Matecha shines in come-from-behind win over Rockets
February 17, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
Kelowna, B.C. - The Tri-City Americans (28-22-4-1) battled back from a 2-0 deficit through two periods as Lukas Matecha made 42 stops in regulation, before denying all three shootout attempts in a 3-2 shootout win over the Kelowna Rockets (16-32-4-2) on Monday.
Kelowna opened the scoring 11:44 into the game. Michael Cicek let a shot go from the right circle that snuck through the five hole of Matecha just 11 seconds into a Rockets power play. Shots read 17-16 Kelowna after 20 minutes as they took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.
Moments after the Americans killed off another penalty Levi Benson jumped on a rebound during a net-mouth scramble to extend Kelowna's lead. The goal came 6:02 into the middle frame.
Tri-City fired 16 more shots on Jake Pilon in the Kelowna net, but the Rockets carried their 2-0 advantage into the third period.
The Americans finally broke through just under nine minutes into the final frame. After Jaxen Adam held in a clearing attempt at the Kelowna blue line, he threw it to the net. The shot deflected off the leg of a Kelowna player, forcing Pilon to make an awkward save.
The puck sat loose in the crease and Max Curran was able to jam it home, cutting the Rockets lead to 2-1 with his 18th of the season. Tri-City's penalty killed off a fifth Kelowna power play shortly after the goal, keeping them within one in the late stages of the game.
The Americans pulled Matecha for the extra attacker in the final minutes and tied the game at two. Jake Sloan had the puck on the goal line, glove side on Pilon, and fired it across the crease to Savin Virk who banked it off Pilon and in, tying the game with 54.8 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime the Americans controlled the majority of play, but neither team was able to score as the game went to a shootout, the fifth of the season for Tri-City.
Cruz Pavao shot first and faked out Pilon with a forehand backhand move, lifting a shot over the right pad of the Kelowna goaltender to put the Americans in the drivers seat.
Kalder Varga, Brandon Whynott, Benson and Virk were all denied on the next four attempts, setting the stage for Hayden Paupanekis against Matecha.
The six-foot-four Paupanekis tried to get Matecha to bite on a backhand forehand move, but Matecha was able to stretch out his left leg to make the save and secure the win for the Americans.
The win was the third of the season for Tri-City when trailing through two periods. Tri-City now prepares for another home-and-home weekend with the Spokane Chiefs (37-16-1-1) starting Friday in Spokane.
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Western Hockey League Stories from February 17, 2025
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