For the Reporter
The Tri-City Americans defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-2 Sunday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick in a Western Hockey League regular-season finale.
The T-Birds (34-28-8-2) – the second wild-card playoff team in the Western Conference – open the postseason against the U.S. Division champions, Everett Silvertips. Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-seven series are Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24, in Everett.
Tri-City (38-25-8-1) went in front 1-0 at 3:55 of the first period on a goal from Nolan Yaremko. Jake Bean and Kyle Olson had the assists.
The T-Birds answered back quickly when Zack Andrusiak scored at 5:06 of the first. Sami Moilanen threw the puck on net from the right corner. The puck rebounded to Zack and he snuck it past Tri-City goalie Patrick Dea for his 36th goal of the season. Austin Strand had the second assist.
The Americans took a 2-1 lead at 13:41 of the second period on a goal from Jake Bean off assists from Yaremko and Dan Gatenby.
Yaremko scored a second goal, with nine seconds left in the second, to put the Americans in front 3-1. Juuso Valimaki and Jordan Topping had the assists.
Seattle cut the Americans’ lead to one goal at 7:13 of the third period on an unassisted shorthanded breakaway goal by Dillon Hamaliuk, who skated right to left through the low slot and beat Tri-City goalie Beck Warm low on the stick side.
Tri-City took the two-goal lead back at 7:57 of the third on a goal by Parker AuCoin. Morgan Geekie had the only assist.
AuCoin scored a second goal at 15:10 of the third period to get the Americans fifth goal. Valimaki had the only assist.
Tri-City outshot Seattle 42-20 in the game.
Seattle goalie Dorrin Luding had 37 saves on 42 shots, and his record is 9-15-1-0.
Dea played 32 minutes and had nine saves on 10 shots. Warm played 28 minutes and had nine saves on 10 shots.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Tri-City, Yaremko 21 (Bean, Olson), 3:55. 2, Seattle, Andrusiak 36 (Moilanen, Strand), 5:36. Penalties – Moilanen, Sea (double minor-slew footing), 6:36. Valimaki, Tri (high-sticking), 15:38. Hamaliuk, Sea (interference), 16:53.
Second period – 3, Tri-City, Bean 12 (Yaremko, Gatenby), 13:41. 4, Tri-City, Yaremko 22 (Valimaki, Topping), 19:51. Penalties – Lee, Sea (roughing), 3:02. Huo, Sea (roughing), 3:02. McNelly, Sea (slashing, roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 3:02. Sawchuk, Tri (roughing), 3:02. Sawchuk, Tri (double minor-roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 3:02. Bjorklund, Tri (roughing), 3:02. Tyszka, Sea (roughing), 19:51. Olson, Sea (roughing), 19:51.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Hamaliuk 15, 7:13 (sh). 6, Tri-City, AuCoin 18 (Geekie), 7:57 (pp). 7, Tri-City, AuCoin 19 (Valimaki), 15:10. Penalties – Lee, Sea (high sticking), 4:23. MacLean, Sea (tripping), 6:26. Tyszka, Sea (double minor-cross checking), 8:12. OIson, Tri (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:12. Gatenby, Tri (tripping), 10:54. MacLean, Sea (cross checking), 13:19. Bouchard, Tri (10-minute misconduct), 19:49.
Shots on goal – Seattle 7-5-8 20, Tri-City 13-11-18 42. Goalies – Seattle, Luding 42 shots-37 saves (9-15-1-0); Tri-City, Dea 10-9 (23-14-7-0), Warm 10-9. Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Tri-City 2-8. A – 3,708. Referees – Mike Campbell, Mark Pearce. Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Michael McGowan.
