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HAF
02-18-2006, 06:06 PM
Ams hold on in shootout
This story was published Saturday, February 18th, 2006

By Annie Fowler, Herald staff writer

Jason Beeman came to the rink with a new look Friday night. By the end of the game, he'd pumped new life into the Tri-City Americans' lackluster effort against the Portland Winter Hawks.

The overage winger from California tied the game at 3 with 2.5 seconds left in regulation, chipping in a rebound off Portland goalie Kurtis Mucha's arm.

A scoreless overtime brought about a shootout, where Ian McDonald would score the only goal the Americans would need for a 4-3 Western Hockey League win over the Winter Hawks at Toyota Center.

"I thought Portland played hard. They deserved better," said Americans coach Don Nachbaur. "We dodged a bullet, but at the end of the day we found a way to tie the game."

With just 9.9 seconds remaining in regulation, the Americans trailed 3-2 and already had pulled goalie Chet Pickard for an extra attacker. Alex Aldred won a big faceoff and the puck slid out to Logan Stephenson.

Stephenson, who had two assists, shot from the point, but was turned away by Mucha. Aldred took a swipe at the puck and Beeman buried it.

"Coach told us to get the puck to the top and try to score," said Beeman, who on Thursday dyed his hair from dark brown to blonde. "You have to go out and give it your best shot. I'm glad it worked. We didn't have the best game. We could have played better as a team."

It has taken a total team effort for the Americans (24-25-4-3, 55 points) to climb out of the U.S. Division cellar and into third place. Tri-Cities, which will play host to Spokane tonight, has a five-point lead over fourth-place Portland (22-30-3-2), and is just four points back of second-place Seattle, which lost a 5-0 game to Vancouver on Friday.

Portland has won just twice in its last 19 games.

"We were better than the last time against Tri-Cities," said Portland coach Mike Williamson of a 6-0 loss to the Americans on Wednesday. "We could have beared down on our chances more, but instead we allowed them a desperation chance at the end."

Juraj Gracik also scored in the shootout for the Americans, but his goal was just icing on the cake after goalie Chet Pickard stopped Portland's Jon Bubnick and Jannik Hansen.

Pickard, in his eighth straight start in place of injured Carey Price, finished with 27 saves.

Portland found the net first as Mike Funk connected with a wrist shot from the left point at 3:47 of the opening period.

The Americans tied the game nine minutes later as Juraj Gracik found a loose puck and tucked it inside the left post just 27 seconds into their second power play.

A turnover by Tri-City defenseman Landon Jones ended up on the stick of Kyle Bailey, who beat Pickard up high for a short-handed goal and a 2-1 lead at 14:25 of the second.

The Americans revived their power play at the other end and tied the game 18 seconds later when Nic Knudsen beat Mucha up high from the top of the slot for his second goal of the season.

The Hawks would take a 3-2 lead at 17:18 off a Hansen goal from the slot.

Portland's Brandon Dubinsky, who missed 18 games with a knee injury, had two assists in his return to the ice.