WHL Tri-City Americans

Tri-City Busts Broncos 2-1

Published on October 8, 2008 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


SWIFT CURRENT, SK - When the Americans needed them most, both the Tri-City power play and goaltender Chet Pickard came up big.

Pickard and the Tri-City Americans (4-2-0-0, 8 pts) held the high-octane offense of the Swift Current Broncos (6-2-0-0, 12 pts) in check as the Americans defeated the Broncos 2-1 at the Credit Union i-plex Centre in Saskatchewan. For Tri-City, the win marked the first time they had won back-to-back games at Swift Current in 10 years and the first time they have won three straight over the Broncos. Meanwhile, after starting the season 6-0, Swift Current has now lost their last two contests.

For the third time this season, the Americans scored first to start a contest, only this time it came from an unexpected source. With less than five minutes remaining in the first period, defenseman Jarrett Toll took a Johnny Lazo pass and buried it, glove side, on Swift Current goaltender Mark Guggenberger. For Toll, it marked his first goal of the season and just the seventh goal of his four-year WHL career.

Tri-City carried their 1-0 lead late into the second period, until the Broncos seemed to awaken following Mitch McColm's fight with team-leading scorer Keegan Dansereau. While sending a pass across the ice, Swift Current's Matt Tassone tied the game three minutes after the fight. Tassone's pass hit off a Tri-City defenseman and past a surprised Pickard to even the game.

However, with less than a minute remaining in the second period, the Broncos' Geordie Wudrick was called for roughing, putting Tri-City on the power play. Then, with six seconds left in the period, Jason Reese redirected a Brett Plouffe shot, past Guggenberger, for the eventual game-winning goal.

Despite being outshot 27 to 18 over the final 40 minutes, Pickard and the Tri-City defense were able to elevate their game and withstand the Swift Current offense, as Pickard collected 30 saves and his second win in the process. Meanwhile, Guggenberger, who started in place of the injured Travis Yonkman, stopped 28 of the 30 shots he saw in the tough luck loss.

Improving to 2-1 against the East Division thus far this season, Tri-City will now head to Moose Jaw, where they will prepare to take on the Warriors tomorrow, Wednesday, October 8 at Civic Centre. Tri-City downed Moose Jaw in their lone match-up last season, a 3-2 victory at Toyota Center in early January. The Americans have won four of their previous five meetings with the Warriors, including their last two. Game time is 6:00 p.m. (PST). You can catch all the action live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Sterling Savings Bank Warm-up Show at 5:45 p.m. (PST).

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 8, 2008


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