Stay-Puft
01-30-2006, 06:34 PM
The Tri-City Americans' power play has been more of a hindrance than a help as of late.
Sunday, the Americans had six power plays, including a 5-minute man advantage that spanned the end of the second and three minutes into the third, but the only goals scored came from Vancouver.
The Giants scored three short-handed goals and rookie Tyson Sexsmith got his first Western Hockey League shutout in handing Tri-Cities a 4-0 loss before a crowd of 3,288 at Toyota Center.
"Our power play deflated us. The players have to take a personal responsibility to get the job done," said Americans coach Don Nachbaur, whose team was shutout for the fourth time this season and the first time since Nov. 11 in a 1-0 overtime loss to Seattle. "We made no skilled plays and had mental lapses at critical times."
The Americans lost starting goaltender Carey Price at 1:35 of the third, when his left knee caught a puck shot by Vancouver's Kyle Lamb. Price said he received nine stitches and will be out of action about a week.
Rookie Chet Pickard replaced Price and stood tall, stopping all 17 shots he faced the remainder of the period.
Tri-Cities (20-22-3-3, 46 points) remained in fourth place in the U.S. Division, four points head of Spokane, which lost 5-1 to Everett on Sunday. The Americans are one point back of third-place Portland, which was idle Sunday.
The Giants (33-13-0-5), took over first place in the B.C. Division with 71 points, knocking idle Kootenay (70 points) into second place. Vancouver is 3-0 against Tri-Cities this season.
During the Americans' 5-minute power play, Vancouver scored two short-handed goals to take a 4-0 lead just 1:35 into the third period.
Paul Albers intercepted a long pass up ice from Price to defenseman Nic Knudsen and drove the slot on Price. Albers' shot was blocked by Price, but the rebound came off Price and slid underneath him and into the goal at 19:27 for a 3-0 Vancouver lead.
At 1:35 of the third, Lamb's shot deflected off of Price and landed at the left post. With Price in a heap on the ice, Mario Bliznak poked the puck in the net for a 4-0 lead and a franchise record third short-handed goal in one game.
"When you get three short-handed goals, you are working hard and getting breaks," said Vancouver coach Don Hay. "The key was the third goal to kill the 5-minute major. They had a good second period and were really coming on. They had us on our heels, but Albers made a solid play."
Vancouver wasted no time in taking control of the game, scoring on their first shot on goal as Mitch Bartley caught Price by surprise in the slot, putting the puck past his left elbow at 3:10 of the first period.
The Americans failed to control the puck on the man advantage late in the first, and the Giants benefited with a short-handed goal by Lamb at 17:34 for a 2-0 lead.
Sexsmith, getting just his third start of the season after Dustin Slade tweaked his back in warm-ups, finished with 22 saves, including a barrage of 14 shots and three Tri-City power plays in the second period.
NOTES: Vancouver's Tim Kraus left the game with 15 seconds left in the first period and never returned after getting checked by former Giants teammate Keith Voytechek at mid-ice. ... The Americans are 7-8 vs. the B.C. Division this season. ... Feb. 3 will be Breast Cancer Awareness night when the Americans play host to Everett. The ice will be tinted pink for the game.
Sunday, the Americans had six power plays, including a 5-minute man advantage that spanned the end of the second and three minutes into the third, but the only goals scored came from Vancouver.
The Giants scored three short-handed goals and rookie Tyson Sexsmith got his first Western Hockey League shutout in handing Tri-Cities a 4-0 loss before a crowd of 3,288 at Toyota Center.
"Our power play deflated us. The players have to take a personal responsibility to get the job done," said Americans coach Don Nachbaur, whose team was shutout for the fourth time this season and the first time since Nov. 11 in a 1-0 overtime loss to Seattle. "We made no skilled plays and had mental lapses at critical times."
The Americans lost starting goaltender Carey Price at 1:35 of the third, when his left knee caught a puck shot by Vancouver's Kyle Lamb. Price said he received nine stitches and will be out of action about a week.
Rookie Chet Pickard replaced Price and stood tall, stopping all 17 shots he faced the remainder of the period.
Tri-Cities (20-22-3-3, 46 points) remained in fourth place in the U.S. Division, four points head of Spokane, which lost 5-1 to Everett on Sunday. The Americans are one point back of third-place Portland, which was idle Sunday.
The Giants (33-13-0-5), took over first place in the B.C. Division with 71 points, knocking idle Kootenay (70 points) into second place. Vancouver is 3-0 against Tri-Cities this season.
During the Americans' 5-minute power play, Vancouver scored two short-handed goals to take a 4-0 lead just 1:35 into the third period.
Paul Albers intercepted a long pass up ice from Price to defenseman Nic Knudsen and drove the slot on Price. Albers' shot was blocked by Price, but the rebound came off Price and slid underneath him and into the goal at 19:27 for a 3-0 Vancouver lead.
At 1:35 of the third, Lamb's shot deflected off of Price and landed at the left post. With Price in a heap on the ice, Mario Bliznak poked the puck in the net for a 4-0 lead and a franchise record third short-handed goal in one game.
"When you get three short-handed goals, you are working hard and getting breaks," said Vancouver coach Don Hay. "The key was the third goal to kill the 5-minute major. They had a good second period and were really coming on. They had us on our heels, but Albers made a solid play."
Vancouver wasted no time in taking control of the game, scoring on their first shot on goal as Mitch Bartley caught Price by surprise in the slot, putting the puck past his left elbow at 3:10 of the first period.
The Americans failed to control the puck on the man advantage late in the first, and the Giants benefited with a short-handed goal by Lamb at 17:34 for a 2-0 lead.
Sexsmith, getting just his third start of the season after Dustin Slade tweaked his back in warm-ups, finished with 22 saves, including a barrage of 14 shots and three Tri-City power plays in the second period.
NOTES: Vancouver's Tim Kraus left the game with 15 seconds left in the first period and never returned after getting checked by former Giants teammate Keith Voytechek at mid-ice. ... The Americans are 7-8 vs. the B.C. Division this season. ... Feb. 3 will be Breast Cancer Awareness night when the Americans play host to Everett. The ice will be tinted pink for the game.