Music: {allcanada} WHL: AMERICANS DOWN GIANTS WITH SIX SECONDS LEFT

Sunday, December 2, 2012

{allcanada} WHL: AMERICANS DOWN GIANTS WITH SIX SECONDS LEFT

Beau McCue scored the winning goal while shorthanded with only six seconds left in the third period as the Tri-City Americans edged the host Vancouver Giants 4-3 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action.

The 17-year-old rookie also scored in the second period and added an assist for the first three-point performance of his WHL career and the game's first star.

In two victories this season against Vancouver, McCue has produced three goals and five points.

Justin Hamonic and Lucas Nickles also scored for the Americans (17-10-2), who halted a three-game winless streak, while Malte Stromwall chipped in with two assists.

Tristan Sieben, Cain Franson and Wes Vannieuwenhuizen each scored for the Giants (7-20-0), who are now winless in seven games and sit last in the WHL standings.

In his first start of the season, Luke Lee-Knight stopped 38-of-41 shots for the win and the game's second star as Liam Liston made 32 saves in a losing cause.

Lee-Knight split time last season between the Spokane Chiefs and the Prince Albert Raiders before starting this season in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with the Humbolt Broncos.

In 23 career WHL games, the 19-year-old is 3-4-1 with a 4.71 goals-against average and .848 save percentage.

Tri-City failed to score on its only power-play opportunity while Vancouver went 1 for 3.

Elsewhere in the WHL, it was: Spokane 6, Regina 5 (OT); Swift Current 5 Brandon 0; Medicine Hat 2, Lethbridge 1; Saskatoon Red Deer; Moose Jaw 3, Kamloops 2 (SO); Victoria 4, Prince George 3; Portland 4, Everett 1 and Seattle 4, Kelowna 2.

At Vancouver, Nickels opened the scoring for Tri-City 4:48 into the first period after Liston turned over the puck behind his net, but Vannieuwenhuizen responded at 10:02 with a power-play goal to make it 1-1 after 20 minutes of play.

The Giants dominated the second period, outshooting the Americans 19-9, but never could get the lead.

McCue put the Americans ahead five minutes into the second with a shot between Liston's five-hole before Franson tied the game, again, at 16:50.

Sieben finally gave Vancouver its first lead of the game at 12:39 of the third period, however Hamonic responded for Tri-City at 17:49.

The game looked to be heading to extra time before McCrue scored the winning goal.

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Chiefs 6 Pats 5

At Regina, Morgan Klimchuk had three goals and two assists for the Pats (11-14-4), but it wasn't enough as Tyler King scored 2:46 into overtime to give Spokane (19-7-1) its fifth victory in its last six outings.

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Broncos 5 Wheat Kings 0

At Swift Current, Sask., Ryan Moser scored twice and added an assist and Landon Bow and Eetu Laurikainen combined to make 17 saves for the shutout as the Broncos (12-13-5) blanked Brandon (10-16-3), which are winless in five games.

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Tigers 2 Hurricanes 1 (SO)

At Medicine Hat, Alta., Ty Rimmer earned the game's first star by making 37 saves and Elgin Pearce and Curtis Valk both scored in the shootout as the Tigers (13-16-2) halted an eight-game winless slide by downing Lethrbidge (14-14-4).

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Rebels 3 Blades 0

At Red Deer, Alta., Patrik Bartosak stopped 21 shots and Conner Bleackley and Tyson Ness scored first-period goals as the Rebels (16-11-2) picked up their sixth victory in a row by shutting out Saskatoon (13-13-1).

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Warriors 3 Blazers 2 (SO)

At Kamloops, B.C., Brayden Point and Justin Kirsch both scored in the shootout and Justin Paulic stopped 27-of-29 shots as Moose Jaw (11-12-5) slipped past the Blazers (21-6-3), who lost for the first time in three outings.

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Royals 4 Cougars 3

At Prince George, B.C., Mitch Deacon and Brett Cote scored 59 seconds apart in the third period as Victoria (15-12-1) came from behind to beat the Cougars (9-14-4) for the second time in as many nights.

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Winterhawks 4 Silvertips 1

At Everett, Wash., Ty Rattie had a goal and an assist and Brendan Burke made 29 saves as Portland (22-4-1) defeated the Silvertips (11-18-2) for its sixth win in a row and 16th in its last 17 outings.

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Thunderbirds 4 Rockets 2

At Kent, Wash., Brandon Glover made 37 saves and Brendan Rouse, Shea Theodore, Seth Swenson and Roberts Lipsbergs each scored once as the Thunderbirds (13-13-1) halted Kelowna's (17-9-2) five-game winning streak.