Americans shut out T-Birds, 4-0 | WHL

For the Reporter

The Tri-City Americans shut out the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-0 Friday night in Western Hockey League play at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.

Seattle (22-18-2-3) plays the Portland Winterhawks at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the ShoWare Center. The game is the annual Fred Meyer Teddy Bear Toss game presented by WARM 106.9 FM. They travel to the Spokane to play the Chiefs at 5:05 p.m. Sunday.

Mathew Barzal returned to the T-Birds lineup after missing 26 games with a fractured kneecap.

Tri-City goalie Evan Sarthou made 25 saves to get the shutout.

Tri-City (23-22-0-2) opened the scoring at 11:35 of the first period. Richard Nejezchleb brought the puck out from behind the Seattle net at the right post. He centered to Beau McCue in the low slot. McCue beat a lunging Taran Kozun for the goal. Parker Bowles had the second assist.

Bowles scored two power-play goals in under three minutes in the second period to give the Americans a 3-0 lead. The first one came at 10:37 on a feed from Nejezchleb behind the net. The second one came at 13:26, on a four-on-three power play, off assists from Wotherspoon and McCue.

Lucas Nickles scored an unassisted empty-net goal at 18:56 of the third period to seal the win for the Americans.

Kozun stopped 20 of 23 shots and his record is now 20-13-2-3.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Tri-City, McCue 17 (Nejezchleb, Bowles), 11:35. Penalties – Neuls, Sea (hooking), 8:13. Eansor, Sea (checking from behind), 14:27. McCue, Tri (kneeing), 18:23.

Second period – 2, Tri-City, Bowles 11 (Nejezchleb, Wotherspoon), 10:37 (pp). 3, Tri-City, Bowles 12 (Wotherspoon, McCue), 13:26 (pp). Penalties – Wardley, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 5:00. Nejezchleb, Tri (unsportsmanlike conduct), 5:00. Volcan, Sea (hooking), 10:19. Cochrane, Tri (interference), 11:23. Kolesar, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 11:59. Theodore, Sea (roughing), 12:26. Gutierrez, Tri (unsportsmanlike conduct), 18:06.

Third period – 4, Tri-City, Nickles 17, 18:56 (en). Penalties – Neuls, Sea (cross checking), 2:55. O’Reilly, Tri (hooking), 7:04. Osterman, Sea (hooking), 10:09. Topping, Tri (cross checking), 13:50. James, Tri (slashing), 19:31.

Shots on goal – Seattle 2-8-15 25, Tri-City 7-9-8 24. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 23 shots-20 saves (20-13-2-3); Tri-City, Sarthou 25-25 (9-12-0-2). Power plays – Seattle 0-6; Tri-City 2-7. A – 4,087. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Curtis Marouelli. Linesmen – Jason Michelbook, Trevor Shively.