RECAP: Americans (4) vs Cougars (3) OT – February 4, 2025
Kennewick, WA – Savin Virk recorded his first career WHL hat trick in grand fashion, scoring the overtime winner as the Tri-City Americans (24-20-4-1) downed the Prince George Cougars (28-15-4-2) 4-3 at the Toyota Center Tuesday night.
Virk’s night started off just 19 seconds after the puck was dropped. Charlie Elick dumped the puck in from center ice and went on the forecheck. Riley Heidt tried to shovel it behind his own net, but Elick intercepted it and hooked it in front of the goal.
Virk was there to take a pass and slid a backhander past the outstretched pad of Cooper Michaluk to open the scoring with his 10th of the season.
Less than three minutes later Cruz Pavao extended the lead as he deflected a shot in the slot for his eighth of the season. Brandon Whynott and Cash Koch picked up assists on the goal as the Cougars called their 30-second time out following the goal.
Prince George answered back with a goal of their own three minutes later when Carson Carels leaned into a one timer from the left point, firing it past a screened Lukas Matecha to cut into the Americans lead.
Virk had a wonderful chance for his second of the game later in the period but was denied by Michaluk’s glove in tight. Tri-City carried their 2-1 lead into the intermission, outshooting Prince George 18-15.
The Cougars came out with some jump to start the second, heavily outshooting the Americans in the early going. Matecha stood his ground to hold the Americans lead.
A wild sequence late in the period led to the tying goal by Prince George. After Michaluk made numerous high-quality stops during a strong push by Tri-City, Max Curran was stripped of the puck to send the Cougars away on a three-on-one rush.
Koehn Zeimmer skated down the left wing and tried to sneak a shot through the five hole of Matecha but was denied. Zeimmer then swung the puck from the goal line in front and Matteo Danis was able to get it past the blocker of Matecha to tie the game with 4:02 left in the second period.
The game didn’t stay tied for long as Virk quickly restored Tri-City’s lead. Taking a pass from below the goal line by Carter MacAdams, Virk snapped a shot from the slot past the blocker of Michaluk just 1:19 after Danis’s goal.
That sent the Americans to the locker room with a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.
Prince George once again pulled even 8:52 into the third period. After an icing call against the Americans, the Cougars won the faceoff and Bauer Dumanski let a long shot go from the point that beat Matecha through a screen, tying the game at three.
Pavao nearly gave Tri-City the lead late in the game, but Michaluk made a diving save with the glove on a cross-crease play to keep the two teams tied.
The clock hit zero as the Americans went to overtime for the 14th time this season, second only to Victoria (15) for most in the league.
Prince George won the opening draw in overtime, but moments later Jackson Smith forced a turnover along the boards sending Jake Sloan ahead on a two-on-one with Virk.
Sloan skated down the left wing before passing the puck over to Virk and he beat Michaluk under the glove to complete the hat trick, and win the game, 37 seconds into overtime.
Tri-City now prepares to host the Victoria Royals (28-24-3-5) on Friday night.
Announced attendance was 2,475.
