Wild Put Power Play on Display Early in 4-2 Win Over Prince George Sunday
Photo Courtesy: Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild
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WENATCHEE, Wash. – The second weekend of the 2024-25 Wenatchee Wild season was also the first of seven three-game weekends on the team’s slate this season. After the first of those three-in-three sets, the Wild have already proven they have what it takes to outlast a Western Hockey League opponent and finish the weekend with a victory.
Wenatchee returned from its first road trip of the season Sunday and skated to a 4-2 win over the Prince George Cougars at Town Toyota Center, a team which had Saturday off from competition after earning a win Friday in Vancouver. Two of the four Wild goals came on the power play in the opening 20 minutes – the Wild took advantage of an early 5-on-3 to nab the lead, and used a 5-on-4 chance late in the first period to take the lead they would never relinquish.
Reid Andresen ripped a wrist shot from the top of the right circle on the two-man advantage to put Wenatchee in front 3:21 into the game. However, with the puck pinballing around in front of the Wild net, Jett Lajoie tied the game for the Cougars two minutes later. A shot from Evan Friesen on the right wing was blocked out to Isogai on the left half for his goal, putting the Wild in front with 4:39 remaining in the period.
Klutch Kenta!
Kenta Isogai's third goal of the young season has the @WHLwild_ back on top after the first period 🚨 pic.twitter.com/U726ND4TNH
— The WHL (@TheWHL) September 29, 2024
The teams battled to a scoreless draw for the entire second period, and the first eight minutes of the third. Ashton Brown tacked onto the Wenatchee lead by driving into the Prince George zone and roping a shot to the top corner of the net, giving the hosts their first two-goal cushion of the night, but just after the end of a Cougars penalty, Lajoie punched in a rebound to make it 3-2 with 5:57 on the third-period clock. The final word came from Caelan Joudrey, who took a high arcing pass from Josh Fluker at the Cougars’ blue line and skated it in to forehand a chance past netminder Cooper Michaluk with 3:41 to go.
“Our power play, we had some really good looks last night and didn’t score,” said associate head coach Chris Clark. “We made a few adjustments tonight – to get two (goals) in the first period like that, that’s huge, especially with our third game in three nights. To give yourself a lead and have your power play ready to capitalize, that was big. On the other side, the kill did a great job, and the guys did a great job of staying out of the box. With our third game in three nights, if you go to the penalty box too much, it’ll zap your legs.”
The special-teams units were exceptional for Wenatchee, wiping away all five Prince George power plays, while finishing the game 2-for-7 on the man-advantage. Four different Wild players posted multi-point games, while Daniel Hauser made 34 saves for his second win of the season and 97th career WHL victory. The win also pushed head coach Don Nachbaur’s career total to 694 victories on the circuit. Michaluk made 27 saves for his first loss on the young season, as both teams shifted their records to 2-1-1-0.
The Wild return to home ice for a pair of games next weekend, starting with Healthcare Workers’ Night presented by Columbia Valley Community Health on Saturday against the Victoria Royals. The opening puck drop at Town Toyota Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tickets for that game and all regular-season home games are on sale now by phone at 509-888-7825, online here or by visiting the team office at Town Toyota Center. Wild 2024-25 season tickets also remain on sale – updated news and information on Wild hockey are always available through the team’s website and on the team’s social media platforms on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
Prince George 1 0 1 – 2
Wenatchee 2 0 2 – 4
1st Period-1, Wenatchee, Andresen 1 (Isogai, Friesen), 3:21 (PP). 2, Prince George, Lajoie 3 (Shurgot, Valis), 5:25. 3, Wenatchee, Isogai 3 (Friesen, Andresen), 15:21 (PP). Penalties-Foster Pg (tripping), 1:56; Lajoie Pg (slashing), 2:22; Sopiarz Pg (tripping), 14:49; Cooper Wen (holding), 17:10.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Kmec Pg (roughing), 3:50; Dawson Seitz Wen (tripping), 9:23; Laing Pg (interference), 14:39; McNutt Pg (roughing), 14:39; McCagherty Wen (roughing), 14:39; Valis Pg (boarding), 18:12.
3rd Period-4, Wenatchee, Brown 1 (Joudrey), 8:02. 5, Prince George, Lajoie 4 (Kmec, Dezainde), 14:03. 6, Wenatchee, Joudrey 2 (Fluker), 16:19. Penalties-Pankey Wen (tripping), 12:00; Dezainde Pg (tripping), 19:24.
Shots on Goal-Prince George 11-11-14-36. Wenatchee 17-9-5-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Prince George 0 / 3; Wenatchee 2 / 7.
Goalies-Prince George, Michaluk 1-1-0-0 (31 shots-27 saves). Wenatchee, Hauser 2-1-0-0 (36 shots-34 saves).
A-2,498
Referees-Josh Albinati (25), Derek Hatch (132).
Linesmen-Zach Anderson (160), Bryce Fetzer (158).
