Tri-City Herald: Americans ready for New Year

By Annie Fowler | Tri-City Herald

Until you have experienced the Tri-City Americans-Spokane Chiefs New Year’s Eve game as a player, you don’t quite know what to expect when you step on the ice.

Americans captain Justin Feser has played in three New Year’s Eve games (he missed his rookie year when he was playing for Team Pacific at the U-17 Hockey Challenge), and he said it never gets old.

“It’s always a fun game to look forward to,” said Feser, who leads the Americans with 21 goals and 44 points. “The building will be rockin’ and we can feed off that energy. My first one (New Year’s Eve game) is something I will never forget. I’ve talked to a few former players recently and they wished us luck. They miss these games and wish they could be back playing.”

This is the 23rd year of the series, which began in 1990 with a 6-5 Spokane victory. Tri-City leads the New Year’s Eve series 14-6-0-1 with one tie, including a 4-1 victory last year.

Even with the electricity of 6,000 fans flowing in the building, Tri-City coach Jim Hiller said there still is no calm before the storm.

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