RECAP: Americans (2) vs Wild (3) OT – March 8, 2025
Kennewick, WA – The Tri-City Americans (31-24-6-1) battled back from down 2-1 after two periods to gain a point on Saturday night but ultimately fell 3-2 in overtime to the Wenatchee Wild (22-33-7-1) at the Toyota Center.
Tri-City nearly opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal. Max Curran and Brandon Whynott had a two-on-one rush, but Whynott couldn’t get all of the shot from the right circle after taking the pass from Curran.
The Wild raced up ice the other way and opened the scoring. Miles Cooper had the puck near the right faceoff circle and fired it on goal where it was deflected by Evan Friesen, giving Wenatchee a 1-0 lead 4:14 into the game.
The Americans hit a pair of goal posts in the period but trailed 1-0 heading into the intermission.
Early in the middle frame the Wild extended their lead with another power play goal. Right off the faceoff in the Americans zone the puck came to Cooper in the right circle and he sent it to the net where Friesen deflected it home for his second of the game. The goal came just seven seconds into the Wild power play.
Tri-City responded quickly to the goal however, cutting the lead in half just 14 seconds later. Cruz Pavao had the puck behind the Wenatchee net and sent a backhand pass toward the slot.
Gavin Garland took the feed and Brendan Gee fell forward while coming out to challenge, so Garland was able to lift a shot over his blocker for his 21st of the season.
The game seemed to open up more in the second period, but the two teams went into the locker room with the Wild holding on to their 2-1 lead.
Halfway through the third period the door opened for the Americans to tie the game. The two teams were set to play four-on-four for two minutes but right off a faceoff Friesen was called for hooking, sending Tri-City to a lengthy four-on-three power play.
On the man advantage Curran took a pass as the trailer in the high slot and let a hard shot go that Gee stopped. The rebound was swept away from the crease by a defender, but it landed right on Curran’s tape again and he fired home his 21st goal of the season to tie the game at two with 9:31 remaining.
Tri-City had another power play chance with 5:46 left in regulation but couldn’t take advantage as the game eventually went to overtime.
In overtime the Americans had one look at the net, but Charlie’s Elick’s wrist shot from the slot was blocked by Reid Andresen, setting the stage for the Wild to win the game.
After recovering the puck Andresen worked it up to Maddix McCagherty on left wing and the Wild gained the Americans line. McCagherty then dropped the puck to Dawson Seitz who let a hard, low shot go from the top of the left circle, beating Ryan Grout past the glove hand to end the game.
By gaining a single point the Americans maintain their position of sixth in the Western Conference standings. The team is next in action on Tuesday when the host the Seattle Thunderbirds (25-32-4-1)
Announced attendance was 5,479.
