Americans Win, 5-4, over Royals in Overtime
September 22, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
Victoria, B.C. - Gavin Garland's first career WHL goal couldn't come at a better time as he scored 1:14 into overtime to give the Tri-City Americans (1-0-1-0) a 5-4 win over the Victoria Royals (1-0-1-0) Saturday night.
A scoreless first period had the Americans outshooting the Royals 13-7 and both teams failing to connect on power play opportunities. The offense broke through for both teams in the second period.
Carter MacAdams sent a no-look pass from the right circle across the ice to Kale Margolis who scored his first career WHL goal, giving Tri-City a 1-0 lead 7:38 into the middle frame. Jaxen Adam drew the second assist on the goal.
Victoria answered back three minutes later as Tanner Scott jammed his own rebound through the five hole of Lukas Matecha to pull the Royals even.
Tri-City responded even quicker as Jake Sloan stole the puck on the forecheck before finding Cash Koch in the slot. Koch snapped a shot through traffic that beat a screened Jayden Kraus to restore the Americans lead just 26 seconds after Victoria tied the game.
Before the period was up the Royals scored on a power play with just 30 seconds remaining in the second, sending the two teams into the locker room tied at two.
Escalus Burlock then put Victoria ahead for the first time in the game with a nice individual effort coming down the right wing, stepping around a defender before roofing a shot over Matecha. The goal came 10:49 into the third period.
The Americans once again responded quickly, this time receiving a friendly bounce. After Sloan's shot from the slot was blocked, he gathered the rebound and threw it to the net. The puck bounced off the skate of Royals defenseman Seth Fryer and into the goal, tying the game just 57 seconds after Victoria took the lead.
Less than a minute later Cruz Pavao took a pass from Jordan Gavin off the rush and snapped a shot under the glove of Kraus, putting Tri-City ahead 4-3 with just over seven minutes to play.
Victoria wouldn't go quietly however as Keaton Verhoeff scored his third goal of the weekend to tie the game at four with 5:44 to play.
The Americans went to a power play late in regulation, and Gavin hit the crossbar from the slot, but for a second straight night the two teams went to overtime. Shortly after the power play expired, the Americans won the game.
Sloan picked up a loose puck behind the Royals net before quickly sliding it in front for Garland who whipped it past the blocker of Kraus, securing his first WHL goal and a victory for the Americans.
Tri-City now has a week off before they meet the Spokane Chiefs (1-0-1-0) on the road next Saturday.
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