HAF
03-10-2007, 12:54 PM
Ams set for stretch run
This story was published Friday, March 9th, 2007
ANNIE FOWLER HERALD STAFF WRITER
The Tri-City Americans have just seven games left in the regular season. Not a lot of games, but when you pack them all into a 10-day span, it becomes a grueling two weeks for the players and coaches.
"That's the schedule," said Tri-City coach Don Nachbaur, whose team played 10 games the entire month of November. "We want to be able to hang on to what we've created this season over the next seven games. We had a light first half of the season, but since Christmas, there hasn't been a lot of practice and time to work on things."
The Americans (41-22-1-1, 84 points) are second in the U.S. Division standings, four points ahead of third-place Seattle and nine in front of fourth-place Spokane.
Tri-Cities will play at Spokane (34-26-4-3, 75 points) tonight. The Chiefs, who have five games remaining, have lost their last two games and six of their last 10. The Americans are 6-3-0-1 against Spokane this season.
The Americans will return home to play host to U.S. Division leader Everett on Saturday and the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday.
Next week, the Americans will play host to Portland on Wednesday, Everett on Friday, Spokane on Saturday and will finish the regular season at Seattle on Sunday.
"We have four games in five nights twice against good teams," Nachbaur said. "The consolation is five of the seven we have left are at home and we've played well at home this season (22-8-0-1, winning their last nine at Toyota Center). When we are on our game, we are capable of beating anyone in the league."
Team captain Alex Aldred said the last month of the season has "been a grind" for the players, having just come off a two-week road trip to return home to play eight games in 12 days.
"They kind of packed it all into the last two weeks," said Aldred, who has a team-high 38 assists and a career-high 51 points for one season. "You'd like to have a little leeway, but we aren't fortunate to get that."
The Americans were sluggish Wednesday in a 2-1 overtime win over Seattle, and would like to get their timing back before the playoffs start March 23.
"I think some of the guys are just going through the motions," Aldred said. "We have to get back to focusing and realizing the importance of things. Carey (Price) has been a rock for us all year and we kind of take it for granted that he will make the big save. It would be better for him if we can help out a little."
Price has been outstanding this season, posting 27 wins, a 2.47 goals against average and a .918 save percentage. His 80 victories in four seasons is a franchise record.
Price and second-year goalie Chet Pickard have helped the Americans to 41 wins -- just the third time the team has won 40 games in 19 years since the franchise was relocated from New Westminster, British Columbia, in 1988.
The Americans need four wins to equal the top mark of 45, and five to set a franchise record.
"I look back at the good teams I have played on and we were never close to 41 wins," said Aldred, who played the first three years of his WHL career for the Portland Winter Hawks. "We have to try and put it in perspective how good we are. We are expected to do well because we are a premiere team."
This story was published Friday, March 9th, 2007
ANNIE FOWLER HERALD STAFF WRITER
The Tri-City Americans have just seven games left in the regular season. Not a lot of games, but when you pack them all into a 10-day span, it becomes a grueling two weeks for the players and coaches.
"That's the schedule," said Tri-City coach Don Nachbaur, whose team played 10 games the entire month of November. "We want to be able to hang on to what we've created this season over the next seven games. We had a light first half of the season, but since Christmas, there hasn't been a lot of practice and time to work on things."
The Americans (41-22-1-1, 84 points) are second in the U.S. Division standings, four points ahead of third-place Seattle and nine in front of fourth-place Spokane.
Tri-Cities will play at Spokane (34-26-4-3, 75 points) tonight. The Chiefs, who have five games remaining, have lost their last two games and six of their last 10. The Americans are 6-3-0-1 against Spokane this season.
The Americans will return home to play host to U.S. Division leader Everett on Saturday and the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday.
Next week, the Americans will play host to Portland on Wednesday, Everett on Friday, Spokane on Saturday and will finish the regular season at Seattle on Sunday.
"We have four games in five nights twice against good teams," Nachbaur said. "The consolation is five of the seven we have left are at home and we've played well at home this season (22-8-0-1, winning their last nine at Toyota Center). When we are on our game, we are capable of beating anyone in the league."
Team captain Alex Aldred said the last month of the season has "been a grind" for the players, having just come off a two-week road trip to return home to play eight games in 12 days.
"They kind of packed it all into the last two weeks," said Aldred, who has a team-high 38 assists and a career-high 51 points for one season. "You'd like to have a little leeway, but we aren't fortunate to get that."
The Americans were sluggish Wednesday in a 2-1 overtime win over Seattle, and would like to get their timing back before the playoffs start March 23.
"I think some of the guys are just going through the motions," Aldred said. "We have to get back to focusing and realizing the importance of things. Carey (Price) has been a rock for us all year and we kind of take it for granted that he will make the big save. It would be better for him if we can help out a little."
Price has been outstanding this season, posting 27 wins, a 2.47 goals against average and a .918 save percentage. His 80 victories in four seasons is a franchise record.
Price and second-year goalie Chet Pickard have helped the Americans to 41 wins -- just the third time the team has won 40 games in 19 years since the franchise was relocated from New Westminster, British Columbia, in 1988.
The Americans need four wins to equal the top mark of 45, and five to set a franchise record.
"I look back at the good teams I have played on and we were never close to 41 wins," said Aldred, who played the first three years of his WHL career for the Portland Winter Hawks. "We have to try and put it in perspective how good we are. We are expected to do well because we are a premiere team."