Americans top Victoria in SO as Lukin scores
Vladislav Lukin scored the only goal in the shootout to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 4-3 victory over the Victoria Royals at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena.
Tied at 3-3 after regulation and overtime, the Royals opted to shoot first in the overtime. Tri-City goaltender Evan Sarthou turned away Jack Walker, while Lukin beat Griffen Outhouse at the other end.
Sarthou would deny Vladimir Bobylev and Matthew Phillips as the Americans hung on for the win.
Trailing 2-0 after the first period, Beau McCue got the Americans (17-20-2-0, 36 points) on the board in the second.
The Royals (23-14-1-3, 50 points) would go out front 3-1 with a goal by Phillips early in the third, only to see Lukin and Tyler Sandhu score for a 3-3 game.
Sarthou finished with 24 saves, while Wotherspoon added two assists.
The teams are back at it tonight in Victoria. Americans coach Mike Williamson will be coaching his 1,000th WHL game.
Americans 4, Royals 3 (SO)
Tri-City | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 |
Victoria | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 |
First — 1, Vic, Soy 16 (Bobylev, Reddekopp), 1:23. 2, Vic, Phillips 20 (Walker), 12:44 (pp). Penalties — Rasmussen, TC (cross-checking), 8:09; Sandhu, TC (cross-checking), 12:15.
Second — 3, TC, McCue 14 (Bowles, Wotherspoon), 15:41 (pp). Penalties — Dmytriw, Vic (slashing), 8:19; Bowles, TC (cross-checking), 9:35; Gagnon, Vic (slashing), 9:35; Wotherspoon, TC (kneeing), 11:11; Rayman, TC (delay of game), 12:13; Pachal, Vic (cross-checking), 14:40; Thompson, Vic (holding), 17:15.
Third — 4, Vic, Phillips 21 (Soy, Forsberg), 6:16 (pp). 5, TC, Lukin 11 (Sandhu, Playfair), 7:20. 6, TC, Sandhu 9 (Topping, Wotherspoon), 11:52 (pp). Penalties — Sandhu, TC (holding), 5:09; Walker, Vic (hooking), 10:24.
Overtime — No scoring. Penalties — None.
Shots — TC 4-11-6-1 — 22. Vic 11-5-8-3 — 27. Power plays — TC 2-5. Vic 2-6. Shootout — TC 1 (Lukin G, Bowles NG). Vic 0 (Walker NG, Bobylev NG, Phillips NG). Goalies — TC, Sarthou 14-18-2-0 (27 shots-24 saves). Vic, Outhouse 5-2-1-1 (22-19). Referees — Dexter Rasmussen and Nick Swaine. A — 3,057.
This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Americans top Victoria in SO as Lukin scores."