For the Reporter
The Tri-City Americans snapped the Seattle Thunderbirds’ 11-game winning streak with a 2-1 overtime decision Friday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.
Even with the win, the fifth-place Americans were eliminated from reaching the Western Hockey League playoffs. The Spokane Chiefs beat the Portland Winterhawks 5-4 in overtime Friday to bump the Americans from the race.
Tri-City (34-34-2-1) took a 1-0 lead 17:14 of the first period on a goal from Nolan Yaremko.
Seattle (43-23-4-0) tied the game 1-1 at 7:19 of the third period on a shorthanded breakaway goal from Scott Eansor.
Brandon Carlo scored for the Americans at 2:32 of overtime for the game winner.
Tri-City outshot Seattle 29-28 in the game.
The T-Birds’ Logan Flodell made 27 saves on 29 shots and his record is 23-13-4-0. Evan Sarthou stopped 27 of 28 shots and his record is 26-28-2-0.
Cougars are the matchup
The U.S. Division champion Thunderbirds’ first-round opponent in the playoffs was determined Friday night in Kamloops. The T-Birds will face Prince George after the Cougars lost 4-1 to the Blazers.
The Cougars, who are in fourth place in the B.C. Division, are the first wild-card team in the playoffs,
The T-Birds will open the playoffs at the ShoWare Center next Friday and Saturday at the ShoWare Center.
PLAYOFF GLANCE
Best-of-seven series
Game 1 – Prince George at Seattle, Friday, March 25, 7:35 p.m.
Game 2 – Prince George at Seattle, Saturday, March 26, 7:05 p.m.
Game 3 – Seattle at Prince George, Tuesday, March 29, 7 p.m.
Game 4 – Seattle at Prince George, Wednesday, March 30, 7 p.m.
Game 5 – Prince George at Seattle, Friday, April 1, 7:35 p.m.*
Game 6 – Seattle at Prince George, Sunday, April 3, 7 p.m.*
Game 7 – Prince George at Seattle, Tuesday, April 5, 7:05 p.m.*
* if necessary
Single-game playoff tickets are on sale on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The box office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday game days at noon.
The T-Birds have two regular-season games remaining – a home-and-home series with the Winterhawks this weekend. They host the Winterhawks at the ShoWare Center on 7:05 p.m. Saturday and then travel to Portland on Sunday for a 5 p.m. face-off.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Tri-City, Yaremko 7 (AuCoin), 17:14. Penalties – Magnes, Sea (hooking), 11:42. Carlo, Tri (interference), 19:13.
Second period – No scoring. Penalties – No penalties.
Third period – 2, Seattle, Eansor 11, 7:19 (sh). Penalties – True, Sea (boarding), 5:45. Kolesar, Sea (closing hand on puck), 10:53. Holowko, Sea (tripping), 13:29.
Overtime – 3, Tri-City, Carlo 4 (Rasmussen, Lukin), 2:32 . Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 10-5-12-1 28, Tri-City 12-8-7-1 28. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 28 shots-26 saves (23-13-4-0); Tri-City, Sarthou 28-27 (26-28-2-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-1; Tri-City 0-4. A – 4,303. Referees – Mike Campbell, Curtis Marouelli. Linesmen – Michael Bean, Trevor Shively.
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