Game No. 4 - Bucks vs. Americans

Starters: Americans - Erik Adams (D), Jordie Benn (D), Justin Bowers (F), Jarret Lukin (F), Nathan O'Nabigon (F), Chris Whitley (G); Bucks - Jeff Bes (F), Jean-Philippe Levasseur (G), Mike Looby (D), Lance Monych (F), Adam Rivet (D), Darryl Smith (F). Ruskowski is clearly trying to make a good first impression, starting the top line and top defensive pairing. This is basically a power-play unit out there, and actually means all three of the Bucks' letter guys will be on the ice to start. ... Well, that whole intro dealio was rather interesting. The video focused almost entirely on players who are no longer here, I'm pretty sure only about five names were pronounced correctly during player introductions, and the inflatable thing the players skate through almost ate Rivet en route to collapsing.

First Period: Bes and Monych stayed on the ice a good 15 seconds longer than the other starters trying to create a rush that was thwarted by a pass from Bes that missed Monych's stick. ... Two icing calls against the Americans already just a couple minutes in, and Ruskowski has already had a conversation with the officials. Not sure what he was questioning. ... Bucks have taken all the shots so far with three in the first 3:25. Only the last one was a really good chance, but Whitley covered it up in the crease. ... Two big men just went at, as Britt Daugherty and Robin Richards dropped the gloves off a faceoff at 3:54 in the period. Daugherty certainly has an interesting style, as he skated circles (literally) around Richards hunched over then started rumbling his fists around his own face. I call that a draw, slightly in Daugherty's favor. ... Off the next faceoff, the 5-foot-10 Justin Styffe took on the 6-foot-4 Brandon Straub and did a much better job than either of the first two fighters, taking his opponent down and continuing to throw punches after the fact. Straub landed some hits, too, but that one definitely went to Styffe. That guy can seriously throw his punches. ... First non-fighting penalty has occurred, as Bowers has been called for slashing at 4:31. ... Somehow, the Bucks' power play turned into the best scoring chances for the Americans in the game, but the Bucks have the puck back in their offensive zone now. ... Looby just got a great chance one-on-one with Whitley but shot the puck straight into the goalie's chest. ... The one thing Ruskowski has told me most since I started covering this team is, "When we pass well, we play well," and right now, the Bucks aren't passing all too well. ... We're getting a few straight minutes of whistle-free play for the first time tonight, and the Americans got some good chances. The Bucks got lucky when one shot jumped wide, then Jarred Mohr blocked one that would have been a sure challenge for his goalie. ... Some forwards finally got their passes right for a beautiful tic-tac-toe play that resulted in Monych scoring his fourth goal of the season on assists from Evan Schwabe and Maxime Lincourt. Bucks lead 1-0 with 8:01 to play in the first. ... Bruce Graham got sent to the box for high sticking at 14:13 to put the Bucks on their second power play, and just as they did with their first, the Bucks immediately lose the puck into their own defensive zone. ... Well, they got it back into offensive territory pretty quickly and Agarunov knocked home a rebound to make it 2-o in favor of the Bucks with 4:39 to play in the period. Looby and Lincourt currently have the assists, but I could've sworn Schwabe should had something to do with that play. ... A good individual effort by Styffe, who is a pretty strong and speedy skater for someone known pretty much only for his fighting, got the Bucks another chance, but he had no one trailing to get a stick on the puck he sent toward Whitley. ... The Bucks have really been on fire with the centering passes the past few minutes, but there just hasn't been anyone around to knock them home. ... Bes has gone to the box for hooking at 18:08 to give the Americans their first power play of the game. ... They wasted no time taking advantage of that, cutting the Bucks' lead to 2-1 at 18:23. Bill Loupee fired a rebound over Levasseur's shoulder with enough precision that it missed the crossbar by centimeters. Bowers and Benn get the assists. ... The Americans are sucking the enthusiasm out of the building and the momentum away from the Bucks, as they just scored another one at 18:48. Graham got that one on assists from Jason Seerey and Chris Kaufman. Bucks have 1:12 to try to turn things around, or they risk giving the Americans a mental advantage when they come out for the second. Those goals were scored on the Americans' 11th and 12th shots of the game. ... End of the period, game tied 2-2 with shots tied at 14. What an awful way to end the period for the Bucks. ... Oh man, Benway is doing an intermission interview with Monych, and Ruskowski is being forced to answer questions on the ice. That's just harsh. I'm sure Ruskowski is none too pleased.

