Shinnimin’s Second Straight Hat Trick Lifts Americans to 4-2 Win Over Everett
By Dan Mulhausen | Tri-City Americans
KENNEWICK, WA – Brendan Shinnimin keeps on scoring and the Americans keep on winning.
Shinnimin recorded a second consecutive hat trick, while extending his goal streak to 8 games, as he helped lift the Tri-City Americans (42-15-1-2, 87 pts) to a come-from-behind 4-2 win over the Everett Silvertips (16-35-1-8, 41 pts) in front of 4,812 fans at the Toyota Center. With the win, Tri-City has now won four straight games overall and 5 of 6 vs. Everett on the season. Meanwhile, the ‘Tips dropped their second straight and remain one point back of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Set out to prove that Tuesday’s blowout loss to Tri-City was a fluke, Everett jumped out to an early 2-goal lead on Friday night. The Americans gave Everett two power play opportunities inside the first 10 minutes of the period, and the ‘Tips connected on both, putting Tri-City behind the 8-ball. Just over five minutes into the contest, Josh Birkholz picked up his 26th goal to get the ‘Tips on the board. Then, three minutes later, Ryan Chynoweth set-up Dominik Bittner, who recorded his 4th of the season.
But, with four minutes left in the 1st, a late power play chance for Tri-City allowed them to pull to within one. Taking a feed from Adam Hughesman, Shinnimin notched his first goal of the night to make it a 2-1 game.
Tri-City then outchanced Everett 11 to 4 in the second frame, but came away empty handed due in large part to the goaltending of Austin Lotz. Despite the lop-sided ledger, the Americans found themselves still trailing by one headed to the 3rd period.
But, just 2:16 into the final period of play, and while on the penalty kill, Zachary Yuen’s blocked shot quickly got turned up the ice, where Shinnimin and Patrick Holland created a 2-on-1 breakaway. Holland perfectly timed a cross-ice pass, as he found Shinnimin’s blade and, just like that, the Americans had tied it at 2. Then, just past the midway point of the period, and from behind the net, Shinnimin fed the puck out to Hughesman in the slot, who connected for his 36th goal for the eventual game-winner.
With just over a minute left in regulation, Everett coach Mark Ferner opted to pull Lotz for the extra attacker. But, Shinnimin would eventually break free and, from the left circle, buried a shot inside the far post to cap the hat trick and the scoring in the contest.
Lotz earned the game’s third star honors after finishing with 25 saves in the loss. Meanwhile, after stopping 20 of 22, Eric Comrie improved to 18-5-1-1 on the year. Tri-City finished the night 1-for-4 on the power play, while Everett went 2-of-4 on the man-advantage.
After picking up their 24th home win of the season, the Americans will now wrap-up their tripleheader weekend on the road. Before finishing the week in Seattle on Sunday, Tri-City will head north for a match-up with the rival Spokane Chiefs (32-21-4-3). Game time is 7:05 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Arena. Spokane comes in having lost 5 of their last 6, including two vs. Tri-City. Meanwhile, the Americans are 2-2 on the road in February but carry a 2-2 record in their last 4 visits to Veterans Memorial Arena this season. The game will be aired locally on KVEW-TV’s My Network, starting at 7:00 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on NewsTalk 870 AM, starting with the Sterling Savings Bank Warm-up Show at 6:45 p.m.
Applebee’s 3 Stars:
1, Brendan Shinnimin, Tri-City
2, Adam Hughesman, Tri-City
3, Austin Lotz, Everett
