The Tri-City Americans will play on ROOT Sports five times this season.

Today, the Western Hockey League and ROOT Sports — formerly FSN — released its 10-game broadcast schedule of the Western Conference, and the Americans will appear in the first four games of the series.

The Seattle Thunderbirds will visit Toyota Center on Friday, Jan. 6 as ROOT Sports launches its stretch of 10 consecutive live Friday night broadcasts.

Game 2 of the series has the Americans play at Vancouver on Jan. 13.

Game 3 is Spokane at Tri-Cities on Jan. 20.

On Jan. 27, ROOT Sports will pick up the Americans in Red Deer.

The final scheduled appearance by the Americans is Feb. 17 at Seattle.

Ian Furness — former voice of the Americans — returns this season to perform the play-by-play duties. And Kevin Sawyer, one of the WHL’s toughest players during his days as a Spokane Chief, will serve as Furness’ color man.

Tri-City fans never got tired of hearing Furness shout, "Daymond Langkow got it!"