The Tri-City Americans opened their season with a doubleheader in Victoria, taking three of the four possible points in two high-scoring and exciting games that were settled in overtime. Three Americans also made their WHL debuts in a promising start to the season.
Game One
A welcome home for former Royals defenseman Austin Zemlak highlighted Opening Night. Zemlak was traded to Tri-City in late August, and this was his first game back in Victoria. Two American players, forwards Mason Mykichuk and Gavin Garland, also made their WHL debuts.
Mykichuk was drafted in the third round by Tri-City in the 2023 WHL Bantam Draft. Garland had recently flipped his NCAA commitment to join Tri-City as well. Tri-City selected Garland in the second round of the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft.
All night, Tri-City was battling back from a two-goal deficit. However, with the help of a two-goal night from overager Brandon Whynott and 45 saves from netminder Lukas Matecha in regulation, the Americans were able to push the game to overtime.
Victoria, however, was able to send the crowd home happy with a 5-4 win in overtime.
Rookie sensation for Victoria, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff, found his second goal of the game and his career as he streaked toward the far post. Top NHL draft prospect for Victoria, Cole Reschny, found him backdoor to win the game for the Royals, and the Americans would settle for one point to start the season.
Game Two
Although the Americans lost the opener, that was the first time the team got a point on opening night in three years. There were plenty of learning lessons and positives to take from the first game heading into the second game of the doubleheader.
Another Americans player also made his WHL debut in game two. Forward Carter Kingerski, a 2023 second-round pick of Tri-City.
Two American players also picked up their first career goals in this one: Gavin Garland and Kale Margolis.
Margolis opened the scoring at 7:38 in the second period after a sweet tic-tac-toe play; the puck fell right to Margolis, who was waiting on the backdoor and pounded the puck home. Margolis joined the Americans at the end of last year for a few affiliate games as the bench had run dry due to an onslaught of injuries.
Similarly, the game was tightly contested all night and back and forth. However, the Americans did have the upper hand in this one. Outshooting the Royals two-to-one, with shots being 50-24 in favor of Tri-City, keeping Victoria on their heels all night. The Americans also dominated crucial faceoffs, but the game eventually fell to overtime.
Tri-City would reverse the order from last night and take game two in overtime 5-4. Garland, as stated, was the hero tonight, picking up his first career WHL goal.
After a battle behind the Victoria net, Captain Jake Sloan dug out the puck and quickly dished it to Garland, waiting patiently net-front unmarked. Garland then slammed the puck past the pad of Royals goalie Jayden Kraus for an unforgettable first-career goal.
Notes
Here are a few notes from this past weekend of play for the Americans.
Tri-City spent plenty of time on the penalty kill this weekend, as multiple unnecessary penalties occurred. The Americans were on the penalty kill ten times throughout the two games, the second most among WHL teams on opening weekend.
There is still some good to take out of it. Tri-City statistically had the worst penalty kill in the WHL last year and looked brand new this weekend, repelling almost everything Victoria had thrown at them while shorthanded. The Americans impressively killed off nine of the ten power plays for Victoria.
On the other side of special teams, Tri-City ranked 21st on the power play last season and went one for nine on the power play in both games this weekend.
Although the Americans did not convert often on the power play and were disappointing on paper, they seemed able to set up properly in the Victoria end and get plenty of high-scoring chances, which is promising for what was the worst power play in the league last year.
Tri-City also did their damage shots-wise, peppering Jayden Kraus with 92 shots throughout two games, notably 50 in the second game. This has also been something Tri-City has struggled with in the past, which is getting a deluge of shots on the net.
With the win on Saturday, Tri-City snapped a five-game losing streak against the Victoria Royals dating back to last season. This was also the first time the Americans have won in Victoria since December 18th, 2021.
This will also be the last time Tri-City ships off to Victoria this year. The two will next meet in Tri-City on Saturday, January 11th.
Individual Efforts
Tri-City had some outstanding players step up this weekend. Here’s a look at the top players from the weekend:
Captain Jake Sloan got off to the right start and commanded a four-point effort, two goals, and two assists as he sits atop the Americans in points following a great first two games after spending the past week at the Boston Bruins rookie camp. Sloan was also impressive with the faceoffs on Saturday, winning 18 of 32.
Cruz Pavao, Tri-City’s 2023 first-round pick, notched two goals in two games. Pavao continues to impress early in his WHL career, with seven goals in his first ten career WHL games.
Top NHL Draft Prospect, Defenseman Jackson Smith, enjoyed an impressive opening weekend with three assists and a +1. Smith also looked great in his new role as the power play quarterback, which previously belonged to Lukas Dragicevic.
Injuries
Currently, Tri-City has one player known to have an injury that is keeping them out of the lineup: Defenseman Ismail Abogouche.
There is no information on when Abogouche will be back and make his American debut after being traded to Tri-City in May. He was seen wearing a boot on his right foot notably this weekend. There is also no status on the severity of the injury or precisely what it is.
Transactions
A handful of transactions occurred over the week, including one on game day. Here’s a look at them:
2005-Born Forward Shaun Rios, a second-overall pick of Tri-City in the 2020 WHL U.S. Prospect Draft, unexpectedly changed his mind about going to college. After being previously committed to play at Lindenwood University of NCAA D1 and signed with Tri-City on Saturday.
At the time of being drafted, Rios was quoted by Bob Tory for having exceptional pace and a game changer, known for performing best in tight games.
Rios spent last season with the elite Shattuck’s St. Mary 18U prep team. Rios played in 57 games, had 78 points, and had an impressive 32-goal season. Rios will undoubtedly add more depth to this stacked forward group.
Camerin Cardona, the seventh overall selection in the 2021 U.S. Prospect Draft, was released by Tri-City last week.
The Anaheim native played two years in Kennewick, totaling 53 games and having five career points; his 23/24 season was shelved after a shoulder injury sidelined him 14 games into the season. The Ontario Hockey Leagues (OHL) Soo Greyhounds claimed Cardona off waivers as he will be given another opportunity in the CHL.
Another American who spent a few seasons with the team was cut, that being forward Drew Freer.
Freer was slated to begin his fourth season as an American. He played in Tri-City for three seasons and amassed 137 WHL games and 18 career points. Freer is signed to play for the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL this season.
NHL Camps
Three Tri-City players missed out on playing in the WHL Opening Weekend while still away at NHL Training Camps.
Jake Gudelj had an impressive rookie camp with the St. Louis Blues and was invited to their training camp. Gudelj hopes to play his first full season in Tri-City after being sidelined for most of last season due to a shoulder injury sustained during a fight.
Maximillian Curran, a sixth-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche this past summer, was just reassigned from Avalanche training camp on Sunday morning. Curran will be back with the team for next Saturday’s showdown with the Spokane Chiefs.
The last player missing at an NHL Training Camp currently is defenseman Terrell Goldsmith. Goldsmith, acquired in the Dragicevic trade, was a 2023 fourth-round pick of the Utah Hockey Club and will spend camp with former American Juuso Valimaki. Goldsmith’s debut will likely come next Saturday in Spokane.
What’s Next
Tri-City is still two weeks out from its home opener on October 5th against the Kelowna Rockets.
The Americans will travel to Spokane next Saturday, September 28th, to play the Chiefs for their home opener. The puck will drop at 6:05 PM. It’s expected that the players at NHL camps will be back and in the lineup, along with the newly signed Shaun Rios.
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