The Tri-City Americans saw their three-game winning streak come to an end at home on Tuesday evening, falling 4–2 to the Saskatoon Blades in the lone meeting between the two clubs this season. With the loss, Tri-City drops to 5–7 on the year.
1st Period
The opening period was largely a feeling-out process between two unfamiliar teams that only face each other once a year. Both sides had early opportunities on the power play, but goaltender Xavier Wendt stood tall for Tri-City, making several clutch saves to keep the game scoreless early.
At 15:52, Saskatoon broke the deadlock. Kazden Mathies fired a long shot from the point that deflected off Zach Olson in front. The puck dropped right at Olson’s feet, and he knocked it in past Wendt to open the scoring.
Tri-City responded just a minute later after a costly turnover by the Blades. Brayden Klimpke lost the puck at his own blue line, and Jesse McKinnon jumped on it, racing into the slot and firing a shot past the blocker of Ethan McCallum to tie the game at one.
A questionable roughing call on Gavin Garland late in the period gave Saskatoon a carry-over power play to start the second.
After one, the teams were tied 1–1 with Tri-City outshooting Saskatoon 14–12. Both sides went 0-for-1 on the power play.
2nd Period
Tri-City came out strong in the second period after killing off the rest of Garland’s penalty, pressing the attack and generating several quality chances. Alexander Laing had a few good looks early, including a two-on-one opportunity that slipped away.
Midway through the frame, tempers flared after a save by Wendt. Jaxen Adam went after Gavin Clark in front of the net, attempting to start a fight despite the officials’ efforts to intervene. Adam forced his way past the referee and threw several punches before Clark, who didn’t retaliate although his gloves were off, was taken down.
Adam was given a game misconduct, and Saskatoon was awarded a five-minute power play — but it proved disastrous for the Blades.
Just 20 seconds into the major, Gavin Garland scored his first goal of the season shorthanded to give Tri-City its first and only lead of the night. Off the draw, Savin Virk carried the puck into the zone and fed Garland, who ripped a one-timer past McCallum to make it 2–1.
Saskatoon’s Tristan Doyle then took a tripping penalty, shaving two minutes off the major and further stalling the Blades’ momentum.
Tri-City carried a 2–1 lead into the second intermission, with just 23 seconds remaining on the penalty kill.
3rd Period
The third period was all Saskatoon. Tri-City was limited to just three shots on goal in the final frame as the Blades took over.
Eight minutes in, McCallum made what could be one of the WHL’s saves of the season. After Tri-City’s second power play of the night expired, Virk carried the puck into the zone and fed Jake Gudelj, who one-timed a shot from close range. McCallum stretched out and robbed him with a highlight-reel glove save to keep it a one-goal game.
Just a minute later, Saskatoon tied it up. Off a draw in the Tri-City zone, Rowan Calvert corralled a loose puck in the slot and snapped a quick shot off the post and in to make it 2–2.
The Blades kept pressing and found the go-ahead goal with seven minutes remaining. Hunter Laing centered a pass from the right corner to Cooper Williams, who backhanded it past Wendt to put Saskatoon ahead 3–2.
Tri-City tried to rally late, but the Blades sealed it with an insurance empty net goal in the final minute to secure the 4–2 victory.
Postgame / What’s Next
With the loss, Tri-City falls to 5–7 and sits four points out of a playoff spot currently held by the Kamloops Blazers.
Americans assistant coach Ben Assad shared his thoughts after the game:
“I thought in the first two periods we were really good, and then we just took our foot off the gas in the third. We didn’t pay attention to the details and the stuff that made us successful in the first place, and it came back to bite us in the end.”
Both teams went scoreless on the power play, and Tri-City is now 0-for-8 in their last eight power play chances.
Assad elaborated on what details were missing in the final frame:
“Just some defensive awareness in the D-zone and some intensity stuff.”
He also commented on McCallum’s pivotal third-period save and if it had anything to do with flipping the tide of the game:
“It was a good save, but did it flip the game? I don’t know. I think we just came out flat in the third period, and we did it to ourselves at the end of the day.”
Tri-City will now head on the road for two games against Eastern Conference opponents this weekend before returning home — a departure from the usual extended Eastern swing of recent seasons. Instead of playing all their Eastern Conference matchups in one trip, this year’s schedule splits them up.
Last season, the Americans went 4–2 on their Eastern Conference road swing and will look to find similar success this time around, even with the shorter trip format.
After the game, Assistant Coach Ben Assad said the team is maintaining a positive outlook heading into the weekend:
“We’ve got a lot of guys from Alberta, so I think the players are excited to be closer to home. We’re going to look at it in a positive way — it’s an exciting trip for us, and hopefully we can get back in that win column.”
The Americans open the trip on Saturday, November 1, against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who currently sit last in the Eastern Conference with a 3–11–0–1 record. The following day, Tri-City faces a much tougher test against the Medicine Hat Tigers, the top team in the East, led by standout prospect Gavin McKenna.
