Tri-City Scores Twice on Power Play Saturday, Snags 3-2 Overtime Win Over Wild
KENNEWICK, Wash. – After grabbing an overtime win at Portland on Friday evening, the Wenatchee Wild had their eye on a four-point road trip with a matchup against the Tri-City Americans Saturday at Toyota Center. With a climb awaiting to reach a playoff spot and just 20 games remaining in the Western Hockey League schedule, every point is an important one.
The Wild didn’t return home Saturday with four points on the weekend, but they did add step off the bus with three of them.
Tri-City picked up an overtime goal on the power play from Grady Martin, snagging a 3-2 win over the Wild – with the one Wenatchee standings point Saturday and Seattle’s loss to Everett, the Wild stepped over the Thunderbirds into 10th place in the WHL’s Western Conference standings, though the Thunderbirds have four games in hand on Wenatchee going into February.
Wenatchee struck first, with 4:29 to go in the first period on a goal from Luka Shcherbyna – with a faceoff to the left of Tri-City goaltender Ryan Grout, Caelan Joudrey won the puck to Mason Kraft, and Shcherbyna wired a shot past Grout from the edge of the slot to put the Wild ahead 1-0 at the break.
A Wenatchee penalty at the end of the period gave the Ams a power play to start the second, and Savin Virk tossed a low wrist shot down the slot past Tobias Tvrznik 1:18 out of the break to tie the game. Cruz Pavao scored on a wraparound to Tvrznik’s right at 10:56 of the period to put the Americans ahead for the only time in regulation.
A head-contact penalty to Jesse McKinnon with 8:44 to go put Wenatchee on its third and final power play of the night, and with 7:49 left, Levi Benson walked the puck to the front of the net and flicked it past Grout on his stick side to tie the game at 2-2. However, the Americans scored on their final power play of the evening, as Martin jammed the puck through Tvrznik at the top of the crease with 2:11 on the overtime clock.
Virk and Martin each finished with a goal and an assist for Tri-City, while Martin also ended with a 16-for-21 line at the faceoff dot, and Jakub Vanecek notched two assists. Grout earned his eighth win of the year, stopping 25 of Wenatchee’s 27 shots. The Americans finished 2-for-6 on the power play, climbing to 25-18-3-1 on the season.
Josh Toll had an assist on Benson’s equalizer, keeping him five points clear of Shcherbyna and the field for Wenatchee’s scoring lead. The Wild wrapped up the night 1-for-3 on the man-advantage, but dropped to 18-26-3-2 with the loss.
The Wild return to home ice for a pair of games starting Friday, when they welcome Victoria to Town Toyota Center for their annual Diaper Toss to benefit the Women’s Service League of NCW. The opening puck drop is slated for 7 p.m., with live coverage on Newsradio 560 KPQ and Victory+.
Tickets for next Friday’s game and all regular-season Wild 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.
Wenatchee 1 0 1 0 – 2
Tri-City 0 2 0 1 – 3
1st Period-1, Wenatchee, Shcherbyna 19 (Kraft, Joudrey), 15:31. Penalties-Byrne Tc (holding), 2:19; Wedman Wen (high sticking), 13:07; Smith Wen (interference), 20:00.
2nd Period-2, Tri-City, Virk 22 (Vanecek, Martin), 1:18 (PP). 3, Tri-City, Pavao 15 (Dale, Krcal), 10:56. Penalties-Andre Wen (tripping), 8:15; Mykichuk Tc (holding), 13:09; Han Wen (embellishment), 13:55; Adam Tc (cross checking), 13:55; Smith Wen (hooking), 18:15; Andre Wen (slashing), 20:00.
3rd Period-4, Wenatchee, Benson 8 (Caffey, Toll), 12:11 (PP). Penalties-McKinnon Tc (checking to the head), 11:16.
OT Period-5, Tri-City, Martin 8 (Virk, Vanecek), 2:41 (PP). Penalties-Joudrey Wen (tripping), 1:35.
Shots on Goal-Wenatchee 13-7-6-1-27. Tri-City 8-14-8-3-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Wenatchee 1 / 3; Tri-City 2 / 6.
Goalies-Wenatchee, Tvrznik 13-16-2-2 (33 shots-30 saves). Tri-City, Grout 8-8-3-0 (27 shots-25 saves).
A-3,894
Referees-Josh Albinati (25), Mike Langin (67).
Linesmen-Dustin Minty (102), Jaxson Pollon (150).
