RECAP: Americans (7) vs Rebels (2) – November 9
Kennewick, WA – Tri-City Americans (12-3-1-0) jumped out to a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes of play Saturday night and cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels (9-7-1-0), winning their 11th game in a row.
Brandon Whynott opened the scoring on a power play by jumping on the rebound off a shot from Jackson Smith 6:20 into the game. Carter MacAdams picked up the second assist on the goal.
Three minutes later Grady Martin took a pass as the trailer off the rush and snapped a shot through the five hole of Rhett Stoesser for his first goal as an American.
Red Deer cut the Tri-City lead in half when Samuel Drancak snuck behind the Americans defense and scored on a breakaway 11:31 into the first period.
The Americans went to the penalty kill 13:40 into the game, but took advantage by scoring two shorthanded goals on the same penalty kill.
First was Jake Sloan streaking down the right wing into the Red Deer zone before beating Stoesser on the blocker side with his sixth of the season.
Just 21 seconds later, Whynott forced a turnover at the Americans blue line and took off on a breakaway, beating Stoesser over the blocker to push the lead to 4-1. Despite the shots being tied at 10 after 20 minutes, the Americans carried the three-goal advantage into the first intermission.
Chase Wutzke replaced Stoesser in net to start the second period.
The game remained 4-1 until late in the middle frame when Cohen Poulin pulled the Rebels within two. The goal didn’t affect the Americans however as they answered back less than a minute later.
Carter Savage fired the puck to the net from the left point and it hit Gavin Garland standing in front. The puck then landed on top of the net before rolling off, hitting Wutzke in the pad and sliding into the net for Garland’s 10th of the season. The Americans led 5-2 after two with the shots 27-20 Red Deer.
The Rebels started turning up the pressure in the third period, firing 22 shots toward the Americans net, but Preston turned aside every single one of them over the final 20 minutes, keeping Red Deer at bay.
Jordan Gavin and Jake Gudelj scored four minutes apart to stretch the Americans lead to 7-2 as they pulled away for the win. Preston made 47 saves in net for his second win of the season.
The Americans wrap up their six-game home stand on Monday night when they welcome the Calgary Hitmen (7-7-2-1) for the lone meeting of the season, before they kick off a stretch of seven straight games on the road.
Announced attendance was 4,130.
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