KENNEWICK Marc Habscheid leaned against the wall outside the Chilliwack Bruins dressing room Wednesday night, trying to understand how his team could play so well, yet still come up short.
Habscheid's team had rallied from a 3-1 deficit late in Game 4 of its playoff series with the Tri-City Americans to force overtime, but it wouldn't be rewarded in the end as the Americans rolled out of Prospera Centre with a 3-1 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.
"It could easily be 3-1 our way," Habscheid said of the rough-and-tumble series. "We will be there (tonight). This thing is far from over."
Game 5 of the series is tonight at Toyota Center. A Tri-City victory would send the Americans into the second round. A win by the Bruins would send the best-of-7 series back to Chilliwack for Game 6 on Sunday.
"It has been a great four games," said Tri-City coach Jim Hiller. "They are a good team. We have to get ourselves ready for Game 5. There are no secrets this far into the series."
The Americans swept the first two games of the series at Toyota Center, including an 8-1 win in Game 2, before splitting the games at Prospera Centre.
"We always talk about how great home ice is," Hiller said. "We are looking forward to seeing everyone (tonight)."
The Tri-City players, who have taken a pounding from the Bruins the last four games, are happy to see the series return home, but know advancing to the next round will not be an easy task.
"We did not want to go back to Tri 2-2," said Americans forward Kruise Reddick, who scored the game-winner Wednesday night. "We have a couple of things to work on. Their backs are against the wall, but they aren't going to quit."
A No. 8 seed has not knocked off a No. 1 seed in the playoffs since the WHL went to the conference format in 2008, though the Bruins would like the opportunity to see if they can.
"This team always battles," said Bruins forward Kevin Sundher. "Whatever it takes. It was a huge high when we tied the game, then it went to a huge low. We'll get back after it (today)."
While Chilliwack struggled to score goals in the first two games (outscored 12-3), they had success at home with eight goals in two games.
Ryan Howse had one goal after the first two games. Going into tonight, he has four goals and five points. Sundher scored a pair of goals at home, as did Jamie Crooks.
But the series is back at Toyota Center, where the Americans have been one of the top teams on home ice this season, winning 29 games (including playoffs) and limiting opponents to 86 goals in 38 games (2.26 per game).
"We feel pretty fortunate to be up 3-1," said Tri-City forward Adam Hughesman. "We have faced adversity in this series and we know it won't get any easier.
"There is a comfort feeling at home you don't have on the road. We love playing in front of our fans. We had a good Game 4 in Chilliwack and we have motivation with Neal (Prokop). I want to play for him, we all do. I texted him today. He's so bored. There's no TV or Internet."
Prokop broke his left femur Tuesday in Game 3. He had surgery Wednesday and is expected to be released from Chilliwack General Hospital on Sunday.
In the series, Brendan Shinni-min leads Tri-City with five goals and two assists, while Hughesman has six assists and Reddick three goals and two assists.
"It would be nice to score a few, but every time I toss them the puck they put it in," said Hughesman, who had 46 assists during the regular season. "In playoffs you need everyone to contribute. I'm just doing my part."
