Americans battle hard but fall in OT to Broncos

Kennewick, Wa. The Tri-City Americans (22-16-6-0, 50 pts.) are in the middle of trying to find their stride again. With a plethora of injuries, a suspension, and new faces through trades, the team has had a hard time finding consistency. A win against the high-flying Swift Current Broncos (32-10-3-0, 67 pts.) would be a good first step in helping Tri-City get back on track. The team blocked passing lanes well, they stayed out of the box, they limited Swift Current’s breakaway threats. In the end, though, they would have to settle with earning a single point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Broncos.

The Americans were handed a golden opportunity very early in this match. With Swift Current forward Andrew Fyten already in the box for interference, the Broncos found themselves down two skaters twenty-eight seconds later when center Glenn Gawain went off for slashing. The Americans were able to keep the play in the Bronco zone the majority of the extended power play, but Swift Current only let one shot actually reach Bronco goaltender Stuart Skinner. From there the pace really picked up. Both teams were skating hard and moving the puck well. It was just a matter of time before something broke. At the 14:58 mark it was Swift Current who struck first. Center Matteo Gennaro netted his 30th of the season on some great puck movement deep in the Americans defensive zone. Gennaro took a great feed from Aleksi Heponiemi and fired a tough angle shot that just found daylight over American goalie Patrick Dea’s right shoulder. The Broncos would then get the two-goal lead around four minutes later when Heponiemi netted his 22nd of the year. Once again, some great passing by the Broncos left Heponiemi all alone for an easy snipe from Dea’s right side. The period would end with Swift Current holding the lead and winning the shots on net battle 12-6.

Regardless of the score, the Americans were skating right with the Broncos, limiting the Swift Current chances, and not taking penalties. Swift Current on the other hand added two more minor penalties in the second period, and it was the second one and fourth on the night that Tri-City was able to take advantage on. The Americans were getting good pressure on Skinner and were finally able to get some bodies in front of the Swift Current net. After a flurry of action, Americans forward Jordan Topping was able to bat the puck out of midair and behind Skinner. The Americans 4th ranked power play finally got Tri-City on the board. It was Topping’s 23rd goal of the season with the assists going to forward Morgan Geekie and defenseman Jake Bean. As good as the Tri-City power play has been, the Broncos power play has been even better. The top ranked power play unit in the league would get their chance at the 17:09 mark when Americans rookie forward Connor Bouchard was called for holding the opponents stick. But, the Americans penalty-killing units were able to keep the passing lanes closed for the most part and Dea did the rest. The period would end with Swift Current up 2-1. The Broncos outshot Tri-City 13-9 in the middle frame.

Aleksi Heponiemi (Darwin Knelsen)

Considering how explosive Swift Current’s offense can be, it was quite an amazing feat for the Americans to only be down by one going into the third. The first 17 minutes of the final frame saw an empty scoresheet for both teams. At 16:59, that changed as Bean scored his seventh of the season. The Americans had the puck in deep and were getting great chances when Geekie found his fellow Carolina Hurricane draft pick all alone at the top of the circle where Bean buried it into a wide open net behind Skinner. Tie game. The remaining time in regulation would solve nothing and the teams headed to overtime. It looked to be over early in the extra period when Swift Current lit the red lamp, but the call on the ice was no goal as the net had come of its moorings. Video review confirmed the call on the ice. Unfortunately for Tri-City, the next Bronco rush after the ensuing faceoff would end the game. Swift Current defenseman Colby Sissons was able to carry the puck in deep to the left of the Tri-City net. Sissons then fed the puck perfectly to Heponiemi who was all alone between the hash marks where he fired a laser right through Dea to end the game on his second of the night. It was Tri-City’s fifth straight loss. Swift Current outshot the Americans 40-26 including 4-2 in the overtime period. Tri-City was 1-for-5 on the power play while the Broncos failed to convert their only chance. The Americans will host Brandon on Friday night, while the Broncos will travel to Portland for game two of their bi-annual U.S. toad trip.