Game One – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Tri-City began another week full of plenty of games Wednesday night at home against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Hurricanes would take a tightly contested game in overtime 3-2.
Lethbridge did not take long to get started as the Hurricanes opened scoring at 4:22.
Leo Braillard, who played for Switzerland at the most recent World Juniors, was behind the Tri-City net and backhanded the puck out net front. Logan Wormald from close quarters fired a one-timer by the glove of Lukas Matecha.
The Hurricanes doubled their lead just before the first intermission.
Lethbridge dumped the puck behind the Americans net and Carter Savage of Tri-City retrieved it. Brayden Edwards of Lethbridge came barreling in on a great forecheck, causing Savage to panic behind the net and Edwards poking the puck to the front of the net. Logan Wormald was the first to it and he slipped the puck five-hole on Lukas Matecha.
After a period, Lethbridge led 2-0, and Tri-City led in shots 10-9.
Tri-City started got off to a great start in the second period, scoring 45 seconds in.
Terrell Goldsmith being pressured at the point launched a soft wrist shot to the net. Max Curran snatched the puck at the last moment and pushed it through Jackson Unger’s five-hole.
The Americans had a few power play opportunities in the second to tie the game, but came up empty.
Following two periods of play, Lethbridge still clenched a lead by a score of 2-1. Tri-City still led in shots 25-21.
Gavin Garland just before the halfway marker in the third period tied the game.
Jake Gudelj of Tri-City pressured Tristan Doyle in the slot, forcing a turnover and the puck landed right on Gavin Garland’s stick. Garland then quickly ripped a wrist shot by Unger’s glove for his 20th goal of the season.
Nobody could find the back of the net again, and for the twelfth time this season, Tri-City would play in overtime.
Logan Wormald would complete his first hat trick of his career to give Lethbridge the overtime win.
Lethbridge had a partial two-on-one after Brandon Whynott misplayed the puck. Brayden Edwards slid the puck over to Wormald and Wormald went bardown on Lukas Matecha.
Game One Notes
With the overtime loss, the Americans fall to 8-3 when playing extra hockey.
This was the first time the Lethbridge Hurricanes had beaten the Americans on the road since 1999. This is also the last time the two sides will play each other this season. In the last five years now, the Americans now hold a 2-0-1 record against the Hurricanes.
The final shot tally went the way of Lethbridge 41-31 after the Hurricanes outshot the Americans 20-6 in the third period and overtime combined.
Both teams went 0/3 on the power play. The Americans have now killed off their last 15 penalty kills stretching over three games now.
Gavin Garland picked up the third star with the tying goal midway through the third period. Lukas Matecha had another solid start, picking up 38 saves on 41 shots to get the second star. Logan Wormald of Lethbridge had his first career hat trick as stated and picked up first-star honors.
Game Two – Vancouver Giants
Tri-City made a trip to Langley, British Columbia, to take on the Vancouver Giants Friday night. The Americans would end up dropping another game 6-2.
The Americans did get off to a fabulous start, scoring on the first shot of the game at 1:34.
It was a case of getting pucks on the net and good things happen.
Max Curran pressured at a sharp-angle fired a shot from the far boards that snuck through traffic and went five-hole on Burke Hood.
Vancouver then scored four straight unanswered goals, the first coming at 5:38 in the first period.
On the rush, Jakob Oreskovic fed Maxim Muranov who sped past both American defensemen on a breakaway and went high blocker on Nathan Preston.
Just a minute later, Cameron Schmidt got his first goal of the game for the Giants.
Jaden Lipinski cut into the right circle and made a nice backdoor feed to Schmidt who tapped it home.
After the first period, Vancouver led 2-1, but were outshot 11-5.
Vancouver wasted no time extending their lead, scoring on the power play just a minute into the second period.
Mazden Leslie at the left circle managed to fire away a shot that bounced off the foot of American defenseman Terrell Goldsmith and in for his tenth goal of the season.
The Giants put an end to Nathan Preston’s night at 7:44 and made it a 4-1 advantage.
Ryan Lin at the right point made a hard charge for the net and at the right circle slid the puck to Brett Olson in the slot. Olson was then slashed but still managed to get a shot off and go blocker on Preston.
Lukas Matecha would serve as the American’s goaltender for the rest of the contest after the goal. Preston’s stat line was eight saves on 12 shots and four goals allowed.
