Brandon, MB - A Brandon goal early in the third forced free hockey, but a Connor Bouchard goal in the seventh round of the shootout proved to be the difference, as the Tri-City Americans won for the seventh time on the road this season, defeating the Brandon Wheat Kings 3-2, in front of 4,286 in a Remembrance Day matinee special at Westoba Place in Brandon.
The Wheat Kings led it 1-0 after one, as Stelio Mattheos slammed home a rebound goal at 18:51 of the first, assisted by Braden Schneider and Ben McCartney.
Tri-City, looking to start a new win streak after Friday's loss at Regina, took the lead with a pair of goals in the second. Riley Sawchuk bounced one in off the goaltender from the corner, for his 8th of the season, assisted by Bouchard at 2:29, tying the game 1-1. The Ams then grabbed the lead late in the period. Blake Stevenson, fresh off a three-game suspension, scored his 3rd of the season off a drop pass in the right circle from Bouchard at 16:59. Sawchuk got the other assist, giving Tri-City a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.
The lead wouldn't hold however. Just past the three minute mark, Luka Berzan redirected a Zach Wytnick shot from the center point, tying the game for Brandon at 3-3. The goal, also assisted by Linden McCorrister, came on the power play at 3:18.
The Americans got the only shot on goal in the extra session and the contest would proceed to a deciding shootout, to see which team would get the extra standings point.
Neither team could dent the twine in the first two rounds, but both scored in the third, Isaac Johnson for Tri-City and Ben McCartney for the Wheat Kings. Both goaltenders would hold strong from there and the shootout would proceed to round seven. Bouchard would score for the Americans and Beck Warm would slam the door on Brandon's Caiden Daley, giving Tri-City the 3-2 win, running their road record this season to an impressive 7-2 and pushing them into third in the U.S. Division, 3 points behind second place Portland. The Americans were 0-for-2 on the power play, the Wheat Kings were 1-for-1 with the extra man.
Both goaltenders were impressive throughout the contest, with Warm making 22 saves for Tri-City and Jiri Patera making 22 saves for Brandon. With the win, the Americans improve to 11-5-0-0 for 22 points and sit third in the U.S. Division, the Wheat Kings slip to 9-4-3-3 for 24 points, third in the East. Tri-City is off Monday, their next action is Tuesday at the Moose Jaw Warriors. Face-off is set for 5:00pm PDT, with Craig West rink side at Mosaic Place calling the action on Newstalk 870 KFLD and online at newstalk870.am beginning at 4:45pm. Brandon hits the ice again on Friday, November 16th at home against Medicine Hat.
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