Two Western Hockey League teams which mirror each other met Wednesday night in Kennewick, Washington.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not the most skilled team in the league. But we have a willpower that gives us a chance every night,鈥� said Tri-City Americans head coach Kelly Buchberger, during a recent trip to the Island.
The identical can be said for the Victoria Royals, a team without much starry renown, but which has solidly clinched second place in the sa国际传媒 Division for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Americans (34-25-4) defeated the Royals (33-26-4) by a 6-3 count before 2,590 fans at the Toyota Center.
Buchberger, the four-season captain and two-time Stanley Cup champion as a player with the Edmonton Oilers, took the Tri-City job after a stint last season as assistant coach of the New York Islanders in the NHL. He has guided the Americans to a post-season berth. Flagging of late, the Amerks ended a five-game winless streak while the Royals had a four-game points streak snapped.
For Royal-watchers monitoring the team鈥檚 injury situation 鈥� with the playoffs looming and only five games remaining in the regular season 鈥� top forwards Kaid Oliver and Kody McDonald and top-four defenceman Matthew Smith did not play Wednesday. Healthy scratches included defencemen Scott Walford and Ralph Jarratt, while veteran goaltender Griffen Outhouse sat in reserve.
The first period ended 2-2 as Phillip Schultz and Carson Miller scored for Victoria, while Paycen Bjorklund and Dom Schmeimann replied for Tri-City.
The game was tied 3-3 before the Americans took a 4-3 lead into the third period on goals by Riley Sawchuk and Sasha Mutala in the second period while D-Jay Jerome replied for Victoria.
Sawchuk, on a power-play goal, and Mitchell Brown with an empty-netter put it away for Tri-City in the third period.
Rookie goaltender Brock Gould made 25 saves for the Victoria and veteran Beck Warm 20 for Tri-City.
