TCH: Price sets AMS mark with 4-0 shutout

Source: http://www.sportstricities.com/sport...-6005785c.html

This story was published in the Tri-City Herald on Saturday, February 5th,
2005

By Annie Fowler, Herald staff writer

Carey Price posted his sixth shutout of the season and set a franchise
record for career shutouts Friday night, but in his own words, the win was
more important.

Price turned away all 16 shots he faced and the Tri-City Americans ended a
four-game losing streak with a 4-0 Western Hockey League victory over Prince
George in front of 2,926 fans at Three Rivers Coliseum.

"It's nice to have an accomplishment like that," Price said of his seventh
career shutout, which broke the record he shared with Aaron Baker (1995-99)
and Tyler Weiman (2000-2004). "We needed a win right now, and this was the
first step."

The Americans (18-24-5-3) closed to within one point of fourth place in the
U.S. Division after the Spokane Chiefs lost 2-1 to Everett on Friday night.

Tri-Cities plays in Spokane tonight.

Prince George (21-30-3-1), which dropped its third straight, holds a
one-point lead over the Kamloops Blazers in the race for the final playoff
berth in the B.C. Division. The Americans won the season series with Cougars
1-3.

Both teams struggled in the first period. Even though each had two power
plays, neither couldn't get into the flow of their offense.

However, the Americans came out on a mission in the second period.

Team captain Marcus Jonasen scored the first of his two goals on the night
at 11:55, taking a beautiful pass from Shane Gimas and burying the puck
behind Scott Bowles.

Clayton Stoner gave the Americans a 2-0 lead at 14:40 of the second,
knocking in a one-timer off the crossbar for his eighth goal of the season
on the man advantage.

"We played down to their level in the first," said Tri-Cities coach Don
Nachbaur. "I thought we sucked the life out of them in the second. We
responded with a different attitude and work ethic."

Tri-Cities kept rolling in the third, going in front 3-0 as Jonasen chipped
in a rebound. Bowles blocked Stoner's shot, and Jonasen took a couple of
stabs at the puck in the crease before getting it over the goal line.

"Those are the breaks we need," said Jonasen, who has a team-high 17 goals.
"This was a huge game. Spokane lost, but we have to take care of our own
business."

Marc Connors finished the scoring at 10:19 of the third, taking a cross-ice
pass from Ian McDonald, who outbattled PG's Colin Patterson for the puck.

"It was fun to watch," said Price, who faced an average of five shots a
period. "In the third, I was chillin'. It was fun to sit back and watch them
play well in front of me."

The Americans peppered Bowles with 45 shots for the night. Bowles shut out
the Americans 1-0 on Nov. 25 at Three Rivers Coliseum when he played for the
Calgary Hitmen.

Notes: Price's shutout was the 102nd this season in the WHL, which is on
pace to shatter last season's mark of 107. ... Keeping track of the time,
score and penalties was a difficult task for fans to do because the aging
scoreboard at the coliseum was not working. Last week, the horn shorted out,
but the rest of the board was working. In an effort to fix the horn, the
circuit board shorted out. Resuscitative efforts Friday afternoon were
unsuccessful.