Kennewick, WA – Tri-City Americans (1-4-0-0) scored two late goals to get to within one against the Everett Silvertips (5-0-1-0) Sunday night but couldn’t complete the comeback in a 5-3 loss at the Toyota Center.
The game was scoreless until late in the first period. After the Americans had a three-on-two rush into the Everett zone that was broken up, the Silvertips quickly turned the rush the other way.
Mathias Vanhanen and Shea Busch flew into the Americans zone and Busch took a pass before cutting across the crease, jamming the puck past the left pad of Xavier Wendt with 4:47 remaining in the period.
Everett led 1-0 at the intermission, outshooting Tri-City 11-7.
After halftime
Tri-City quickly tied the game when the puck dropped in the second period. Going to a power play just 33 seconds into the period, Charlie Elick gathered the puck off the faceoff win in the Everett zone.
After walking the blue line to open a shooting lane, Elick fired a shot through traffic that sailed over the blocker of Raiden LeGall, tying the game 38 seconds into the second period. It was Elick’s second goal of the year with Gavin Garland picking up the lone assist.
Four and a half minutes later the Silvertips regained the lead. After Wendt made a save off Rhys Jamieson coming down the right wing, the rebound went out to the slot where it was gathered by Mirco Dufour.
Dufour was able to tuck the rebound past the blocker side of Wendt for his first WHL goal, restoring Everett’s lead 5:05 into the period.
Less than 30 seconds after the goal, Ismail Abougouche and Clarke Schaefer dropped the gloves after Schaefer and Americans defenseman Jakub Vanecek got tangled up and ran into Wendt, knocking the net off its pegs.
The score remained 2-1 heading into the third period before the Silvertips struck twice midway through the third. Schaefer and Jaxsin Vaughan scored 3:27 apart to extend Everett’s lead to 4-1 with 7:42 remaining.
Tri-City Americans fight back
Just over a minute after the 4-1 goal the Americans countered. While on another power play, Alex Laing threw the puck at the net before Cruz Pavao was able to bang in the rebound to cut the lead to 4-2. Laing registered his first WHL point on the goal.
Two minutes later, Carter Kingerski sent the puck below the Everett goal line off the rush where it was picked up by Davd Krcal. He then sent a no-look pass to the slot for Tomas Racz who fired a shot past LeGall for his first WHL goal, cutting the deficit to 4-3 with 4:36 remaining. Kingerski and Krcal both got their first WHL points on the goal.
The Americans pulled Wendt for the extra attacker late, but Everett was able to fend off the furious comeback effort before Jesse Heslop hit the empty net to seal a 5-3 Silvertips win.
Up Next
The Americans are next in action on Saturday when they make the long trek up to face the Prince George Cougars (4-0-0-0).
Announced attendance was 2,613.