KENNEWICK, WA - After securing their third consecutive U.S. Division title, the Tri-City Americans are pleased to announce their first round schedule for the 2010 WHL Playoffs.

Tri-City will match-up with their B.C. Division rivals, the Chilliwack Bruins in the first round, best-of-seven series. Games 1 and 2 will be played at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, starting on Friday, March 19th. Game times are 7:05 p.m. Fans are encouraged to check the Americans' website, www.amshockey.com, in the coming days for further playoff information.

2010 WHL Playoffs - Western Conference Quarter-Finals
Game 1: Fri., Mar. 19, Chilliwack Bruins at Tri-City Americans, 7:05 p.m. at Toyota Center
Game 2: Sat., Mar. 20, Chilliwack Bruins at Tri-City Americans, 7:05 p.m. at Toyota Center
Game 3: Tue., Mar. 23, Tri-City Americans at Chilliwack Bruins, 7:00 p.m. at Prospera Centre
Game 4: Wed., Mar. 24, Tri-City Americans at Chilliwack Bruins, 7:00 p.m. at Prospera Centre
Game 5: Fri., Mar. 26, Chilliwack Bruins at Tri-City Americans *If necessary
Game 6: Sun., Mar. 28, Tri-City Americans at Chilliwack Bruins *If necessary
Game 7: Tue., Mar. 30, Chilliwack at Tri-City Americans *If necessary

Annie Fowler  Tri-City Herald

It took a day longer than the Tri-City Americans wanted, but they won their third straight U.S. Division title Sunday when the Spokane Chiefs defeated the Everett Silvertips 3-2.

"It would have been a much better feeling to have won it last night," said Americans captain Jarrett Toll, whose team lost a 5-4 game to the Chiefs on Saturday. "We are just happy we got the banner. But now we have to forget about that. The banner is nice, but we want to go further than that."

The Americans, who also won the Western Conference title, finished the regular season 47-22-1-2 and tied with Everett atop the U.S. Division standings with 97 points. With Tri-City owning all of the tie breakers, the Silvertips dropped to third in the Western Conference.

Dan Mulhausen  Tri-City Americans

SPOKANE, WA - It doesn't happen very often but on Sunday night, the Tri-City Americans became the biggest Spokane Chiefs fans in the Western Hockey League.

With nothing to play for but pride, the Spokane Chiefs (45-22-3-2, 95 pts) knocked off the visiting Everett Silvertips (46-21-3-2, 97 pts) 3-2 in front of 9,204 fans at Veterans Memorial Arena. With just his fourth goal of the season, the game-winner came off the stick of Mitch Holmberg near the midway point of the third period, as James Reid and the rest of the Chiefs did the rest. The Chiefs remain locked into the #4-seed going into the playoffs and will take on Portland in the first round. Meanwhile, with the loss, Everett slipped back into third place in the Western Conference, despite being tied in points with Tri-City. The Silvertips will meet the #6-seed Kelowna Rockets in the first round.