Tri-City Americans go into busy week short-handed

The Tri-City Americans will open a three-game week tonight at the Portland Winterhawks.

It’s a typical week in the Western Hockey League, but when you are down two of your best defensemen, are without two rookie forwards who have made big contributions on the young season, and are on a three-game slide, there are no rainbows on the horizon.

“We have talked about it,” Tri-City coach Mike Williamson said of his team’s latest adversity. “The guys have had to experience it, and now we move forward. We have been in games, tied in the third and should have more to show for it. We have to play a little smarter and know the significance of getting points. We can’t have the mental lapses that have cost us games lately.”

While the losses were hard to swallow, the loss of veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo, who suffered an upper-body injury Saturday against Portland, is more devastating for the Americans (4-7-1-0, 9 points).

Carlo left with 2 minutes remaining in the second period and did not return.

“He’s doing better,” Williamson said. “He is going to be out for a bit. It’s not major or long term. We will re-evaluate in a week. He will be out at least a couple weeks.”

Carlo, a second-round NHL draft pick of the Boston Bruins in June, is the second Americans defenseman to go on the disabled list. Riley Hillis, who was injured in his second game of the season, is looking at a somewhat lengthy rehabilitation stint because of an upper-body injury.

The Americans are down to six healthy defensemen, but they will get a little help this week after bringing in Jeff Rayman, 19, who played the past two seasons with Spokane.

The Chiefs released the 6-foot-3, 211-pound Rayman on Oct. 1.

“He won’t play (today), but he’ll get time this weekend,” Williamson said.

Rayman, a native of Fernie, British Columbia, arrived in the Tri-Cities on Tuesday, but not in time for practice.

“It’s a bit different,” Rayman said of suiting up for the Americans. “I was willing to take anything that came up. I got the call from Tri, and I was excited. It’s a new opportunity. It is a privilege to play in this league. The main thing was to get back in the league again.

“I will skate Thursday and hopefully be in the lineup Friday. I would rather have a practice with the guys before I go out there.”

Meanwhile, Tri-City rookie forwards Michael Rasmussen and Kyle Olson were chosen to play in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, which starts Friday and goes until Nov. 7 in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, British Columbia. They will play for Team Black. They each will miss four games.

“Both Rasmussen and Olson have been playing a lot and regular,” Williamson said. “They are part of our special teams. It’s an opportunity for others to step in. It would be nice if we were healthy. The guys we have will have to step up and get the job done.”

After tonight, the Americans will host the Vancouver Giants on Friday, then play at Vancouver on Sunday.

“Our schedule is pretty busy right now with lots of games,” Williamson said. “Three in five nights is an opportunity for guys to get some ice time.”

TRADING BLOCK: The Giants acquired defenseman Ben Thomas and forward Chase Lang from the Calgary Hitmen for overage forward Jackson Houck, winger Jakob Stukel, goaltender Cody Porter and a conditional third-round pick in the 2017 WHL bantam draft.

This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 8:38 PM with the headline "Tri-City Americans go into busy week short-handed."