Friesen Tallies 100th WHL Point as Wild Blaze Past Red Deer Friday, 5-2
Photo Courtesy: Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild
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WENATCHEE, Wash. – As the Wenatchee Wild continue a six-game homestand, new faces seem to be stepping up all the time. Some are players coming off injuries that cost them several weeks early in the season, while others are just settling into town after joining the team in recent weeks.
Their contributions were all important Friday in a 5-2 win over the Red Deer Rebels at Town Toyota Center, on a night that saw Evan Friesen mark a new career milestone with his 100th WHL point, while others now find themselves on the cusp of history of their own.
Special teams were a particular point of pride in the contest, starting with Kenta Isogai’s third-chance goal on the power play at 10:56, following shots from Friesen and Deagan McMillan in his first contest with Wenatchee. Maddix McCagherty skated by the Red Deer net on the odd-man rush less than four minutes later, and backhanded a toss past Rebels goaltender Chase Wutzke for a 2-0 Wild lead.
Beckett Hamilton pitched a shot past Daniel Hauser four minutes into the second period to cut the lead to 2-1, but the one-goal gap was short-lived. Eastyn Mannix drove the puck down the left wing and wired a shot past Wutzke at the 5:16 mark for his first goal in a Wild uniform and a 3-1 Wenatchee advantage. As the Wild killed off a high-sticking double-minor later in the period, Friesen got his milestone moment with 1:55 left on the second-period clock, collecting his own rebound on a right-wing chance before powering home the extra opportunity and sending the hosts to the dressing room up 4-1.
Carson Birnie’s blast from the left-wing circle at 3:27 of the third was as close as the Rebels got the rest of the way – the Wild defended the two-goal lead before building it to a three-goal gap on an empty-net goal from Caelan Joudrey with 1:10 remaining.
“It was a really good team effort,” said Wild associate head coach Chris Clark. “We got contributions up and down the lineup from all four lines and all six [defensemen]. Eastyn has played really well since he got here – he’s given us some great minutes, and he had a nice goal at a big time where we were kind of on our heels. He jumped up in the rush and made a nice shot, and it was a big goal at the time.”
Friesen and Isogai each finished the night with a goal and an assist. Reid Andresen earned an assist to get within one point of 100 in his own WHL career, while Hauser stopped 33 Red Deer shots to earn his 99th win in the league. Head coach Don Nachbaur picked up his 698th victory as well. Tyler Russell got in on the action with an assist, the first point in his WHL career in just his third appearance. McMillan’s assist was his first point with his new club, and his first point of the 2024-25 campaign.
Wenatchee ended the night 1-for-6 on the power play, earning a goal on the man-advantage for the fourth straight game and fifth game in their last six. Their 4-for-4 finish on the penalty kill was the team’s 10th perfect penalty-killing performance of the season, while Friesen’s shorthanded tally marked Wenatchee’s third such goal of the year. Wutzke made 34 saves to take the loss as Red Deer slipped to 9-6-1-0 on the year, while Wenatchee climbed to 6-9-2-0.
Next up for Wenatchee is a home contest against the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday, for Military Appreciation Night presented by CMI Orchards. The opening puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tickets for Saturday’s 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. 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.
Red Deer 0 1 1 – 2
Wenatchee 2 2 1 – 5
1st Period-1, Wenatchee, Isogai 8 (McMillan, Friesen), 10:56 (PP). 2, Wenatchee, McCagherty 5 (Shcherbyna, Hauser), 14:51. Penalties-Mayo Rd (interference), 3:36; Evan Smith Rd (holding), 10:09; Friesen Wen (boarding), 16:33.
2nd Period-3, Red Deer, Beckett Hamilton 3 (Thurston, Jake Missura), 4:00. 4, Wenatchee, Mannix 1 (Russell, Isogai), 5:16. 5, Wenatchee, Friesen 6 (Tansem), 18:05 (SH). Penalties-served by Russell Wen (too many men), 1:56; Samuel Drancak Rd (cross checking), 4:16; McMillan Wen (cross checking), 4:16; Luke Vlooswyk Rd (cross checking), 5:59; Dawson Seitz Wen (high sticking, high sticking), 14:42.
3rd Period-6, Red Deer, Carson Birnie 6 (Ollie Josephson, Jeramiah Roberts), 3:27. 7, Wenatchee, Joudrey 3 (Zane Saab, Andresen), 18:50 (EN). Penalties-Wilke Rd (checking from behind), 4:49; Mayo Rd (cross checking), 9:31; Ollie Josephson Rd (cross checking), 15:00.
Shots on Goal-Red Deer 12-16-7-35. Wenatchee 11-14-14-39.
Power Play Opportunities-Red Deer 0 / 4; Wenatchee 1 / 6.
Goalies-Red Deer, Wutzke 7-5-0-0 (38 shots-34 saves). Wenatchee, Hauser 4-2-1-0 (35 shots-33 saves).
A-2,949
Referees-Josh Albinati (153), Mike Langin (67).
Linesmen-Tom Donaldson (176), Cody Wanner (56).