Tri-City would bring it within two in the dying embers of the second period during four-on-four play.
Brandon Whynott skating at the point was heavily pressured and chucked a puck toward the net which got tipped by Carter MacAdams. Burke Hood took a swipe at it with his glove but missed, and the puck snuck in.
After two periods, Vancouver led 4-2, but Tri-City still led in shots 23-14.
Vancouver came out guns blazing in the third, scoring only 11 seconds into the third period.
Ryan Lin and Ty Halaburda moved in with a two-on-one opportunity. Lin slid the puck over to Halaburda, and Halaburda popped the puck over Matecha’s blocker.
The Giants weren’t finished and added a sixth goal at 8:25.
Cameron Schmidt skated into the slot and fired a shot that beat Matecha on the blocker side for his second goal of the game.
Tri-City capped off scoring at 17:26 as Carter MacAdams got his second goal in his first game back.
Carter MacAdams barreled into the zone fresh off a line change, and Jackson Smith, who was being heavily pressured along the boards, flipped the puck to MacAdams. MacAdams went old school and cranked a slap shot from the slot, going bar down on Burke Hood.
Game Two Notes
Tri-City slide to 0-1-1 in the season series against the Giants and will not play the B.C. Division side again this season, barring a playoff matchup.
MacAdams with the two goal night ties his previous season best 14 goal season, set last year.
Vancouver went 1/4 on the power play, while Tri-City went 0/4. Mazden Leslie’s power play goal snapped the Tri-City Americans penalty kill streak of fifteen penalties killed off in a row.
The final shot tally went the way of Tri-City, 39-24.
Lukas Matecha’s numbers in net for Tri-City after playing a little over half the game in net was ten saves and two goals allowed. Meanwhile, Burke Hood of Vancouver stopped 36 of 39.
Vancouver swept the three-star nominations, at third star was Cameron Schmidt with two goals and an assist. Burke Hood who held the fort for the Giants all night with 36 saves was nominated for the second star. Rookie sensation, Ryan Lin, was awarded first star with three assists.
Game Three – Wenatchee Wild
Tri-City returned home for the last time on Saturday to take on the Wenatchee Wild for Superhero night as the Americans wore Superman-themed jerseys. Tri-City dropped a close one by a score of 4-2.
Wenatchee got on the board first with a goal at 5:26 in the first.
Miles Cooper cut into the American zone and tapped the puck over to Evan Friesen. Friesen burst into the slot and ripped one glove side on Lukas Matecha.
The Americans battled and tied the game at the 16-minute mark in the first period.
Colorado Avalanche draft pick Max Curran at the left faceoff dot spun around and rifled a shot towards the net that was tipped by Jake Sloan and in.
After a period of play, both teams were nodded up at one, and Tri-City led in shots 10-7.
The Wild got the lead back under seven minutes into the second frame.
Luka Scherbyna headed down to the goal line before flipping the puck out net front to Tye Spencer. Spencer then banged the puck home from close quarters.
The Wild lead did not last and overager Brandon Whynott drew both sides even again at 9:52.
Gavin Garland behind the net centered the puck to Brandon Whynott who fired away a one-time blast that was initially saved by Brendan Gee but trickled in.
Both sides were still even at 2-2 after two periods and in shots at 20-20.
Late in the third at 14:56, former-American Deagan McMillan notched what would go down as the game-winning goal.
Grant Reid at the right circle went busting towards the net and slid the puck backdoor to McMillan who had no trouble finishing the job.
After a great forecheck from the Wild and forcing a turnover in the American’s end with an empty net, Dawson Seitz completed the scoring in the contest sliding the puck into an empty net.
Game Three Notes
Tri-City would drop their third straight game to the Wenatchee Wild and were 2-7-1 in their last ten games, a far outcry from the 12-game winning streak earlier in the season.
Whynott’s goal tonight put him atop the Americans in goals scored with 21, breaking the tie between him and Garland.
Shots went the way of the Wild 29-27. The Wild controlled faceoff wins as well with a 31-27 edge.
Brendan Gee had another strong performance against the Americans, stopping 25 of 27. Lukas Matecha on the other end made 25 saves on 28 shots.
For star honors, Brendan Gee who was excellent in net all night as stated came away with the third star. Terrell Goldsmith was awarded the second star; all though finished the game with no points and a -1. Luka Scherbyna came away with the first star with an’ assist.
