RECAP: Americans (4) @ Pats (3) SO – November 20
Regina, SK – Tri-City Americans (15-5-1-0) went past 65 minutes of play for the first time this season Wednesday night, and saw Nathan Preston deny all four Regina Pats (6-11-2-2) shooters before Brandon Whynott scored the only goal of the shootout, securing a 4-3 Americans win.
Gavin Garland hit the highlight reel just over four minutes into the game to give Tri-City the lead. On a rush into the Pats zone, Carter MacAdams kicked the puck toward the Regina net and Garland picked it up before going through his legs and lifting a shot over Kelton Pyne for his 12th goal of the season. Whynott picked up the second assist on the goal.
The game remained 1-0 until late in the period when Regina tied it. Cole Temple skated one-on-one into the Americans zone before firing a shot on net that appeared to deflect off the stick of the Tri-City defenseman and past the blocker of Preston.
The two teams went into the intermission tied at one with Tri-City outshooting Regina 15-10.
The Americans regained their lead on a great passing play in the early stages of period two. Max Curran skated into the Pats end before sliding the puck to Jake Sloan on right wing. Sloan immediately found Jordan Gavin heading to the net and fed him the puck as Gavin lifted a backhand shot over Pyne’s blocker to make it 2-1.
Preston made one of his better saves on the night by stopping Tye Spencer on a breakaway to preserve the 2-1 lead heading into the third period.
Just a minute into the third Curran took advantage of a turnover by the Pats to extend the lead. Tyson Buczkowski tried to swing the puck across his own zone to his defense partner, but the pass was picked off by Curran.
He skated in alone on Pyne before beating him under the blocker with his fifth of the season 1:03 into the third period.
Regina pushed back however, cutting the lead to one just 1:21 after Curran’s goal. Dayton Deschamps let a long shot go from the blue line that sailed through traffic and past a screened Preston to make it 3-2.
Two minutes later Regina tied the game, albeit on a questionable goal. Caden Brown skated into the Americans zone on right wing with Zackary Shantz charging hard up the middle of the ice.
The play appeared to be offside, but no whistle was blown as Shantz took a breakaway pass and snuck a shot through the five hole of Preston to tie the game. The Americans bench took issue with the goal, but it stood as the Pats scored twice in 2:01 to tie the game.
Tri-City had an excellent chance to end the game in regulation when Buczkowski was called for tripping with 1:33 on the clock, but they couldn’t cash in on the power play in regulation or overtime.
The extra five minutes solved nothing as the two teams went to a shootout, the first for the Americans this season.
While Preston made three saves on Regina’s first three attempts, Pyne didn’t have to in the Regina net as the first three Americans shooters tried to deke, and all three of them lost control of the puck.
Spencer then hit the post in round four, setting the stage for Whynott to end it. Instead of tryng to deke, Whynott simply snapped a shot under the blocker arm of Pyne to end the game, giving Tri-City back-to-back victories.
Tri-City’s East Division road trip continues with a stop at Westoba Place in Brandon, Manitoba as they meet the Brandon Wheat Kings (10-5-3-1) for a 5:00 PST puck drop.
