Ams, Chiefs at it again tonight
KENNEWICK -- Dig out your party hats and noise makers, the Tri-City Americans and Spokane Chiefs are bringing New Year's Eve to Presidents Day.
Nearly two months after unsafe playing conditions brought the Dec. 31 game to a halt at 2:35 of the second period, the Americans and Chiefs will meet tonight at Toyota Center to finish what they started.
The game will start over from the beginning, with each team able to dress their best rosters available. Statistical information from the partial game was removed from the league statistics when the game was rescheduled.
"It was an odd night so long ago that it really doesn't matter," said Tri-City coach Jim Hiller of starting over.
The teams played just two nights ago, with the Chiefs rolling to a 6-2 victory for their first win at Toyota Center this season, and picking up a playoff berth in the process. Spokane coach Don Nachbaur is looking for more of the same tonight.
"A game like (Saturday's), you develop character," Nachbaur said. "This has been a hard building for us to play in this year. It was a confidence builder."
The annual matchup between the two U.S. Division rivals is in its 21st year. Tri-City (36-16-2-2, 76 points) leads the New Year's Eve series 13-5-0-1 with one tie. The Americans have won the last three games, including a 5-2 victory over Spokane (37-16-4-2, 80 points) last year.
The Dec. 31 game was called because of a hole in the ice in front of the Americans team bench caused by coolant leaking through a small hole in the pipe beneath the ice, thus melting the ice and making it unsafe to play on.
The pipe was repaired and has held up through 13 games.
The score was tied at 1 when the game was stopped. Kruise Reddick had a goal for the Americans, while Brenden Kichton had the Chiefs' goal.
Tonight, Tri-City can clinch a playoff spot with a win, but the Americans will have to put forth a better effort than they did Saturday.
"We are going to have to bounce back against these guys," said Adam Hughesman, who leads the Americans with 39 goals. "They are a division rival and they are ahead of us in the standings. We can't have games like (Saturday). We can't throw games away."
Tri-City has been able to push bad games aside and move forward. Two weeks ago, it went to U.S. Division-leading Portland and were handed their worst loss of the season, 8-2. The following week, the Americans went back to Memorial Coliseum and shut out the Winterhawks 5-0.
"Everyone is going to have to come out and play their hardest," said Tri-City veteran defenseman Tyler Schmidt. "We can't have any one of us off the game plan. We've played a lot of games lately and it's hard on the body, but we train all summer and practice for these situations."
Spokane also has had a busy schedule, playing their last four games on the road.
"Both of us are beat up right now, but hopefully there will be the fireworks that there was that night," Spokane forward Tyler Johnson said.
Note: Sam Grist, who received a boarding major and a game misconduct for a hit on Spokane's Steven Kuhn in the second period Saturday, was suspended two games by the Western Hockey League. Kuhn missed a couple of shifts after the hit, but played the remainder of the game.
* Annie Fowler: 582-1574; afowler@tricityherald.com
This story was originally published February 21, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Ams, Chiefs at it again tonight ."