RECAP: Americans (2) @ Thunderbirds (1) OT – March 2, 2025
Kent, WA – The Tri-City Americans (31-23-5-1) are officially playoff bound. Clinching a playoff spot courtesy of a Wenatchee regulation loss in Vancouver and their game going into overtime, Jackson Smith capped off the celebration by scoring his second overtime winner of the weekend as the Americans took down the Seattle Thunderbirds (24-30-4-1) 2-1 at the Showare Center on Sunday.
It was a goaltender’s duel all night as Lukas Matecha and Scott Ratzlaff went toe-to-toe in a heated contest. A scoreless first period had the Americans outshooting Seattle 13-11, with the biggest save being a shorthanded breakaway stop by Matecha on Antonio Martorana.
The game continued to remain scoreless through most of the second period. Tri-City’s best chance was Jake Sloan hitting the post on a two-on-one rush. As the clock approached the final minute of the period the Thunderbirds opened the scoring.
Coster Dunn took a pass on right wing as Seattle raced into the Americans zone and snapped a shot past the blocker of Matecha with 1:03 remaining in the period. Seattle led 1-0 heading into the third with the shots 28-24 Tri-City.
Shortly before the Americans tied the game, Cruz Pavao was robbed by Ratzlaff. Carter MacAdams had the puck in the right faceoff circle with Ratzlaff aggressively challenging, so MacAdams threw the puck to the slot.
Pavao took the pass but couldn’t pull the trigger immediately which gave Ratzlaff enough time to dive out with his stick and make a paddle save on what looked like a sure goal.
Tri-City went to their third power play of the game not long after that chance and tied the game.
Smith held the puck at the blue line and had two Seattle player closing on him quickly. He fired a pass down the slot to Sloan who then dropped the puck to Max Curran coming down the left side.
Curran took the pass and scored on a shot through traffic, tying the game with his 20th goal of the season. It came with 9:26 left in regulation.
Both teams tightened up defensively as the clock got closer to zero, and Tri-City officially clinched a playoff spot with the single point by going into overtime.
In the extra frame each team had lengthy possessions of the puck, but Seattle didn’t register any shots on net while Tri-City had four. The Thunderbirds had a dangerous chance near the Americans crease, but Savin Virk tied up his man’s stick allowing Smith to swoop in and pick up the loose puck.
He took off on a two-on-one rush with Sloan, and from the right faceoff circle Smith wired home his third overtime winner of the season, second of the weekend, lifting the Americans to the 2-1 victory.
Tri-City is next in action Friday night when the Everett Silvertips (41-11-4-3) visit the Toyota Center.
