'Tips Shootout Americans 4-3
January 7, 2008 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
KENNEWICK, WA - Just when things finally started to look up for the Tri-City Americans, leave it to Kyle Beach and the Everett Silvertips to bring them right back down.
Beach counted the game-winner in a shootout, as the Everett Silvertips (22-19-0-2, 46 pts) stormed back to defeat the Tri-City Americans (28-10-1-1, 58 pts) 4-3 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. The loss marks the first shootout loss of the season for Tri-City and the first time that they've lost back-to-back games at home. The loss also gave the Americans something they have not had all season, a three-game losing skid. Meanwhile, the Silvertips snapped a two-game losing streak against Tri-City.
After being handed their first shutout of the season the night before, the Americans made sure it would not happen again. At the nine minute mark of the first period, T.J. Fast notched the game's first goal and his seventh of the season. Nearly seven minutes later and down a man after a penalty, Johnny Lazo broke through the Everett line and collected his 12th goal of the season, unassisted, to put Tri-City up 2-0 headed into the first intermission.
However, the 'Tips would be heard from in the second period. At the 7:30 mark of the period, Beach collected his team-high 23rd goal of the season after he beat Tri-City goaltender Chet Pickard.
But, while on the power play, Tri-City pushed ahead 3-1 after Reddick registered his 17th goal of the season. While playing in his 100th-career game, Reddick's two-point night capped his first multi-point game since November 11. Yellow Horn assisted on the play, who was playing in his 300th WHL game.
Despite the two-goal lead, a revitalized Silvertips team came out of the locker room to start the third period. Even with just eight shots on goal in the period, Everett made them count. At the 4:12 mark of the period, Lukas Vartovnik recorded his sixth goal of the season to cut Tri-City's lead to one. Then, with less than three minutes remaining in regulation and on the power play, the 'Tips finally managed to tie the game at 3, courtesy of Jonathan Harty.
A scoreless overtime period sent the game into a shootout. Both teams failed to connect in their first attempts, but both Yellow Horn and Harty connected in round two. Lazo missed on his attempt in round three, setting up Beach's game-winner. The 'Tips finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while Tri-City went 1-for-6 on the man-advantage. Rookie goaltender Shayne Barrie stopped 33 saves in the win, while Pickard collected 27 saves in the loss.
After a span of five games in seven nights, the Americans will take Monday off before they return to the ice. Tri-City will head to the west side of the state on Wednesday, January 9, as they engage in a rematch with the Silvertips. Game time is 7:05 PM at Comcast Arena in Everett. You can catch all the action live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Budweiser Warm-up Show at 6:50 PM. The game will also be broadcast 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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