Tyler Sandhu scores 3 goals, Tri-City Americans run win streak to 7 games
Tyler Sandhu had a four-point night with a hat trick and an assist, and Jordan Topping scored twice to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 5-1 victory Saturday over the Spokane Chiefs at Memorial Coliseum in Spokane.
The Americans (38-23-3-0, 79 points) have won seven in a row, but still trail U.S. Division-leading Everett by seven points and second-place Seattle by four points as the Western Hockey League season heads into the final three weeks of action.
Spokane (25-26-6-3, 59 points) has lost two in a row and is 2-8 against Tri-City this season.
Sandhu’s hat trick was the second of his career. His first came with Everett on Nov. 13, 2013, in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Regina Pats.
The Americans captain scored one goal in each period, and added an assist on Topping’s second goal of the third.
Spokane’s Kailer Yamamoto scored the first goal of the game at 10:58 of the first, but that would be all Tri-City goalie Evan Sarthou would allow. He finished with 33 saves.
Sandhu’s first goal at 14:41 of the first tied the score. His second at 11:27 of the second would be the winning goal. His third goal gave Tri-City a 4-1 lead the third. Sandhu has points in his past five games.
Tri-City’s Morgan Geekie finished the night with four assists, while Juuso Välimäki added two assists. Geekie has points in his past seven games.
The Americans return to action Friday at Seattle and Saturday at Kelowna.
Americans 5, Chiefs 1
Tri-City | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | 5 |
Spokane | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 |
First — 1, Spo, Ka.Yamamoto 35 (Anderson-Dolan), 10:58. 2, TC, Sandhu 18 (Topping, Välimäki), 14:41. Penalties — Yorke, TC (cross-checking), 8:37.
Second — 3, TC, Sandhu 19 (Geekie, Välimäki), 11:27. Penalties — Sandhu, TC (goaltender interference), 9:14; Zummack, Spo (tripping), 13:03; Reid, Spo (tripping), 15:49.
Third — 4, TC, Topping 22 (Wotherspoon, Geekie), 9:55. 5, TC, Sandhu 20 (Geekie), 12:45. 6, TC, Topping 23 (Geekie, Sandhu), 19:30 (en). Penalties — Sawchuk, TC (tripping), 3:08; Yaremko, TC (hooking), 8:48; Ostir, Spo (embellishment), 8:48; Yaremko, TC (slashing), 13:17; Helgesen, Spo (slashing), 13;17.
Shots — TC 10-10-6 — 26. Spo 12-11-11 — 34. Power plays — TC 0-4. Spo 0-5. Goalies — TC, Sarthou 10-6-2-0 (34 shots-33 saves). Spo, Sittler 14-12-2-1 (25-21). Referees — Sean Raphael and Derek Zalaski. A — 9,331.
This story was originally published February 25, 2017 at 11:05 PM with the headline "Tyler Sandhu scores 3 goals, Tri-City Americans run win streak to 7 games."