RECAP: Americans (7) vs Winterhawks (6) SO – January 3, 2025
Kennewick, WA – Tri-City Americans (20-11-2-1) snapped their five-game losing streak with a 7-6 shootout victory over the Portland Winterhawks (21-13-2-1) Friday night. The trio of Jake Gudelj, Carter MacAdams and Max Curran combined for 10 points, including Gudelj scoring his first career hat trick.
The game didn’t start off on the right foot for the Americans as they were called for two penalties in 1:26 seconds apart, sending Portland to a brief two-man advantage. While they didn’t score on the five-on-three portion, just moments after MacAdams stepped out of the box, Diego Buttazzoni took a rink-wide pass and gave Portland a 1-0 lead.
Seven minutes later Gudelj scored his first of the night, firing a one timer past the glove of Marek Schlenker off the rush to tie the game at one.
The game was only tied for 62 seconds as Tri-City went back to the penalty kill, and four seconds after the puck dropped Buttazzoni scored his second of the game to restore Portland’s lead.
Kayd Ruedig extended the Winterhawks lead to 3-1 after intercepting a pass in the neutral zone, skating into the Americans end and firing a shot past the blocker of Lukas Matecha.
Portland appeared poised to carry their 3-1 lead into the intermission, but Gudelj scored his second of the night to cut the lead to one. Curran threw the puck to the net off a faceoff in the Winterhawks zone and MacAdams then swung it across the crease to Gudelj who tapped it in with 20 seconds left in the period. Shots read 16-13 Portland after one.
The late goal clearly gave Tri-City a spark as they controlled play for the majority of the second period. After Matecha made two big saves during an Americans power play, MacAdams tied the game.
Curran skated into the Portland zone before sliding the puck to MacAdams who skated down the slot and snapped a shot past Schlenker to tie the game. It was MacAdam’s 12th goal of the season.
Six minutes later the Americans took their first lead of the night. Off a faceoff in the Portland zone Savin Virk dug the puck out of skates and beat Schlenker over the glove for his fifth of the season putting Tri-City on top 4-3.
Brandon Whynott then scored a power play goal, streaking down the left wing before stepping around a defender beating Schlenker through the five hole for his 18th of the season.
Before the period was up Gudelj completed his hat trick. The puck was worked to the crease and Schlenker couldn’t cover it up. Gudelj was able to find the loose puck and lift it over the goaltender for his third goal of the game, bringing hats down onto the ice at the Toyota Center.
After five unanswered goals by Tri-City, the Winterhawks finally punched back to cut into the lead. Tyson Jugnauth scored on a shot from the left circle in the final minute of the period, sending the teams to the locker room with the score 6-4.
The third period saw back-and-forth action, though largely in favor of the Winterhawks. They outshot Tri-City 15-5 over the final 20 minutes, a period that had a stretch of 10:15 without a single whistle being blown.
The score remained 6-4 until later when Portland pulled their goaltender, Ondrej Stebetak, for the extra attacker. Ryan Miller scored on a shot from the slot with 3:42 remaining to cut the Americans lead to one.
Just over a minute later Ryder Thompson chopped a loose puck in front of Matecha over the shoulder to pull Portland even at six.
Neither team was able to score in overtime, despite Tri-City having a power play and Jugnauth getting a shorthanded breakaway, as the game went to a shootout.
Whynott and Kyle Chyzowski were stopped in round one before Cruz Pavao scored to put the Americans ahead. Jugnauth was stopped in round two before Jordan Gavin was denied in round three, setting the stage for Matecha against Buttazoni.
Skating into the left circle Buttazonni tried to get Matecha to open up the five hole, but the Americans goaltender slammed the door on a quick snap shot to seal the 7-6 victory.
Tri-City continues their six-game homestand when they welcome the Wenatchee Wild (13-18-3-1) Sunday afternoon for a 4:05 puck drop.
Announced attendance was 3,909.
