Doug Love
Game Recap, U.S. Division

US Division’s opening night game recap: Portland at Tri-City

Written by Lizz Child on

 

After spending almost the entire first half of the game fighting with CHL TV, most fans were able to watch the US Division’s opening night game! Of course, there were fans in-market for the Tri-City Americans who were able to watch on television through SWX.

A lucky select 50 fans, along with billets, also were able to join in on the fun at the Toyota Center Thursday night as the Tri-City Americans were able to allow a small number of season ticket holders to attend opening night. The decision on which season ticket holders are attending each game is made by lottery. Teams would love to have all the fans back, but there are so few seats available due to local regulations. Tri-City is also the only team allowing fans in the arena at the moment.

The WHL is now only waiting on the BC Division to begin play.

What a game

Teams must know that fans have been missing them. Each of the three divisions who have begun play has seen overtime in their first games of the season.

You’d be hard-pressed many who were prepared for such a close game between these two teams, especially after finishing last season at the opposite ends of the division standings. Heading into puck drop, the Portland Winterhawks were clearly the team to beat. However, the Tri-City Americans were determined to prove their doubters wrong.

How it went

The Winterhawks looked (or sounded, depending on your location) like they were the dominant team in the first half of the game. Veteran forward Mason Mannek scored the first goal of the Winterhawks’ season just 6:34 into the first period.

Just over ten minutes later, rookie forward Jake Sloan scored the first goal of his WHL career to tie the game for Tri-City.

Not to be outdone, Reece Newkirk lit the lamp about a minute later with a goal of his own.

The Americans took the first three penalties, and we saw the first period end with Portland holding a 2-1 lead. However, once the Winterhawks began taking penalties of their own, the Americans seized the opportunity with Sasha Mutala scoring to tie the game just over halfway into the second period to tie the game 2-2. The score held, and extra hockey was needed to determine the winner.

The Winterhawks took two penalties in overtime, and the Americans made them pay. Samuel Huo received a beautiful pass from defenseman Marc Lajoie to score the overtime game-winner with 49 seconds remaining.

Goaltenders for both teams had outstanding performances, with Talyn Boyko stopping 27 of 29 shots in net for Tri-City, while Portland was kept in the game by Dante Giannuzzi, who stopped 30 of 33 shots that came his way.

Impacts

Special teams:

  • Special teams played an integral part in this game as two of the Americans’ three goals, including the overtime game-winner, came while on the power play. Meanwhile, the Winterhawks’ power play also provided the second of their two goals.

Rookies:

  • The Winterhawks’ as Aidan Litke on the third line and the entire fourth line of Jonah Bevington, Kyle Chyzowski, and Marcus Nguyen all made their WHL debuts tonight. On the blue line, Ryder Thompson and Brody Tallman also made their first WHL appearance.
  • For the home team, forwards Rhett Melnyk, Jake Sloan, and defenseman Carson Haynes were the three rookies Americans fans saw for the first time.

Size

  • Tri-City is a large team, and there is no other way to put it. With only four players listed under 6’0 on their roster, teams will be working to compensate for the size difference against the Americans all season.

Perhaps one of the most impressive things we saw tonight was Tri-City keeping Seth Jarvis off the scoresheet. Don’t expect this to be a common occurrence, but other teams may want to take note.

These two teams will face one another five more times this season. The next meeting will take place on Friday, April 2 with Portland hosting Tri-City.