Americans Cap Tournament with 3-2 Shootout Win Over Chiefs
KENNEWICK, WA – Behind Eric Comrie’s 29 saves, including two in the shootout, the Tri-City Americans (3-2-0-0) handed the Spokane Chiefs (4-0-0-1) their first loss of the pre-season, claiming a 3-2 win in the 7th and final game of the Red Lion Hotels Pre-Season Tournament at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.
Saturday night’s tournament finale certainly didn’t have the feeling of a pre-season game, as 3,205 fans filled the Toyota Center and caught arguably the best game of the tournament. Despite a 16 to 9 shot advantage in favor of the Chiefs, it would be the Americans that took and held the lead through the first half of the contest. At the midway point of the first period, rookie defenseman Riley Guenther notched his first pre-season goal to give the Americans a 1-0 lead.
Tri-City, with 5:58 remaining in the second period, extended their lead to 2-0 following Marcus Messier’s second pre-season marker.
But, the Chiefs answered with two power play goals, the first coming nearly two minutes after Messier made it a two-goal game. Rookie Cole Wedman, who finished with a goal and an assist, scored with 3:06 left in the second period, pulling Spokane to within one. Then, at the midway point of the third, and back on the power play, Cole Hamblin tied the contest with his first pre-season goal.
After a scoreless overtime that saw just two shots on goal, the game headed to a shootout where Tri-City elected to have the Chiefs shoot first. Comrie allowed the first attempt by Mitch Holmberg to slip past, but Tri-City responded with conversions from Mackenzie Royer and Malte Strömwall. From there, it was up to Anthony Bardaro to extend the game, but Comrie shut him out to preserve the victory.
Comrie improved to 2-1 in pre-season play, stopping 29 of the 31 shots he faced. Meanwhile, Mac Engel finished with 17 saves on 19 shots in the tough-luck loss. Tri-City finished the night 0-for-3 on the power play, while Spokane went 2-of-4 on the man-advantage.
The same two teams will renew their rivalry with a home-and-home series next week, as the Chiefs and Americans meet in Spokane on Thursday, September 15 at Eagles Ice-A-Rena before returning to the Toyota Center on Saturday, September 17. Game time on Saturday in 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available through all Ticketmaster outlets, including the Toyota Center box office, all Fred Meyer outlets, or online at ticketmaster.com.
Tri-City Americans 3, Spokane Chiefs 2 (SO)
First Period
1 – T.C. Riley Guenther 1 (Malte Strömwall, Drydn Dow), 9:57
Second Period
2 – T.C. Marcus Messier 2 (Justin Feser, Justin Hamonic), 14:02
3 – SPO Cole Wedman 1 (Mitch Holmberg, Anthony Bardaro), PP, 16:54
Third Period
4 – SPO Cole Hamblin 1 (Wedman, Matt Marantz), PP, 9:28
Overtime
No Scoring
Shootout
SPO – Holmberg, Goal
T.C. – Mackenzie Royer, Goal
SPO – Liam Stewart, No Goal
T.C. – Strömwall, Goal
SPO – Bardaro, No Goal
Tri-City wins 2-1 in shootout
Power Play
SPO: 2-4
T.C.: 0-3
Shots on Goal
SPO: 16-9-4-2-0 – 31
T.C.: 9-3-7-0-1 – 20
Goalies
SPO: Mac Engel, 65:00, 17/19
T.C.: Eric Comrie, 65:00, 29/31
Attendance: 3,205
