Kennewick, Wa. The Tri-City Americans (14-9-2-0, 30 pts.) started off the season going 7-0 at home. Since that streak ended they have gone just 1-3. The Seattle Thunderbirds (12-12-2-1, 27 pts.) had lost four in a row coming into tonight’s contest. Whose fortune would change? It was Teddy Bear Toss night in the Tri-Cities, but Seattle spoiled the fun by beating the Americans 5-1 in front of 4,625 fans at the Toyota Center.
Tri-City is loaded with talent. They currently have five players under entry-level contracts with NHL clubs. But all of that talent doesn’t amount to much when the fundamentals of the game are being overlooked. Puck possession is so important. Tonight, Tri-City couldn’t keep the puck on their sticks, which led to turnovers, which led to Seattle goals. Add to that the plethora of penalties the Americans took, including two back-to-back in the first four minutes of the game, and it was a team playing without any real flow tonight. Seattle forward Sami Moilanen opened the scoring at the 11:51 mark of the first period for the Thunderbirds. Austin Strand had a great takeaway in the Americans zone and was able to feed to the puck to Moilanen who then buried his 15th of the season. More penalties and the lack of any quality chances kept Tri-City from finding the equalizer. They did outshoot Seattle 13-9 in the first, but a lack of traffic in front of Seattle netminder Matt Berlin allowed him to see the puck with ease. 1-0 Seattle after one.
The second period was all Seattle. After another turnover by the Americans inside their own blue line, Thunderbirds forward Zack Andrusiak scored his 13th of the year at the 1:54 mark. Seattle Center Noah Phillip made it 3-0 Seattle at the 9:28 mark of the middle frame off of another Tri-City turnover. Tri-City was completely on its heels. Seattle was forcing all the play to the outside, and what few shots the Americans were getting on net were easy saves for Berlin. Seattle added insult to injury with just four seconds left in the second as Andrusiak scored his second of the night to give Seattle the 4-0 lead going into the second intermission. Shots on net in the middle frame were 10-7 in favor of Seattle.
Tri-City goalie Beck Warm was replaced at the beginning of the 3rd period by backup Patrick Dea. The Americans needed a spark. Time was not on their side, though, as Seattle seemed to be content in protecting their lead and keeping Tri-City away from quality chances. At 12:47 of the third, Tri-City defenseman Dylan Coghlan, fresh off of a two-game suspension, was finally able to get one past Berlin and give the Americans some sign of life. The Tri-City crowd went crazy as they were finally able to toss those Teddy Bears over the glass and onto the ice. It was definitely the bright spot on an otherwise disappointing night for Americans’ fans. Just two minutes later the ice had been cleared and play resumed, Seattle center Tyler Carpendale was left all alone on front of Dea and was able to bang home a rebound to put the final nail in the coffin of the Americans. Seattle would win 5-1 and move back to the .500 mark on the year. The Americans have now lost 4-of-6 on their season long 7-game home stand. Seattle outshot Tri-City 36-24 in the game, including a third period which saw them sorely outshoot Tri-City 17-4. Neither team was able to convert on power play chances with Seattle going 0-for-6 and the Americans going 0-for-4.
Tri-City is still playing without forward Michael Rasmussen and defenseman Juuso Välimäki, who have both been pivotal in the Americans early season success. Rasmussen could return as early as tomorrow when the Americans close out their home stand with a game against Spokane as he is listed as day-to-day. Seattle will travel home to host the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday.
