Americans ready for rest, comfort of home ice

One more week of crazy schedules and the Tri-City Americans will get a much-needed week off.

The Americans have played their past eight games in 15 days, with six of those games on the road. They begin a schedule of three games in four nights Wednesday against the visiting Swift Current Broncos (31-10-3-0, 65 points). From there, Tri-City will host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday, then play at Spokane on Saturday before getting six consecutive days off.

Wednesday’s game also begins of a string of games that will feature six of the next seven games on home ice.

“The week off is much needed to get some rest and hopefully gets guys back in the lineup,” Tri-City coach Mike Williamson said. “We want to re-establish ourselves on home ice. We had a great start to the season of winning games here (seven wins in a row) and we haven’t been able to have that success the past month or so. We want to get back to our winning ways here.”

Points also are high on Williamson’s list. The Americans (22-16-5-0, 49 points) have lost their past four games, but remain third in the U.S. Division behind Everett (58 points) and Portland (56). Tri-City also is two points head of Spokane, and has one game in hand on the Chiefs.

“The points are still really big for us,” Williamson said. “Regardless of who we are playing, the magnitude of the games in the U.S. Division is intensified. Swift Current has a top team. They really have added a lot to their team at the deadline. It should be a fast-paced game with a lot skilled hockey players on the ice. It should be entertaining.”

The Americans welcomed Morgan Geekie (16 goals, 49 points) back to the lineup Monday against Everett, and Nolan Yaremko (15 goals, 35 points), who was ill Saturday, also returned. Max James fulfilled his three-game WHL suspension and should be back in the lineup Wednesday.

But Tri-City still is missing forwards Michael Rasmussen (wrist) and Kyle Olson (lower body), and defensemen Juuso Välimäki (upper body) and Roman Kalinichenko (upper body), who is expected to miss the next 6-8 weeks.

“We have to keep our heads on, I guess, and do what we can do with who’s in the lineup,” Williamson said. “Guys have really stepped up and played well. It hasn’t translated into wins, but we have had some great opportunities and experiences for some of the younger players, who might not have gotten that otherwise. That is going to pay dividends down the road.

“Everyone is sticking together. We have been close, and there are things we can do to give ourselves a better chance to win games. We just have to put those things together. The margin for error, when you are playing better teams, or if your lineup is a bit depleted, is a lot smaller. You have to do a lot of little things right each and every time out there or it leads to pucks being in your net.”

Rasmussen, who had surgery before Christmas, has been skating, but has not been a full participant in practice. He still is about two weeks away from playing, but Williamson said it’s good to have him back with the team.

“He’s your captain, and obviously you would like him in your lineup, but if he’s not in the lineup, to be around and in the dressing room,” Williamson said. “He’s a competitive guy, whether he’s on the ice or in the stands, he’s got his game face on. This has been tough on him. At the same time, it’s great to have him back around. He’s not too far off. We have to get by without some guys for a few more weeks, but we know they will be back and we will have to have a big push the last couple of months of the year.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Americans ready for rest, comfort of home ice."