The Tri-City Americans beat the Vancouver Giants 5-2 Saturday night, redeeming their loss against the Victoria Royals Friday night. Cash Koch got his first goal of the season, and Kyle Kelsey stopped 25 of 27 shots.
No goals were scored in the first period, but Tri-City did get two crucial penalty kills in the first period to keep Vancouver off the board.
Shots after one period of play were 8-9 in favor of Vancouver
Tri-City made their money’s worth in the second period, scoring four goals. Jake Sloan started the party after Vancouver Giants player Wyatt Wilson fanned on the puck, which trickled right to Sloan’s stick. Sloan then fired the puck from the right faceoff circle, and it went by the mask of Vancouver Giants goalie Matthew Hutchinson and in.
Just a minute later, Degan McMillan doubled the Tri-City American lead after firing a wrist shot from the slot and going high-glove on Matthew Hutchinson.
Two minutes following the McMillan goal, Drew Freer would make the game 3-0 Tri-City and end Matthew Hutchinson’s night in the net. Freer brought the puck out in front of the net and went five-hole on Hutchinson.
Tri-City would put an exclamation point on the period halfway through. Dragicevic carried the puck in on the right wing and found Cash Koch in the slot. Koch slotted the puck low blocker on Brett Mirwald and got his first goal of the season.
Shots after two periods of play were 21-16 in favor of Tri-City.
While the game was seemingly over, halfway through the third period, Logan Hammett ended a shutout bid for Kyle Kelsey. Shorthanded, Hammett got Vancouver on the board and made it 4-1.
Parker Bell, 20 seconds later, put away any celebration Vancouver had. Firing a one-timer from the left wing, making it 5-1 Tri-City.
Vancouver was able to sneak another goal in, however, with just five minutes left in the game. Justin Ivansuec was able to sneak in his second goal of the year and send Vancouver Giant fans home with at least something positive to account for.
With their win, Tri-City moves to 13-8-2 on the season. Tri-City is back in action on Tuesday, November 28, against the Saskatoon Blades with puck drop at 7:05 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 