Second Period: Oh man, sucks to be Whitley right now. He just absolutely stoned Lincourt on a great breakaway chance only to have Bes skate in and knock the puck into the net. Bucks lead 3-2 at 3:47 in the period. Smith gets the second assist. That goal could be bigger than scoring first in the game. ... Lincourt just stole the puck to get another good chance, but this time the pack was close enough behind to prevent his rebound from getting sent past Whitley. ... Bucks get the first power play of the period now as Seerey is headed to the box at 5:44 for hooking. ... Looby managed to hit the pipes on a soft shot from the blue line, but nothing got closer than that for the Bucks on that advantage. ... Bucks are going back on the power play at 10:13 but Schwabe almost prevented that as he nearly scored during during the delayed call. Whitley didn't have the puck fully in his glove and fumbled it around within the net but eventually got control and the penalty whistle. Bowers was the guilty party with a hook. ... Bucks couldn't get anything really going on the power play, but the Americans did not long after it ended. The game is tied once again on Graham's second goal of the game at 12:27 in the period. Nino Musitelli and Christian Gaudet got the assists. ... On the ensuing faceoff, Nick Klaren was called for high sticking to put the Americans on a power play. ... Nothing doing on that, but Klaren is back in the box at 15: to serve a too-many-men minor for the Bucks. ... Americans are back on top, 4-3, on a nice goal scored by O'Nabigon during the power play. Adding insult to injury, he unwittingly knocked Rivet to the ice during his goal celebration. Adams and Loupee had the assists. Still some time to get that one back with 3:18 left in the period. ... The Bucks just had six men on the ice again for a good 10 seconds but got away with it because Bes noticed before the officials did and got to the bench. ... End of the period, Americans lead 4-3. Shots even at 21.

Third Period: Just to warn those of you who read the paper, tomorrow's story on this game will not have quotes unless this period goes by at the speed of light. With the new system we use, sending stories after even 10:30 is not an option. ... Bucks start off the period on a power play as O'Nabigon was apparently called for delay of game at the end of the second. ... Game is tied for the third time tonight on Lincourt's first goal and fourth point of the evening. He sent one past Whitley from the right point at 18:08, making it a power-play goal. Looby and Schwabe had the assists, giving each of them two points on the night. ... Officials are really off their game tonight. Graham just shoved Tomas Sample into the boards then started punching the back of his head, then grabbed his stick and started shoving him when he stood up. Good thing Sample is cool-headed enough to not retaliate and take the penalty Graham should have gotten. ... Ten minutes left, game still tied 4-4. Shots even at 25. ... Styffe just got crushed into the boards in front of the Americans' bench and took some time getting up. Seems like he is okay, though. ... Mohr just played almost an entire shift without his helmet on, and from the way he was acting, it seemed he didn't even notice the difference. ... The Bucks just came thisclose to taking the lead again with just under three minutes to play, but Whitley somehow managed to stop a couple consecutive shots and cover up the puck before the Bucks could finally knock one in. ... Bucks just got a bit of a break as Liam Huculak took a penalty for tripping with 2:17 to play in the game. The power play will last until seconds before the game ends, so it's the best chance they're likely to get. ... Make that a double break, as the Bucks will have a 5-on-3 for the next 1:11 and finish the game on the power play should nothing happen before then. Very bad time for Benn to take that interference penalty. At least from his team's standpoint. ... About seven guys just stuffed themselves into the Americans' net in a scuffle following Smith's attempt to knock in a loose puck. Okay, they weren't really entirely in it, but that was weird. Still tied with 30.4 seconds to go. ... And we are headed to overtime. Absolutely positively definitely no quotes tonight.

Overtime: Five seconds in, Schwabe is headed to the box for interference to give the Americans a 4-on-3 power play. ... Wow, I completely forgot that power plays during CHL overtimes only last a minute until Schwabe came back on the ice so quickly. ... Chris Kaufman just ended it on a simple shot that cleared Levasseur into the net. Ryan Fairbarn and Tobias Whelan had the assists. ... Rivet is spiritedly speaking to the officials as he leaves the ice. This was not the weekend he wanted to see.

Game Over: Bucks lose 5-4 in overtime. Americans remain the only undefeated team in the Southern Conference, improving to 4-0-0 (eight points), while the Bucks fall to 2-1-1 (five points).