The Tri-City Americans defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-2 Tuesday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.
The T-Birds next game is Friday against the Everett Silvertips at 5:05pm at accesso ShoWare Center. This game will be broadcast on JOEtv Channel 22/Cable 110 with Ian Furness on the play-by-play and Andy Eide with the analysis. This is the second of five games in April on JOEtv.
Sam Oremba made his T-Bird debut in the game. Oremba, from Regina, Saskatchewan, was the team’s first selection, seventh overall in the 2020 WHL Draft.
Seattle took a 1-0 lead 1:45 into the game on Jordan Gustafson’s third goal of the season. Gustafson pressured an Americans defenseman in the offensive zone and forced a turnover along the right boards. Gustafson got the puck to Oremba who skated down the boards and from below the goal line backhanded the puck into the slot. Oremba’s pass went off a defenseman’s skate to Gustafson who got a shot on goal. Tri-City goalie Talyn Boyko made the save but Keltie Jeri-Leon got a stick on the puck before Gustafson banged it in.
The assist was Oremba’s first point in the WHL.
Tri-City (4-4-0-0) got goals from Ian Ferguson at 2:18 and Samuel Huo at 2:36 of the first to take a 2-1 lead.
The Americans took a 3-1 lead on a goal from Connor Bouchard 31 seconds into the second period. Then they went in front 4-1 on a goal from Booker Daniel at 14:53.
Seattle (5-4-0-0) cut the Americans lead to two goals at 2:01 of the third period on the power play. Keltie Jeri-Leon beat Boyko over the glove from the right circle. Kevin Korchinski and Gustafson had the assists on Jeri-Leon’s sixth goal of the season.
Jeri-Leon has a goal in the last two games and Korchinski has an assist in each of the last two games.
Seattle pulled goalie Jackson Berry with 3:30 left for an extra attacker. The T-Birds had several chances but Mitchel Brown hit the empty net with 12 seconds left in the game for the Americans fifth goal.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Gustafson 3 (Jeri-Leon, Oremba), 1:45. 2, Tri-City, Ferguson 1 (Greenway, Lambert), 2:18. 3, Tri-City, Huo 6 (Mutala, Zazula), 2:36. Penalties – Roberts, Tri (roughing), 3:51. Ciona, Sea (holding), 12:51. Huo, Tri (goaltender interference), 15:46.
Second period – 4, Tri-City, Bouchard 2, :31. 5, Tri-City, Daniel 1 (Sloan), 14:53. Penalties – Ciona, Sea (tripping), 1:14. Ferguson, Tri (interference), 4:00. Bell, Tri (holding), 7:46. McNelly, Sea (double minor-roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 15:42. Bateman, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:42. Lajoie, Tri (roughing), 15:42.
Third period – 6, Seattle, Jeri-Leon 6 (Korchinski, Gustafson), 2:01 (pp). 7, Tri-City, Brown 1, 19:48 (en). Penalties – Huo, Tri (slashing), :27. Andregg, Tri (interference), 11:14.
Shots on goal – Seattle 12-7-11 30, Tri-City 4-12-11 27. Goalies – Seattle, Berry 26 shots-22 saves (1-1-0-0); Tri-City, Boyko 30-28 (4-4-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-6; Tri-City 0-4. Referees – Anthony Guzzo, Sean MacFarlane. Linesmen – Steve Fleming, Casey Schuhmacher.