The Tri-City Americans won 2-1 Wednesday night in a thriller, rebounding after losing 7-0 to the Portland Winterhawks last Sunday. Maximillian Curran got his first career WHL goal, and Lukas Matecha was a stud in the net again as he stopped 28 shots out of 29.
Maximillian Curran got his first career goal and started the party Wednesday night by going bar down from outside the left faceoff circle. Although there were only 2300 fans at the game, the fans made Hauser feel it. There would be no more action for the rest of the period.
Halfway through the second period, Bocharov made a critical error with the puck leading to a great opportunity at the front of the net. Matecha would not yield and make a nice split save. Bell would then go coast to coast and find McMillan on the left wing where McMillan would go low glove on Daniel Hauser extending the lead to 2-0 Tri-Cities.
Matecha had been brilliant up to the latter part of the second period, but his worst enemy, traffic got the best of him at 17:54. Graham Sward tossed one from the point, and it tipped off Miles Coopers’ stick and into the net. This would cut the lead down to one for the Americans heading into the third.
The third period may not have had any goals, but both teams certainly had multiple chances. Matecha stood on his head in the third period making 9 crucial saves to hold onto the lead for Tri-Cities. A near-empty netter that resulted in an icing caused a bit of a stir towards the end of the game, but regardless the Americans held on.
The Tri-City Americans will be back in action Friday, October 20th against the Kelowna Rockets. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 