Tri City Americans The Tri - City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League , based in Kennewick , Washington . The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center . Every game is broadcast locally on the Tri - City Americans flagship radio station 870 - AM KFLD , and each game can also be heard streaming live at KFLD ' s UStream Channel , as well as from time - to - time being telecast on Saturday nights on KVEW 42 . 2 . History . The Tri - City American franchise is an original franchise of the WHL . They began in 1966 as the Calgary Buffalos before being renamed the " Centennials " after one season . The franchise was also known as the Billings Bighorns from 1977 – 82 before relocating to Nanaimo , British Columbia as the Nanaimo Islanders . After only one season , they moved to New Westminster , British Columbia to become the second incarnation of the New Westminster Bruins . They moved to the Tri - Cities in 1988 . The Americans enjoyed local support until early 2000 , the start of 4 owners in 4 years , all wanting to relocate the team to Canada . Between selling off team assets and one owner banning the local newspaper columnist from attending games , the attendance dropped considerably . The lack of any banners in the barn didn ' t help matters either . Although the ownership group represented by Darryl Porter had stated upon purchasing the team that they would create a local presence ( the oft - heard criticism of the ownerships groups ) , Mr . Porter had still not moved to the Tri - Cities in his 3rd year of ownership . In 2004 , Porter attempted to move the team to Chilliwack , British Columbia in Canada . However , the other Western Hockey League teams voted to prevent the move , including all four other American teams as well as 2 Canadian teams . Shortly after this failure , the team was sold to Tri - Cities natives , including Olaf Kolzig , the former goalie for the Washington Capitals , and Stu Barnes of the Dallas Stars , both former Americans players . Since the sale the team has doubled attendance figures and won the first division championship in team history . Porter and his investment group were later granted the Chilliwack Bruins as an expansion franchise . On November 29 , 1989 Americans goaltender Olaf Kolzig became the first goalie to register a WHL goal when he successfully shot on an empty net against the Seattle Thunderbirds . The Americans annual series with the Highway 395 rival Spokane Chiefs is always intense and full of action , clearly their biggest rival year in and year out . The competitiveness of the two team is such that an annual tradition with the Americans is to play the Chiefs at home on New Year ' s Eve . The only time this tradition was broken was due to a one - day strike by the Americans over the training tactics of one of the coaches . In the 2002 – 03 season , sixteen - year - old goaltender Shannon Szabados became the first female player to compete in the WHL when she played one game for the Americans . In 2010 Szabados won gold in Women ' s Ice Hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics playing for Canada . During the 2007 – 08 WHL season , the Americans won the US Division regular season championship for the first time after a March 15 , 2008 showdown with the division rival Spokane Chiefs in Kennewick , Washington at the Toyota Center . The Americans won the Western Conference regular season championship , and the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best overall regular season record in the WHL . The 2009 – 10 Season marked the third straight year the Americans won the US Division . At their annual New Year ' s Eve game against the Spokane Chiefs on December 31 , 2008 , the Americans set a record for attendance at a hockey game in the Toyota Center , with 6 , 042 attendees . The Americans surpassed this number on March 13 , 2010 , in a game against Spokane , with an attendance of 6 , 053 . The Americans won the Western Conference championship for the first time in the 2010 playoffs defeating the Chilliwack Bruins , Kelowna Rockets and Vancouver Giants in successive series before dropping the league championship to the Calgary Hitmen in 5 games . Charitable work and events . The Americans are charitably - active in the Tri - Cities area . Years ago , the Americans were one of the first teams to do ' The Teddy Bear Toss ' , which was originally called ' Toy Trick ' . This is where the fans would throw stuffed animals onto the rink on a selected night when the home team scores their first goal . The players collect the bears and hand them out to various organizations or the players take them along with them when they visit children in the local hospitals . A definite first at the Tri - City rink was the Breast Cancer night . Brian Sandy , Senior VP of business operations and Chief Marketing Officer , dreamed up this event , where the ice is tinted pink and the players wear pink jerseys that are auctioned - off at the end of the night . The game on Feb 2 , 2008 , every jersey sold for the maximum donation of $ 500 each , with all proceeds supporting breast cancer research . The Americans also were active in raising start - up funds for the establishment of a local chapter of The First Tee . Players visit schools and hospitals weekly and assist the young hockey players with their practices . Links are provided on their website to other organizations like the local Humane Society , and opportunities have been provided to the Children ' s Developmental Center to volunteer to aid in the seating at games for a $ 15 , 000 check at the season ' s conclusion . Season - by - season record . " Note : GP = Games played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties OTL = Overtime losses Pts = Points , GF = Goals for , GA = Goals against " Retired numbers . 8 - Brian Sakic 14 - Stu Barnes , Todd Klassen 33 - Olaf Kolzig