First Round Series Preview: Americans vs. Chiefs

2013 WHL Playoffs – 1st Round: (5) Tri-City Americans (40-27-2-3, 85 pts) vs. (4) Spokane Chiefs (44-26-2-0, 90 pts)

Western Conference Quarter-Finals Series (Best-of-7 Series)
Game 1: 03/22/12, Tri-City at Spokane                           Game 5: 03/30/12, Spokane at Tri-City  * If necessary
Game 2: 03/23/12, Tri-City at Spokane                           Game 6: 04/02/12, Tri-City at Spokane  * If necessary
Game 3: 03/26/12, Spokane at Tri-CIty                           Game 7: 04/03/12, Tri-City at Spokane  * If necessary
Game 4: 03/28/12, Spokane at Tri-City

Series vs. Spokane – Regular Season (12-Game Series)
Game 1: 09/22/12, Spokane 5, at Tri-City 2                   Game 7: 12/31/12, at Tri-City 6, Spokane 3
Game 2: 09/29/12, at Spokane 5, Tri-City 3                   Game 8: 01/19/13, Tri-City 4, at Spokane 3 (OT)
Game 3: 10/27/12, Spokane 3, at Tri-City 2                   Game 9: 02/09/13, at Spokane 5, Tri-City 2
Game 4: 11/23/12, at Tri-City 5, Spokane 4 (OT)           Game 10: 02/16/13, at Tri-City 6, Spokane 0
Game 5: 11/24/12, at Spokane 5, Tri-City 2                   Game 11: 03/15/13, at Spokane 6, Tri-City
Game 6: 12/15/12, Tri-City 2, at Spokane 1                   Game 12: 03/16/13, Spokane 3, at Tri-City 2 (OT)
Spokane wins series 7-5

Spokane Playoff History – Last Five Seasons
2012: 13 GP, 7-6, Lost in Conference Semi-Finals to Tri-City, 4 games to 3
2011: 17 GP, 10-7-0, Lost in Conference Finals to Portland, 4 games to 2
2010: 7 GP, 3-4, Lost in First Round to Portland, 4 games to 3
2009: 12 GP, 7-5, Lost in Conference Semi-Finals to Vancouver, 4 games to 3
2008: 21 GP, 16-5, Won WHL Championship vs. Lethbridge, 4 games to 0 (*Won Memorial Cup)

Tri-City Playoff History – Last Five Seasons
2012: 15 GP, 11-2-5, Lost in Conference Finals to Portland, 4 games to 0
2011: 10 GP, 6-4-0, Lost in Conference Semi-Finals to Spokane, 4 games to 2
2010: 22 GP, 13-9-0, Lost in WHL Finals to Calgary, 4 games to 1
2009: 11 GP, 6-5-0, Lost in Conference Semi-Finals to Kelowna, 4 games to 2
2008: 16 GP, 11-5-0, Lost in Conference Finals to Spokane, 4 games to 3

Tri-City All-Time Playoff Leaders -- Skaters
Points (top-5)                                                       Goals (top-5)                                                         Assists (top-5)
64, Brendan Shinnimin (08-12)                  29, Daymond Langkow (91-96)                  45, Brendan Shinnimin (08-12)
59, Daymond Langkow (91-96)                  19, Brendan Shinnimin (08-12)                  38, Kruise Reddick (06-11)
57, Kruise Reddick, (06-11)                         19,Adam Hughesman (06-12)                       34, Adam Hughesman (06-12)
56, Adam Hughesman (06-12)                  19,Kruise Reddick (96-11)                         30, Daymond Langkow (06-present)
45, Justin Feser (08-present)                  16, Justin Feser (08-present)                     29, Justin Feser (08-present)                                 

Tri-City All-Time Playoff Leaders -- Goaltenders
Wins (top-5)                                         Goals Against Avg. (top-5)                 Save Percentage (top-5)
18, Drew Owsley (08-11)                      2.43, Chet Pickard (05-09)              0.920, Drew Owsley (08-11)
17, Chet Pickard (05-09)                         2.46, Ty Rimmer (11-12)                 0.919, Ty Rimmer (11-12)
12, Brian Boucher (94-97)                    2.49, Drew Owsley (08-11)               0.914, Carey Price (03-07)
9, Carey Price (03-07)                         2.49, Carey Price (03-07)                 0.913, Tyler Weiman (90-92)
8, Ty Rimmer (11-12)                              2.58, Jeff Blair (98-99)                     0.911, Mark Dawkins (09-10)

What to Watch
Spokane:
Brenden Kichton enters the game as the leading scorer among defenseman in the league. He scored 22 goals and 63 assists and had 19 more points than the second highest scoring defenseman in the league and ended the season with a five game point streak that included a goal and nine assists. Kichton was the leading scorer against the Americans this season with two goals and 13 assists. Mitch Holmberg was the second leading scorer on the Chiefs and against the Americans with seven goals and four assists. The 19-year-old forward is having his best season with 39 goals and 41 assists. Spokane won eight of their last 10 games heading into the 2013 WHL Playoffs. The Chiefs scored the fifth most goals in the WHL this season and third most goals in the Western Conference.

