HAF
03-31-2007, 06:43 PM
Ams survive in overtime
This story was published Saturday, March 31st, 2007
ANNIE FOWLER HERALD STAFF WRITER
The Tri-City Americans, on the brink of elimination, got the game-winning goal from rookie defenseman Juraj Valach at 12:59 of overtime, and Carey Price made 46 saves to beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 on Friday night at Toyota Center.
The Americans blew a 4-1 second-period lead, with Seattle's Bud Holloway scoring the tying goal with six seconds left in regulation.
"Between the third period and overtime, we talked about refocusing," said Tri-City coach Don Nachbaur, whose team trails Seattle 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. "Sometimes you can see it in their eyes that it's over, but they didn't believe it for a second. They believed they could win and they found a way."
The first-round Western Hockey League playoff series returns to Seattle tonight for Game 6 at KeyArena. Game 7, if necessary, will be played at Toyota Center on Tuesday.
After giving up a two-goal lead in the third period, the Americans persevered in overtime, killing off a Seattle power play before getting one of their own at 12:25.
Valach, working the point on the power play, took a pass from Matt Swaby, skated to the top of the slot and blasted the puck past Seattle goalie Derek Yeomans for his first playoff goal. Swaby had three assists on the night.
"I was thinking some of the guys are 20 and this is their last season," Valach said. "I think it would be bad to loose this series to Seattle 4-1. I knew that I must shoot. I was surprised it went in."
The Americans gave up 16 shots on goal in the third period as the Thunderbirds rallied to tie the game.
Trailing 4-2 with time winding down, Seattle pulled Yeomans with 2:40 left in regulation for an extra attacker, and the move paid off as Aaron Gagnon scored his second goal of the game at 18:49.
Price appeared to preserve the win by making a pad save on a shot by Gagnon with 53 seconds left, but Holloway slipped the puck past Price at the right post to send the game into overtime.
"We knew they weren't going to quit, but we didn't bring as good a game as we should have tonight," Gagnon said. "We thought we had the momentum going into overtime, but you get on the (penalty kill) and they get a shot from the point, there's not much you can do about it."
The Americans, whose top players were lifeless during the two games in Seattle, led the way Friday, beginning with Mike Kaye's first-period power-play goal.
Taylor Procyshen added his second goal of the playoffs, followed by Colton Yellow Horn and Alex Aldred.
Holding a 1-0 lead after the first period, Procyshen gave Tri-Cities a 2-0 lead just 1:35 into the second period, cutting down the center of the slot and burying the puck between Yeomans' pads.
Gagnon pulled the T-birds within 2-1 with a power-play goal at 5:17, but the Americans were on a roll.
Yellow Horn, who had been kept off the score sheet the first four games of the series, gave the Americans a 3-1 lead 8:49 into the second period, skating down the right boards before blasting the puck behind Yeomans from the outer edge of the face-off circle.
Aldred scored a shorthanded goal at 14:36 for a 4-1 Tri-Cities' lead.
"The game plan has always been there. We just haven't been able to capitalize," Aldred said.
This story was published Saturday, March 31st, 2007
ANNIE FOWLER HERALD STAFF WRITER
The Tri-City Americans, on the brink of elimination, got the game-winning goal from rookie defenseman Juraj Valach at 12:59 of overtime, and Carey Price made 46 saves to beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 on Friday night at Toyota Center.
The Americans blew a 4-1 second-period lead, with Seattle's Bud Holloway scoring the tying goal with six seconds left in regulation.
"Between the third period and overtime, we talked about refocusing," said Tri-City coach Don Nachbaur, whose team trails Seattle 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. "Sometimes you can see it in their eyes that it's over, but they didn't believe it for a second. They believed they could win and they found a way."
The first-round Western Hockey League playoff series returns to Seattle tonight for Game 6 at KeyArena. Game 7, if necessary, will be played at Toyota Center on Tuesday.
After giving up a two-goal lead in the third period, the Americans persevered in overtime, killing off a Seattle power play before getting one of their own at 12:25.
Valach, working the point on the power play, took a pass from Matt Swaby, skated to the top of the slot and blasted the puck past Seattle goalie Derek Yeomans for his first playoff goal. Swaby had three assists on the night.
"I was thinking some of the guys are 20 and this is their last season," Valach said. "I think it would be bad to loose this series to Seattle 4-1. I knew that I must shoot. I was surprised it went in."
The Americans gave up 16 shots on goal in the third period as the Thunderbirds rallied to tie the game.
Trailing 4-2 with time winding down, Seattle pulled Yeomans with 2:40 left in regulation for an extra attacker, and the move paid off as Aaron Gagnon scored his second goal of the game at 18:49.
Price appeared to preserve the win by making a pad save on a shot by Gagnon with 53 seconds left, but Holloway slipped the puck past Price at the right post to send the game into overtime.
"We knew they weren't going to quit, but we didn't bring as good a game as we should have tonight," Gagnon said. "We thought we had the momentum going into overtime, but you get on the (penalty kill) and they get a shot from the point, there's not much you can do about it."
The Americans, whose top players were lifeless during the two games in Seattle, led the way Friday, beginning with Mike Kaye's first-period power-play goal.
Taylor Procyshen added his second goal of the playoffs, followed by Colton Yellow Horn and Alex Aldred.
Holding a 1-0 lead after the first period, Procyshen gave Tri-Cities a 2-0 lead just 1:35 into the second period, cutting down the center of the slot and burying the puck between Yeomans' pads.
Gagnon pulled the T-birds within 2-1 with a power-play goal at 5:17, but the Americans were on a roll.
Yellow Horn, who had been kept off the score sheet the first four games of the series, gave the Americans a 3-1 lead 8:49 into the second period, skating down the right boards before blasting the puck behind Yeomans from the outer edge of the face-off circle.
Aldred scored a shorthanded goal at 14:36 for a 4-1 Tri-Cities' lead.
"The game plan has always been there. We just haven't been able to capitalize," Aldred said.