Tri-City Americans

Americans fall flat against rival Spokane

Tri-City defenseman Juuso Välimäki goes down to block a shot in front of goaltender Beck Warm during Saturday’s game against Spokane at Toyota Center.
Tri-City defenseman Juuso Välimäki goes down to block a shot in front of goaltender Beck Warm during Saturday’s game against Spokane at Toyota Center. Courtsey of Tri-City Americans

Jaret Anderson-Dolan scored three goals and had two assists to lead the Spokane Chiefs to a 6-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans in a key U.S. Division game Saturday at Toyota Center.

The Americans (27-19-7-1), who have lost four in a row, slid into fourth place in the division standings and are tied with Seattle with 62 points.

The Everett Silvertips (74 points) and Portland Winterhawks (72) have put a little distance between themselves and the rest of the teams. Spokane sits third with 65 points.

Tri-City, which held a 2-1 lead after the first period with goals by Michael Rasmussen and Morgan Geekie, gave up the next three to Spokane to trail 4-2 midway through the third.

Juuso Välimäki pulled the Americans within 4-3 with a goal at 9:34 of the third, but the Chiefs would score two more to put the game out reach.

Kailer Yamamoto had a goal and four assists for Spokane, which also got 25 saves from Dawson Weatherill.

Tri-City’s Beck Warm finished with 14 saves. The Americans were 1-for-5 on the power play.

Chiefs 6, Americans 3

Spokane

1

2

3

6

Tri-City

2

0

1

3

First — 1, Spo, Anderson-Dolan 30 (McIndoe, Yamamoto), 6:01. 2, TC, Rasmussen 20 (Coghlan, Geekie), 15:19 (pp). 3, TC, Geekie 21 (Topping).

Second — 4, Spo, Smith 9 (Anderson-Dolan, Yamamoto), 7:29 (pp). 5, Spo, McIndoe 17 (Yamamoto, Smith), 7:53 (pp).

Third — 6, Spo, Anderson-Dolan 31 (Yamamoto, Kral), 8:48. 7, TC, Juuso Välimäki 6 (Sawchuk, Mutala), 9:34. 8, Spo, Yamamoto 12 (Anderson-Dolan, McIndoe), 12:46. 9, Spo, Anderson-Dolan 32 (Smith), 19:15 (en).

Shots — Spo 3-12-5 — 20. TC 12-5-11 — 28. Power plays — Spo 2-5. TC 1-5. Goalies — Spo, Weatherill 18-9-3-2 (28 shots-25 saves). TC, Warm 13-8-1-1 (19-15). Referees — Chris Crich and Dexter Rasmussen. A — 5,011.

This story was originally published February 10, 2018 at 11:59 PM with the headline "Americans fall flat against rival Spokane."

Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW