The Tri-City Americans had hopes of spoiling Spokane’s home opener and the unveiling of Spokane’s 2025 Western Conference Champions banner. Unfortunately, that would not be the case as the Americans fell 3-0. If it weren’t for the stellar play by Xavier Wendt, it would have certainly been a country mile blowout for Spokane, as Wendt made 43 saves on 45 shots in his first career WHL start.

1st Period

Although there was no scoring in the first period, with much thanks to Xavier Wendt who was making his first career start for Tri-City making that possible. Tri-City was massively out possessed and outshot. The Chiefs controlled the puck for the majority of the period. Spokane also massively outshot Tri-City an astonishing 20-3 after the first period.

Xavier Wendt kept it simple on how he stayed composed during the Chiefs onslaught in the first period in what was his first career start.

“Our habits in practice when we are struggling to just get pucks out as a team and they are getting a lot of shots; you just have to keep your habits in place and stuff like that.”

That’s not to say Tri-City did not have their chances, even if it was just three shots. The best chance in the first was likely with Crew Martinson. Martinson was alone in the slot and tried going blocker side on Chiefs netminder Carter Esler but was sticked aside.

With just over two minutes remaining in the first, Jake Gudelj caught Mathis Preston up high, leading to a four-minute double minor assessed to Gudelj as Preston drew blood.

Tri-City was able to survive as stated, the first period in the end which saw Spokane dominate. Entering the second period, Spokane still had just under two minutes left on the power play and would look to take advantage of a mistake by Gudelj.

Tri-City Head Coach Jody Hull, after the game, explained how poor puck management was a key part behind the Americans slow start in the game.

” I don’t think we managed pucks well at all. We talked about puck management before the game, and I thought we turned a lot of pucks over in the offensive zone, with as I call them home plays. Through the neutral zone we didn’t manage pucks well either. They’re a quick transition team, and that just feeds into their game plan.”

2nd Period

Hull before the second, shared what he told his group to attempt to get them back on track.

“At the end of the day I just told them to settle down. I felt like they were kind of in awe of the whole situation.”

In the second, Tri-City started off on the right foot by killing off the rest of Gudelj’s penalty.

However, just five minutes in, it was Spokane that would break the deadlock.

Following a superb save from Esler that saw him sprawl out to make a cross-crease save, the Chiefs broke out. Cohen Harris carried the puck in along the right wing before dropping it off to William McIsaac streaking into the zone. McIsaac would toe-drag into the slot and fire a shot that would beat Wendt five-hole.

Spokane nearly added a second just two minutes after the McIsaac goal, but the shot rang off the crossbar.

The Americans would benefit from clearing the puck off the goal line a few times, and some spectacular saves from Wendt to keep the game at one as the second period died down.

Tri-City did get their only chance on the power play in the contest after Owen Schoettler fired the puck into the crowd for a delay of game. Unfortunately, Tri-City could not capitalize, and Spokane held onto the 1-0 lead.

With that, Spokane would carry a 1-0 lead into the third period. Spokane had outshot Tri-City 16-8 in the second period, and 36-11 in the game up to that point.

3rd Period

Tri-City looked the best they had looked all night at the start of the third, with a handful of chances.

Charlie Elick, who had just returned from the Columbus Blue Jackets, narrowly kept the puck in and sent it to Savin Virk, who was all alone. Virk never could get a good handle of the puck though, and sent his shot wide.

But it was Mathis Preston who just shortly after Virk’s botched attempt, would deliver the dagger, along with some revenge after the high stick from Gudelj cut him earlier in the game.

Owen Schoettler set up Preston who blasted a one-timer from the left circle right by the helpless diving Wendt to make it 2-0 at 15:36.

Tri-City kept fighting but never had any serious threat during the remainder of the third period.

Spokane would add a third goal as insurance by way of the empty net with just 20 seconds left as the Chiefs cruised to a 3-0 win.

What’s Next/Post Game

Tri-City were outshot a whopping 46-19 in total throughout the night, and both teams power plays were held to nothing as Tri-City went 0/1 and Spokane would go 0/2.

In a game where there were not a lot of good things going for Tri-City, Jody Hull did say there was one positive.

“Wendt played incredibly, he kept the game close for us. Wendt’s really just a very competitive kid who’s a winner. “

Hull also spoke about what it would take to get their first win next weekend as the Americans are heading into a three-in-three for the first time this season.

“We just got to decide what we want to do, are we willing to put in the work to try and play a full sixty-minute game. We have to play a certain way as a team to be successful, and that way is playing a simple game. We have a younger group too and it’s managing pucks and try to score some goals on the power play in those situations as well.”

Another noteworthy thing was the absence of overager Carter Savage. Jody Hull stated that Savage had sustained an upper-body injury, but there was nothing else that could be said at the time.

Xavier Wendt through two appearances in the WHL, one career start, and one in relief of Ryan Grout, has excelled, along with having a great preseason. Wendt, although 0-1, has a 1.68 GAA and a .954 Save % to start his WHL career.

Wendt credits his success to his positioning.

“I feel like I can always fall back on my positioning and even on the days where I feel like the puck is moving really fast, I can always lean back on my positioning.”

The season really ramps up for Tri-City as next weekend, Tri-City faces their first three-in-three of the season as stated above.

On Friday, Tri-City heads to Everett, where Tri-City has only won one time in the past five years with a 1-13-2 record in Everett. Then, on Saturday, the Americans will have their own home opener, against Wenatchee. To close out the three-in-three, Tri-City will play Everett again on Sunday at home.