The Tri-City Americans lost 6-5 in Edmonton Thursday night. Tri-City is now 1-3 on the Central Division Road Trip. Parker Bell achieved a hat trick in the loss, giving it his all. Jackson Smith also got his second goal of the season.
Tri-City dominated play in the first period, outshooting Edmonton 14-3. However, there were no goals to show for it, and it was a scoreless game into the second period.
Edmonton came out lickety-split, scoring a minute-thirty into the second period on the powerplay. Gavin Hodnett fired a one-timer from the left faceoff dot, which went five-hole on Lukas Matecha. That would be Edmonton’s first of three goals on the powerplay.
Ty Nash doubled the Oil Kings lead three minutes into the second period. Gracyn Sawchyn flipped the puck to Nash on a partial breakaway. Sawchyn screened the American defenders from reaching Nash. Nash stuck it by Matecha’s glove to make it 2-0 early into the second period.
Cole Miller got his fourth goal of the season and gave Edmonton a whopping 3-0 lead just under six minutes into the second period. On the powerplay, Miller tossed a puck from the point that went blocker side on Matecha. Matecha was caught way out of position after being screened out net-front.
The game would go back and forth until a momentum-shifting event. Cash Koch dropped the gloves with Eastyn Mannix of the Edmonton Oil Kings. Koch and Mannix exchanged blows before Koch swiftly took Mannix to the ground.
Following the fight, Tri-City would score three unanswered goals in the second period and tie the game. The first came from Nick Anisimovic, who netted his fourth goal of the season. Anisimovic received a cross-crease pass from Jordan Gavin and snuck it five-hole on Oil Kings goalie Kolby Hay just under sixteen minutes into the second period.
Two minutes after the Anisimovic goal, on the powerplay, Jackson Smith got his second goal of the season. After the puck bounced to Smith, Smith faked a one-timer and dangled into the slot. Smith then went bardown on Kolby Hay to make it a one-goal game.
Twenty seconds after the Smith goal, Parker Bell walked into the slot and fired a wringer that snuck around the glove of Kolby Hay, who was out of position. The game was now tied, heading into the third period after a late surge from the Americans.
Shots after two periods of play were 22-11 in favor of Tri-City.
Roan Woodward, the former Everett Silvertip, opened the scoring in the third period. Woodward received a cross-crease pass from Gracyn Sawchyn. Roodward swatted at the puck, and it went off his skate towards the net. Matcha had slid way out of his crease, and both American defensemen accidentally bumped the puck into the net.
Parker Bell tied the game up again just under halfway through the third period. Ethan Peters found Parker Bell wide-open in the slot. Bell fired a wrister and snuck it around Kolby Hay’s pad.
Edmonton would get a late-game surge, starting with a Gavin Hodnett goal on the powerplay. Hodnett notched his second goal of the contest after finding the rebound off Gracyn Sawchyn’s shot and going five-hole on Matecha.
Marshall Finnie would add on with just over a minute left in regulation by netting an empty netter.
Parker Bell would complete the hat trick with eighteen seconds left in the game. Bell was able to bang the puck home after a puck battle out net-front.
With their loss, Tri-City move to 16-19-3. Tri-City will look to put a three-game losing streak to bed tonight against the Red Deer Rebels. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 