Opponent: Tri-City Americans
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Tri-Cities Coliseum, Kennewick
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Scouting report: The Americans are on a bit of a roll, putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the pack in the U.S. Division. Coming off three straight wins – during which Tri-City scored 18 goals – the Americans (17-13-5-1) are in first place in the division with 40 points, five points ahead of runner-up Portland (15-13-3-0) and nine ahead of fourth-place Everett (13-13-4-1).
Twenty-year-old left wing Ryan Kinasewich continues to shine for the Americans. Kinasewich is third in the Western Hockey League in scoring with 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists). Linemate Dylan Stanley, a 19-year-old center, is close behind with 40 points (21 goals, 19 assists). Tri-City has also gotten a boost from 18-year-old center Ryan Costanzo (six goals, nine assists). Costanzo has two goals and five assists during Tri-City’s winning streak.
However, the Americans will be without two key components. Eighteen-year-old defenseman Shawn Belle, a first-round pick by the St. Louis Blues in the 2003 NHL Draft, is attending Canada’s selection camp for the 2004 World Junior Championships, and 19-year-old left wing Marcus Jonasen, the Americans’ fifth-leading scorer (11 goals, nine assists), is with Sweden’s junior national team.
Nick Patterson
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