Game Four – Wenatchee Wild
The Americans finished out a long week of hockey Sunday afternoon on the road in Wenatchee. Tri-City was able to snap a three-game losing skid against the Wild and take a 3-2 win after holding off a late surge from the Wild.
Tri-City got off to a good start against Wenatchee and opened scoring at 4:32.
After Cash Koch and Max Curran were initially denied by Brendan Gee, Cruz Pavao swooped in and punched it home from close quarters for his sixth goal of the year.
Tri-City doubled their lead halfway through the first following a chaotic sequence.
Luka Scherbyna snapped a wrister that was saved by Matecha, but snuck behind him and slowly trickled to the net. Jake Sloan at the last second cleared the puck off the line and Tri-City began a breakout.
Carter MacAdams skated into the Wenatchee zone and through the slot. MacAdams spun around and fired a pass back to the point where Jake Sloan was just entering the zone. Sloan fired a wrist shot from just outside the left circle going glove side and ending Brendan Gee’s night.
Gee was pulled after just ten minutes in net for Wenatchee, Gee made just three saves on five shots. Veteran netminder Alex Garrett would be between the pipes for the rest of the contest.
Following the first period, the Americans had a solid 2-0 lead, along with a 9-6 shot advantage.
In the second period, Wenatchee would have a shot on the power play and outshoot the Americans 15-7 but came up with nothing.
Tri-City would cement a 3-0 lead at the start of the third period.
Jackson Smith fired a long ball towards the net that was initially saved by Alex Garrett and the puck popped in the air. Savin Virk then smacked the puck out of the air and into the net.
The Wild did not give in though and made the most of their opportunities in the rest of the third period, scoring two goals on four shots.
Reid Andresen just over a minute after the Virk goal at 5:15 scored on the power play right as it started.
Andresen let a shot go from the point after holding onto it for a moment which made its way through traffic, snuck under Matecha’s glove, and in.
Former American Shaun Rios brought the game within one not even a minute following the Andresen goal.
Luka Scherbyna at the point let a shot go that was tipped at the very last moment by Rios and in.
The Americans were able to hold off Wenatchee for the rest of the third, killing off two more penalties, and claiming victory.
Game Four Notes
Tri-City snapped the three-game losing streak mentioned earlier against the Wenatchee Wild and get their only win of the week.
Cruz Pavao’s goal was his first in 19 games. Pavao’s last goal was in Brandon on November 22nd.
Lukas Matecha was great in net on Sunday for the Americans, stopping 23 of 25 and getting his second win of 2025.
Alex Garrett last saw the Americans when he was in a Silvertips uniform, and it is easy to say he fared better tonight than the eight goals he allowed all the way back in early November to the Americans. Garrett stopped 18 of 19 in his third appearance for the Wild.
Transactions
2024 WHL Draft Pick of Tri-City, Alexander Laing, was reassigned to the Delta CSSHL U18 squad this week after making his WHL Debut on January 12th with the Americans.
Ryker Rougeau was reassigned back to the Grand Forks Border Bruins following his appearance Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Jake Gudelj is still out as he is serving a suspension that has not yet been given a sentence, so far Gudelj has served two games for his hit last Friday in Vancouver.
Injury Report
Defenseman Austin Zemlak was given a week-to-week estimate on his injury after sustaining an upper body injury against the Seattle Thunderbirds on January 10th.
Grady Martin who was slammed to the ice against Seattle also on January 10th and received a concussion, is now day-to-day.
Carter Savage is out with a day-to-day upper body injury. Savage missed the home and away game against Wenatchee on Saturday and Sunday.
What’s Next
A three-in-three is written on the calendar for Tri-City. Beginning on Friday, January 24th, the Americans bus up to take on the Portland Winterhawks at 7:05 p.m.
Then the Americans come back and play host to the Medicine Hat Tigers who boast the potential top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna, along with a flurry of other NHL Draft Picks.
Tri-City then travel to Everett on Sunday to close out the week in search of their second win in the last five years in Everett.
The Americans have fallen to seventh in the Western Conference, but with a win or two next weekend could sneak into sixth place, overlapping the Vancouver Giants in the standings.
Make sure you keep it locked on Area 51 for everything Tri-City Americans.
