WHL Tri-City Americans

Pro's Four-Point Night Paces Tri-City Over Portland 5-2

February 9, 2008 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


PORTLAND, OR - You can't make up lost time, but Tri-City's Taylor Procyshen is sure trying. Before missing nearly two months with a concussion, Procyshen was one of the Americans' biggest offensive threats and he's managed to pick-up right where he left off.

Procyshen registered two goals and four points while leading the Tri-City Americans (40-12-1-2, 83 pts) past the gritty Portland Winter Hawks (9-46-1-1, 20 pts) 5-2 in front of 5,295 at Memorial Coliseum. Appearing in his 10th game back from the injured list, Procyshen has registered five goals and nine points. It also marked his fourth multi-goal game of the season and the first four-point night of his WHL career. With the win, the Americans became the first WHL team to reach 40 wins this season and moved back into a first-place tie with the Spokane Chiefs, after the Chiefs' game against Seattle was postponed due to weather conditions. Meanwhile, the loss extended Portland's losing streak to 12 games, as the 'Hawks fell to 1-5 against Tri-City in the nine-game season series.

Tri-City's offense clicked early and often in the first period, as Colton Yellow Horn used his league-leading 38th goal to start things off. Near the midway point of the period and on the power play, Yellow Horn banged in a Jason Reese shot to put the Americans on top 1-0. Three minutes later, off an assist from Adam Hughesman, Johnny Lazo made it a 2-0 game after he notched his 14th goal of the season. Back on the power play less than two minutes later, Procyshen collected his first of the night, over the glove of Portland netminder Jordan White, to put Tri-City ahead 3-0.

But, with just over two minutes remaining in the first period, Portland got on the scoreboard after an Eric Mestery turnover went straight to Tristan King at the Americans' blue line. King fed the puck up to Jacob Dietrich, who then beat Tri-City goaltender Chet Pickard, cutting the Americans' lead to 3-1.

After outshooting the 'Hawks 18 to 9 in the first period, the Americans continued to launch shot after shot on White. Tri-City connected again, with just over four minutes gone in the second period, via Procyshen, to move on top 4-1. But, the 'Hawks would not go away and finally answered with just over six minutes remaining in the second period. Matt Schmermund left the puck in the left circle for Scott Gabriel, who then fired a shot past Pickard, for his first goal of the season and pulled Portland back to within two.

However, with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Kruise Reddick shot the puck over White's glove to extend Tri-City's lead back to three goals, ending any hopes of a Portland comeback. Pickard finished with 35 saves in picking up his franchise-best 35th win of the season, while White stopped 39 of the 44 shots he faced in the loss. The Americans went 2-for-5 on the power play and were a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill.

After taking care of business against Portland, the Americans can now focus on their looming match-up with the Spokane Chiefs. Tri-City is 5-2 against their arch rivals and have handed Spokane three of their seven home losses this season. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Arena. You can catch all the action live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Budweiser Warm-up Show at 6:45 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on Charter Channel 3 and on KVEW's My Network Digital Channel 280. And, as always, the game will be broadcast live, via WHL WebTV, at the Americans' home away from home at Kimo's Sports Café and R.F. McDougall's in Richland.

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 9, 2008


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