Americans come from behind for victory

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, wanted to go
into his team’s dressing room in the second intermission and peel some
paint.
But he knew it wasn’t necessary.
“They knew they hadn’t played well,” Nachbaur said after his guys came back
from a 4-1 third-period deficit to beat the Kamloops Blazers 5-4 in a
shootout in front of an announced crowd of 3,928 at Interior Savings Centre.
“They knew and I didn’t have to go in there . . . as much as I wanted to.”
The Americans, who finished 2007-08 with the WHL’s best regular-season
record, weren’t good for two periods. At the same time, the Blazers were
terrific.
But at game’s end the Blazers were left wondering how it was they had
managed to lose their fifth straight game, while the Americans — YAWN! —
were leaving town with their fourth consecutive victory.
For 40 minutes, the Blazers got pucks in behind the Tri-City defence, worked
hard, forced turnovers and capitalized on their chances. It all resulted in
four goals — from forwards Uriah Machuga, Kenton Dulle, Dalibor Bortnak and
Brendan Ranford — and a 4-1 lead through 40 minutes.
“That was a real clunker of a game for us,” said Nachbaur, who had
preliminary discussions with the Blazers early in the summer about their
then-vacant head-coaching position. “We looked disinterested for the first
40 minutes. It’s a learning process and we’ve got a lot of young kids who
are new to the league. In order for them to move forward you need your
veterans to set the tempo. We lacked that until the third period.”
In the third period, veteran forwards Taylor Procyshen and Jason Reese led
the charge as the visitors outshot their hosts 15-7 — they had a 40-27 edge
through OT — and took control of proceedings for the first time.
Forwards Johnny Lazo (3:25) , Adam Hughesman (7:11) and Justin Feser (19:27)
pulled the Americans even, forcing overtime and, ultimately, the shootout.
Feser, a 16-year-old freshman from Red Deer, has five goals — three of them
came Oct. 11 when, with his side trailing 3-0, he scored three times and the
Americans went on to beat the Pats 4-3 in a shootout in Regina.
In last night’s shootout, Reese and Hughesman beat goaltender Jon
Groenheyde, while only centre C.J. Stretch could score for the home boys.
“I didn’t think they outplayed us in the third period,” stated Kamloops head
coach Barry Smith. “Everybody can say whatever . . . they threw some pucks
at the net. It’s one team that is 8-3 versus another that’s in a struggle.
That’s the difference.
“We were the best team the whole game. It wasn’t anything they did. A couple
got through Jonny and that was it. I thought we played a real good game and
I’m happy with it. I am happy, I don’t care what the numbers or whatever
say.”
Kamloops defenceman Giffen Nyren said it’s all part of the learning curve.
“We’ve got a young team,” the 19-year-old offered, “and I think it’s just
learning to keep the grind on and not let off at all.”
Even with the Americans carrying the play, Smith chose not to call his
timeout in the third period.
“A timeout only says, ‘Oh no, we’re in trouble . . . we’re worried.’ I
wasn’t worried,” he explained. “I really wasn’t worried the whole time. Even
the last 30 seconds . . . I thought we did the right things. They get a
whack at it and it’s in the net . . .
“People will say, ‘You guys can’t win at the end of a game.’ We were good.
We were good. Whatever . . . I liked our game.”
JUST NOTES: The Americans were 2-for-7 on the PP but failed to score on two
lengthy 5-on-3 advantages. The Blazers were 1-for-3. . . . Groenheyde made
36 saves in a strong effort, but Justin Leclerc will be back in goal tonight
against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. Groenheyde’s performance came
with two former NHL goaltenders in the crowd — Bill Ranford, Brendan’s
uncle, who is the Los Angeles Kings’ goaltending coach, and Sean Burke, who
scouts for the Phoenix Coyotes. . . . Reese had two assists and now has 12
points, including seven helpers, in his last six games. . . . Procyshen
played in his 199th regular season game. . . G Brett Martyniuk, who backed
up for the Americans, is a nephew of former Flin Flon Bombers G Ray
Martyniuk.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca