went 1-for-8 on the power play, while Chilliwack was 1-for-3 on the man-advantage. The Americans outshot the Bruins 43-to-30 in the contest.

Winners of their last four games, the Americans will head back to Kennewick, before they hit the road this weekend. Their first stop takes them back to the Rose City, where they will take on the Portland Winter Hawks on Friday, February 8. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum. Tri-City is 4-1 against the Winter Hawks this season, outscoring Portland 18 to 5 through five games thus far this season. You can catch all the action live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Budweiser Warm-up Show at 7:15 p.m. You can also catch all the action live, via WHL WebTV, at the Americans' home away from home, Kimo's Sports Café and R.F. McDougall's in Richland.

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2008


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