Tri-City:
Justin Feser and Zachary Yuen are the most post-season experienced Americans. Feser is fifth all-time in assists (29) and points (45) and fourth in the goals (16) on the Americans all-time lists. Feser scored 44 goals and 62 assists this season, which means he recorded a point for 43.4 percent of the team’s goals. He ranked fourth in the league in scoring and was 40 points higher than the second highest point scorer on the team Malte Strömwall. Strömwall came on strong in his second season with 21 goals and 45 assists, including the most points against the Chiefs with six goals and six assists. Parker Bowles was the leading rookie scorer this season with 21 goals and 23 assists, including the second most points against the Chiefs with seven goals and four assists. The Americans’ ’95 born players have scored 65 goals this season compared to the 28 goals the Chiefs’ ’95 born players have scored this season. The 65 goals accounted for 26.6 percent of the Americans goals this season.  

Tri-City Roster Age Breakdown
Total Players: 28
Average Age: 17.93
20 year Olds – 3 – Dow, Feser, Mychan
19 year Olds – 6 – Dallman, Lee-Knight, Tot, Topping, Walter, Yuen
18 year Olds – 8 – Hamonic, M. Messier, Nickles, Plutnar, Rankin, Strömwall, Trombley, Tomchuk
17 year Olds – 9 – Bowles, Bulbuc, Chynoweth, Comrie, Filbrandt, Gelinas, Gutierrez, McCue, Williams
16 year Olds – 1 – Carlo
15 year Olds – 1 -- Wotherspoon    

How the Americans Were Built
1st Round (4): Comrie, Rankin, Yuen, Wotherspoon
2nd Round (1): M. Messier
5th Round (1): Hamonic
8th Round (1): Williams
9th Round (1): Feser
10^th Round (2): Carlo, Filbrandt
Listed (12): Bowles, Bulbuc, Dallman, Dow, Gelinas, Gutierrez, McCue, Nickles, Lee-Knight, Trombley, Tomchuk, Walter
Trade (4): Chynoweth, Mychan, Tot, Topping
Import Draft (2): Plutnar, Strömwall

Regular Season Scoring Statistics – Tri-City
Leading after 1st Period: 22-4-1-1
Leading after 2nd Period: 26-0-0-2
Tied after 1st Period: 13-7-1-1
Tied after 2nd Period: 8-5-2-1
Trailing after 1st Period: 5-16-0-1
Trailing after 2nd Period: 6-22-0-0
Out Shooting Opponents: 18-10-0-2
Out Shot by Opponents: 21-16-2-0
When Shots are Tied: 1-1-0-1
Score First Goal of Game: 25-5-1-2
Opp. Score First Goal of Game: 15-22-1-1

Tri-City Record vs. …
U.S. Division: 20-18-1-1
B.C. Division: 11-7-0-2
Western Conference: 31-25-1-3
Central Division: 4-2-0-0
East Division: 5-0-1-0
Eastern Conference: 9-2-1-0

Tri-City Season Highs & Lows – Team
Streaks
Longest Winning Streak: 6 games (02.15 at Portland thru 02.26 vs. Portland)
Longest Home Winning Streak: 5 games (02.16 vs. Spokane thru 02.26 vs. Portland)
Longest Road Winning Streak: 5 games (2x) (recent 01.15 at Everett thru 02.02 at Seattle)
Longest Losing Streak: 5 games (03.09 vs. Prince George thru 03.17 at Everett)
Longest Home Losing Streak: 4 games (12.06 vs. Seattle thru 12.28 vs. Portland)
Longest Road Losing Streak: 5 games (10.26 at Seattle thru 11.30 at Kamloops)

Scoring
Most Goals Scored – Game: 9 (2x) (11.04, vs. Vancouver; 01.16 at Vancouver)
Most Goals Scored – Period: 5 (2^nd, 11.04 vs. Vancouver)
Most Goals Allowed – Game: 8 (2x) (12.06 vs. Seattle; 03.12 at Seattle)
Most Goals Allowed – Period: 5 (1st, 03.17 at Everett)
Largest Margin of Victory: 8 (11.04 vs. Vancouver)
Largest Margin of Defeat: 7 (01.26 vs. Portland)
Most Power Play Goals – Game: 3 (2x) (recent 03.17 at Everett)
Most Power Play Opportunities – Game: 8 (02.12 vs. Calgary)
Most Power Play Goals Against – Game: 4 (02.08 vs. Victoria)
Most Power Play Opportunities Against – Game: 7 (01.09 at Kamloops)

Shooting
Most Shots Taken – Game: 46 (2x) (12.11 vs. Everett; 12.28 vs. Portland)
Most Shots Taken – Period: 20 (3rd, 01.15 at Everett)
Fewest Shots Taken – Game: 13 (12.07 at Portland)
Fewest Shots Taken – Period: 2 (2x) (recent 3rd, 03.05 at Prince George)
Most Shots Allowed – Game: 46 (12.07 at Portland)
Most Shots Allowed – Period: 23 (2x) (recent 1st, 02.15 at Portland)
Fewest Shots Allowed – Game: 15 (11.04 vs. Vancouver)
Fewest Shots Allowed – Period: 2 (3^rd, 10.27 vs. Spokane; 1^st, 11.04 vs. Vancouver)

Penalty Minutes
Most Penalty Minutes – Game: 62 (11.24 at Spokane)
Fewest Penalty Minutes – Game: 2 (02.23 vs. Edmonton)
Most Opponent Penalty Minutes – Game: 58 (01.30 vs. Prince George)
Fewest Opponent Penalty Minutes – Game: 0 (03.08 vs. Kootenay)

2012-13 Tri-City Americans – Career Playoff Totals

Points                                                     Goals                                             Assists

   Games Played                               Plus/Minus                     Penalty Minutes