RECAP: Americans (5) – Silvertips (4)
Kennewick, WA – The Tri-City Americans picked up a 5-4 victory over the Everett Silvertips at the Toyota Center Sunday night, thanks in large part to an own goal by Everett in the final minutes of regulation.
For the fifth time this season the Americans opened the scoring, although the goal had to be reviewed by the officials. Thomas Tien carried the puck down the left wing of the Everett zone before falling to his stomach and hooking a pass across the crease.
The puck came to Drew Freer to turned his skate and redirected the puck into the net, but the goal was immediately waived off by the referee. Following a review however, it was determined that Freer was not in the crease when he redirected the puck in, resulting in a good goal. It was Freer’s first of the season.
Tri-City ended the first period shorthanded as Andrew Fan was given a double minor for boarding with 1:59 remaining. Lukas Matecha turned aside a number of Everett chances to keep the Americans up 1-0 heading into the intermission. Shots read 14-11 Silvertips through 20 minutes.
The power play carried over into the second period for Everett and they took advantage 1:20 into the middle frame. Ben Hemmerling fired a shot on net from the slot was denied by Matecha, but the rebound dropped to his glove side and was put in by Julius Miettinen to tie the game at one.
It didn’t take long for the Americans to restore their lead however as Brandon Whynott responded with a power play goal of his own two minutes later. After taking a pass from Max Curran in front of the net, Whynott beat Ethan Chadwick over the blocker for his second goal of the season at 3:21.
The score remained 2-1 until late in the period when the two teams traded goals. After Dominik Rymon scored on a penalty shot at 18:03 of the second, Whynott responded immediately with his second of the game just 15 seconds later.
Everett then answered right back as Carter Bear scored on a wraparound to tie the game at three 30 seconds after Whynott’s goal. It was three goals in 45 seconds as the two teams went into the intermission tied at three with the shots favoring the Silvertips
The Americans received their third power play early in the third period but it was Everett taking advantage. Rymon skated all the way from his own zone into the Americans end before stepping through a defender and beating Matecha over the glove for a shorthanded goal.
Four and a half minutes later the Americans would score on the man advantage. Jake Gudelj took a shot from the high slot with traffic in front and beat a screened Chadwick with his second of the year at 8:39. Jackson Smith and Jordan Gavin picked up assists on the goal.
The score remained tied at four until the final minutes of regulation when the Americans got a fortunate break. Parker Bell fired a shot on net from the left circle off the rush, and the rebound came off the pad of Chadwick. Miettinen tried to clear the puck away from the front of the net but accidentally scored into the open cage to give the Americans a 5-4 lead. Bell was credited with his third of the year from Curran and Pavel Bocharov.
The own goal stood up as the difference as Tri-City would win the game 5-4.
The Americans kick off a three-game road trip with a rematch against the Silvertips Wednesday night at the Angel of the Winds Arena.
