Tri-City remains perfect at home; downs the Raiders

Kennewick, Wa. The Tri-City Americans (13-5-2-0 28 pts.) haven’t played at home since November 1st. They have, however, been really good when they are at the Toyota Center going 6-0-0-0 so far this season. The Prince Albert Raiders (9-9-3-0 21 pts.) were in town for their bi-annual visit and were hoping to be the team to end that streak. The Raiders started the season going 3-4-3-0 but have been much better recently going 6-4-0-0 in their last ten. It wasn’t meant to be tonight though, as the Americans won 4-1 to extend their home win streak to seven games.

Hockey can sometimes be compared to a chess match. The first period of tonight’s game was a prime example. Both teams were able to get a good flow going, with very few whistles to stop momentum. Strong goaltending and the inability to bury chances at both ends of the ice were the story, however. For Prince Albert, Ian Scott stopped all 14 shots he faced in the opening frame. Americans’ goalie Beck Warm stopped all 15 he faced. Prince Albert was 0-for-1 on the power play. Tri-City was 0-for-2. The question was who would blink first?

It didn’t take long to answer that question, and quite loudly. It was Americans’ forward Michael Rasmussen breaking the scoreless tie early in the 2nd. After a great keep in and shot from the point from Tri-City defenseman Juuso Välimäki was blocked by Scott, Rasmussen picked up the rebound and banged it home. He wasn’t done though. Just a few minutes later, Rasmussen was on the receiving end of some great puck movement deep in the Prince Albert zone. He set up right in front of the net like he does so well, took a cross ice pass and fired over a sprawling Scott for his second of the night and ninth on the season. Valimaki, who was instrumental in Rasmussen’s first two goals, got one of his own just before the midway point. A quick wrist shot from the left circle found its way over Scott’s stick side and into the net to give Tri-City the 3-0 lead. That lead would hold into the second intermission. Tri-City outshot the Raiders 12-7 in the period.

Just thirty-three seconds into the third period, Prince Albert showed some signs of life. On the tail end of a carryover tripping penalty to Americans forward Connor Bouchard, Raiders’ center Parker Kelley notched his 12th goal of the season as his shot took a bounce over Warm’s stick and in. It was the closest Prince Albert would get. Just a minute-and-a-half later, Morgan Geekie would get his 7th of the season to give Tri-City the three goal lead once again. That lead would hold through the end. Warm finished the night with 30 saves on 31 shots for the Americans. Scott finished with 32 saves on 36 shots. The Americans were 0-for-4 on the power play while Prince Albert converted on one of their three chances with the man advantage.

The Americans have yet to lose on home ice this year and are now tied for 1st in the U.S. Division with the Portland Winterhawks, who do have 2 games in hand on the Americans. Tri-City will battle Victoria on Saturday night in the second game of their season-high seven game home-stand. Prince Albert will travel to Spokane on Saturday to wrap up their U.S. Division trip before heading home. The Raiders are now 1-3-0-0 on this trip.

Tonight’s game marked the return of Brett Leason and Sergei Sapego to Tri-Cities. Both started the season with the Americans but ended up in Prince Albert early on in the year. Leason was traded and Sapego was claimed after being released by the Americans.