The Tri-City Americans became the first team in the Western Hockey League to make the playoffs Friday night, and they didn't even have to lace up their skates.
Seattle's 6-3 loss to Portland qualified the Americans for the postseason.
The Thunderbirds are ninth in the Western Conference and trail first-place Tri-City by 39 points. However, they have only 19 games remaining (for a maximum of 38 points), which eliminates the T-birds from catching the Americans (37-13-0-2, 76 points).
Tri-City, which hasn't played since last Sunday, will play its only game this week tonight in Vancouver at the Langley Events Centre.
A win over the B.C. Division-leading Giants (33-20-1-2,
69 points) would give the Americans their first-ever sweep of the series.
Tri-City is coming off a three-game trip through the Central Division, where it earned three of a possible six points. The Americans have lost three of their last four games after winning six in a row.
The Brandon Wheat Kings (77 points) moved one point ahead of Tri-City and Saskatoon for the overall lead in the WHL, but the Americans have four games in hand on the Wheat Kings and one on the Blades.
The Americans return home Tuesday against Seattle for the first of six games in eight days.
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Ams run out of steam in Spokane
Ams run out of steam in Spokane
SPOKANE -- Playing their third road game in four days, the Tri-City Americans finally ran out of gas Saturday night.
Dominik Uher had two goals and one assist to lead Spokane to a 5-3 win over the Americans before a crowd of 9,667 at Spokane Arena.
Tri-City (33-9-0-0, 66 points), which has lost two of its last three games, saw its lead in the Western Hockey League trimmed to one point with the loss.
Ams off to hot start on home ice
Ams off to hot start on home ice
The Tri-City Americans are hard to beat on home ice, and the start to this season is no different as they have won four consecutive games.
The Americans (6-2-0-0, 12 points), who have won at least 27 games at Toyota Center over the last five years, have a chance for a 5-0 start at home for the fifth time in the last six years, hosting the Brandon Wheat Kings at 7:05 p.m. today.
Brandon has lost three of its last four games with Tri-City, including its last two visits to Toyota Center.
Ams find rough road in Calgary
Ams find rough road in Calgary
CALGARY, Alberta -- The Tri-City Americans have gone from winning 13 consecutive games to winning just three of their last 10 games after a 4-1 loss Sunday to the Calgary Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Ams (35-12-1-1, 72 points) failed to pull even with Kamloops (74 points), or jump ahead of Edmonton (72), in the race for the Scotty Munro trophy.
Calgary (31-17-2-1, 65 points) pulled ahead of idle Medicine Hat and into third place in the Eastern Conference.
Ams beat Medicine Hat in shootout
Ams beat Medicine Hat in shootout
MEDICINE HAT, Alberta -- Justin Feser scored in the fourth round of the shootout to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 4-3 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday before a crowd of 4,006 at The Arena.
"It was an excellent game," said Tri-City coach Jim Hiller. "I think the important part for our team is to understand what we've done and what we've had to do to win."
It was the second consecutive win for the Americans
Americans beat Chiefs 4-1 on road
Americans beat Chiefs 4-1 on road
SPOKANE -- The Tri-City Americans got off to a hot start and led wire-to-wire in handing the Spokane Chiefs a 4-1 loss Saturday night before an announced crowd of 9,856 at Spokane Arena.
"I thought we played very well," Tri-City coach Jim Hiller said. "It's the best game our group of defensemen have played all year. We did a good job of having numbers back and our blue line not giving them easy entries."
The Americans (12-5-0-0) held on to the top spot in the U.S. Division with 24 points. The Portland Winterhawks also have 24 points, but Tri-City has three games in hand.
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