Chris Mast

A Tri-City Americans March 19 flashback

 

This year wasn’t one that the Tri-City Americans will want to replicate moving forward. The team finished at the bottom of the Western Conference with just 40 points. Overall, that was the third-fewest points in the WHL as the regular season has now been canceled.

The last time the Americans missed the playoffs was in the 2015-16 season when they were just two points shy of the final spot.

With all of this said, let’s take a look at how the Ams’ have faired on this day, March 19 in the past.

The last time the Americans played a game on March 19 was in 2017 and what a thrilling game it was. Playing in front of just more than 4100 fans at the Toyota Center, Jordan Topping scored the overtime winner as Tri-City edged Everett, 6-5. The goal completed Topping’s hat-trick and it was his 28th goal of the season.

Morgan Geekie also scored his 35th goal of the season in the victory. Brandson Hein netted two goals for Everett.

Fun Fact Geekie:

Morgan Geekie (Doug Love)

Geekie who played his AAA hockey with the Yellowhead Chiefs played 235 total games with Tri-City combined between the regular season and playoffs. He scored 95 goals and had 134 assists. His most dominant campaign came in 2017-18, his last with the team. He had 84 points in the regular season. In the playoffs, he scored 17 goals and had 10 assists in just 14 games. They lost in six games in the Western Conference Final against Everett that season.

Morgan has since moved on to play with the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League and he won a title with them last season. This year, he made his NHL debut with the Carolina Hurricanes and he scored two goals in that debut. In two games overall, he has three goals and one assist with the NHL club. In the AHL this season, Geekie added 22 goals and 20 assists.

Today in History continues:

Continuing on with Geekie. On March 19, 2016, he scored once and had one assist in a 5-3 win against the Spokane Chiefs. Parker Bowles, Nolan Yaremko, Jordan Topping, and Mackenzie Stewart all potted a goal in the victory.

March 19, 2011: Spokane ousted

Brendan Shinnimin stole the show as the Americans toppled Spokane, 6-4. Playing now in the Swedish Hockey League, he scored twice and added two assists in the victory.

Kruise Reddick also added two markers while Tyler Schmidt and Carter Ashton also lit the twine.

The last time the Tri-City Americans played a road regular-season game on March 19 was way back in 2006. It came at the Moda Center, the home of the Portland Winterhawks. Tri-City was only able to muster 15 shots as they lost, 3-0.

Frazer McLaren scored his 11th and 12th goals of the season in the win for Portland. Kurtis Mucha made 15 saves for the shutout.

March 19, 2005: Carey Price WHO?

Yeah, the same goaltender that plays for the Montreal Canadiens right now, the same goaltender that most people say is one of the best in the world. Carey played in 193 regular-season games with Tri-City.

On this day in 2005, Price lifted Tri-City to victory. He made 33 saves as Tri-City beat Everett, 3-0.

Fun Fact Price:

Carey played one game with the Americans in the 2002-03 season where he had a 6.00 G.A.A to go along with a .857 save percentage. After some time in the British Columbia Hockey League that season, Price came back to Tri-City the next season and he played in 28 games. He had a 2.38 G.A.A to go with a .915 save percentage. I guess we can say from there, the rest is history in the books.