The Tri-City Americans began their weekend set against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who entered the night at the bottom of the WHL standings. After a rough opening frame, the Americans clawed their way back to force overtime but ultimately fell 4–3, with Lethbridge’s Shane Smith netting his third career overtime winner.
First Period
Lethbridge struck first at 5:42 when Kade Duell carried the puck down the left wing and fed Hudson Kibblewhite, who fired a quick wrist shot past a sprawling Ryan Grout to make it 1–0.
The Hurricanes doubled their lead just three minutes later on the power play. Shane Smith’s shot from the point found its way through traffic and slipped five-hole on Grout for a 2–0 advantage.
Tri-City failed to capitalize on their own power play opportunity later in the period, managing not a single shot on goal. Lethbridge would thus carry a 2–0 lead into the intermission while outshooting the Americans 9–6.
Second Period
The Americans came alive in the middle frame, outshooting Lethbridge 15–8 and finally breaking through at 11:18. Carter Kingerski’s shot trickled through Koen Cleaver’s pads, and defenseman David Byrne — crashing the net — buried the loose puck for his first career WHL goal.
Lethbridge nearly restored their two-goal lead late in the period, ringing a shot off the crossbar, but Tri-City entered the third down just 2–1.
Third Period
Tri-City’s momentum carried into the third as Cruz Pavao tied the game just one minute in. A turnover from Lethbridge’s Carson Adaire led to a Pavao breakaway, and the forward made no mistake, burying his fifth of the season.
Adaire made amends midway through the period, finishing a setup from Duell to give Lethbridge a 3–2 lead.
With under five minutes left, Tri-City tied the game again when Carter Savage’s routine shot from the boards slipped through Cleaver’s glove and was accidentally knocked in by Lethbridge’s Shane Smith — Savage’s first goal of the year.
Tied 3–3, the game headed to overtime — Tri-City’s first game of overtime this season.
Overtime
Early in the extra frame, Jake Gudelj nearly connected with Savin Virk on a spinning pass, but Lethbridge turned the play the other way.
Nathan Maloney drove wide along the right wing and then towards the net, sending a backhand on goal that created a rebound. Easten Daneault corralled it and fed Shane Smith in the slot, who roofed a wrister over Grout’s blocker for his third career overtime winner.
Postgame/What’s Next
The overtime loss drops Tri-City to 5–7–1 on the season, placing them 10th in the Western Conference. The Hurricanes snapped a four-game skid with the win.
Tri-City went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Lethbridge finished 1-for-3. Bright spots for the Americans included Byrne’s first WHL goal, and two-assist performances from both Jesse McKinnon and Carter Kingerski.
The Americans now turn their attention to Sunday’s matchup against the Eastern Conference-leading Medicine Hat Tigers, led by projected No. 1 NHL Draft pick Gavin McKenna.
