RECAP: Americans (7) @ Warriors (5) – November 23
Moose Jaw, SK – Tri-City Americans (16-5-1-0) saw their 6-2 third-period lead chipped down to one as the Moose Jaw Warriors (5-14-3-1) battled back, but Carter MacAdams hit an empty net to seal a 7-5 Americans win on Saturday night.
After a strong start to the game by the Warriors, the Americans started to rack up chances on net by jumping out to a 6-1 lead on the shot clock.
The Americans went to their first penalty kill after that flurry and it was Moose Jaw’s turn to fire pucks on goal as they turned the tables and opened up a 12-7 advantage. That included getting the game’s opening goal.
Rilen Kovacevic carried the puck into the Tri-City zone on right wing and swung it across the slot to Owen Berge. Berge took the pass before sending it back to Kovacevic for the open net goal, giving Moose Jaw a 1-0 lead with 5:30 remaining in the first.
The Warriors nearly added to their lead on a goal-mouth scramble in the final minute of the period, but Brandon Whynott blocked the open-net chance before Tri-City took off through center.
Gavin Garland had the puck on left wing and floated it toward the net where Whynott got just a piece of it to deflect it through the legs of Jackson Unger, tying the game at one with 25 seconds remaining in the period.
The two teams went into the locker room with the shots 14-12 in favor of Moose Jaw.
Less than a minute into the second period Tri-City grabbed its first lead of the night. Jackson Smith gloved down a dump in attempt by the Warriors before firing the puck ahead to Carter MacAdams who skated in on a two-on-one rush.
MacAdams elected to hold onto the puck before firing a shot over the glove of Unger for his eighth of the season, giving the Americans their first lead of the night 33 seconds into the period.
The score remained 2-1 for a long time before Brayden Yager tied the game. Like MacAdams, he carried the puck into the Tri-City zone on left wing before snapping a shot over Preston’s glove with 7:50 remaining in the second.
The goal didn’t deter the Americans as they answered back just 32 seconds later. Off a faceoff in the Moose Jaw zone Savin Virk sent the puck to the net. Unger made the save but couldn’t cover the rebound before Max Curran put it in to restore Tri-City’s lead at 3-2.
A few minutes later the Americans went to the power play and picked up a two-goal lead. A long shot from the blue line by Jake Gudelj was stopped, but Gavin Garland jumped on the rebound for his 13th of the season. Tri-City took a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.
Tri-City then scored two goals in just eight seconds in the third period to pull ahead 6-2. First was Austin Zemlak who wired a shot over the shoulder of Unger, off the corner bar and out for his fifth of the season.
Off the next faceoff Jordan Gavin stole the puck right in front of Unger and lifted a backhander over the Warriors goaltender for his 10th of the year.
Moose Jaw didn’t go away quietly however and a pair of turnovers by the Americans ended up in the back of the net. First was Lynden Lakovic at 11:51 before Aaron Sawatzky scored at 18:11 to make it 6-4.
Unger went to the bench for the extra attacker and Connor Schmidt then scored with 31 seconds left to pull the Warriors within one. Off the next faceoff Unger went to the bench again, but this time MacAdams was able to force the puck out to center ice before hitting the empty net to seal a 7-5 Tri-City win.
The victory gave the Americans a 4-2 record on their East Division trip, their best showing since the 2016-17 season when they went a perfect 6-0. The team now returns home before heading north to begin a home-and-home with the Wenatchee Wild (8-11-3-0) Friday night on the road.
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