The Tri-City Americans beat Spokane in the Chiefs’ first home game of the season Saturday night with a final score of 3-1. All the goals by the Americans came way in the third period. Lukas Matecha, in his first career WHL Start, was the bright spot of the night as he stopped 38 of Spokane’s 39 shots.
The first period in Spokane was very quiet until the latter half. Some 8,000 Spokane fans tried to get the team going. Brayden Crampton answered that call, scoring at 15:25 on the powerplay off a Tyson Greenway tripping penalty. Crampton snuck it home top shelf through traffic from the point. That would conclude matters in the first.
The second was where things were getting rather chippy between both sides as tension built. Even though no goals were scored in the second period, there were nine penalties between the two sides combined. Tyson Greenway received a 10-minute misconduct notable for causing a party after the second period concluded by the benches.
Tri-Cities made their money in the third period tonight. Scoring all three of their goals in this frame. Maximillian Curran started the party and was able to sneak it across to Andrew Fan at the right faceoff circle at 5:23 into the third, where Fan buried the puck home and nodded the game up at 1 all. Minutes later, Spokane forced a turnover, and Connor Roulette shot it off the post, which caused an early celebration by Spokane fans.
A short bit later, Spokane’s failed efforts at clearing the puck led to Deagan McMillan snapping up the puck just beyond the net and giving Tri-Cities the lead at 10:16 into the third period. McMillan was not finished; he ended the game at 17:57 into the third after burying a rebound off a Lukas Dragicevic shot from the point and scoring his second of the night.
With that win, Tri-Cities will head back home and play in their own home opener against the Everett Silvertips on Saturday, October 7th. Puck drop is set for 6:05 p.m. at the Toyota Center.
Northwest Sports Desk 