Tri-City Improves to 6-0 Vs. Seattle Behind 8-4 Win
January 5, 2011 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
KENNEWICK, WA - A box score can tell you a lot about a game, but it can rarely tell you the whole story. Such will be the case when looking back at Tuesday's contest.
Patrick Holland, Justin Feser and Tyler Schmidt each had four-point nights and eight different skaters scored as the Tri-City Americans (23-11-1-1, 48 pts) defeated the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds (16-15-3-4, 39 pts) 8-4 in front of 3,560 fans at the Toyota Center. With the win, Tri-City extended their overall winning streak to four games, while improving their home ice winning streak to seven straight. Meanwhile, Seattle fell to 0-6 against the Americans this season, while also dropping their 15th consecutive game at the Toyota Center.
When looking back, fans may see an 8-4 win and think the Americans ran away with Tuesday's game. But, upon closer examination, you would see a very different story.
Despite a 16 to 6 shot advantage in the first period, Tri-City found themselves knotted at 1 headed into the first intermission. Just 5:42 into the contest, and on the power play, Neal Prokop let a shot go from the right circle that eluded Calvin Pickard, putting the Americans up 1-0. But, with 5:23 remaining in the period, Seattle's Travis Toomey put back a Burke Gallimore rebound to tie the game headed into the break.
Through the first half of the second period, the squads exchanged goals again, and remained in a deadlock, this time at 2. With 5:17 gone of the period, Holland notched his 12th goal of the season. But, 3:12 later, Chance Lund redirected a Charles Wells shot past Drew Owsley.
However, the second half of the second period belonged to Tri-City, as they began to pull away from Seattle. At the 12:29 mark, and from the high slot, Schmidt banged a shot off the crossbar, and over Pickard's blocker, to put the Americans on top for good. Less than three minutes later, and on the power play, Schmidt fed Hughesman, who was camped back door on Pickard. From there, Hughesman connected for his team-leading 22nd goal of the season to make it a 4-2 game. Then, with 39 seconds remaining in the period, Feser beat Pickard on the glove side to send Tri-City to the locker room with a three-goal lead.
But, Seattle would not go away, as they climbed back to within one midway through the final period. The spark came at the 5:49 mark, and while the T'birds were shorthanded, as Wells sped through the Tri-City defense and beat Owsley for his 11th tally of the season. Then, two and a half minutes later, Toomey connected again, this time on the blocker side of Owsley, to make it a 5-4 game.
Less than five minutes later, and after a Tri-City icing, Americans coach Jim Hiller used his only timeout to refocus his players. It worked like a charm, as Tri-City scored just 44 seconds following the timeout en route to a three-goal third period. The dagger into Seattle's comeback attempt came off the stick of Zachary Yuen who, on a second effort, swatted a backhander over a diving Pickard. Just 1:22 later, Mason Wilgosh picked up his 8th goal of the year to make it a 7-4 game. Finally, with 29 seconds to play, and from the far left circle, Brendan Shinnimin somehow found space above Pickard's shoulder and the cross bar to notch his 14th goal of the season and wrap up the scoring.
Pickard finished the night with 37 saves on 45 shots faced in the loss. Meanwhile, Owsley, behind a 24-save effort, recorded career win #60 that moved him into a tie with Brian Boucher for 4th on Tri-City's all-time wins list. Tri-City finished the night 2-for-3 on the man-advantage while not allowing Seattle one power play opportunity in the contest.
Next up for Tri-City is another meeting with the pesky Everett Silvertips (16-18-2-3) on Friday, January 7. Game time is 7:35 p.m. at Comcast Arena. Everett, who will have had a full week off since their last meeting with the Americans back on January 1, have currently dropped three straight games and six of their last eight. Meanwhile, last Saturday, the Americans snapped their three-game losing streak to the 'Tips and will look to pull even in the 10-game season series at 3 games apiece. Fans can catch all the action live, via WHL Live, at the Americans' home away from home, Kimo's Sports Café in Richland. The game will also be broadcast live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Sterling Savings Bank Warm-up Show at 7:20 p.m.
Applebee's 3 Stars:
1, Neal Prokop, Tri-City
2, Tyler Schmidt, Tri-City
3, Justin Feser, Tri-City
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