Victoria Power Play Pushes Past Wild Friday, 5-2
Photo Courtesy: Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild
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WENATCHEE, Wash. – With a new-look lineup, Friday’s Wenatchee Wild game at Town Toyota Center started with the same old power play success. After a period to settle in, the Victoria Royals used a couple new faces to help power through for a 5-2 win in the final regular-season meeting this season between the teams. Brandon Lisowski, newly acquired from the Saskatoon Blades, notched a pair of goals, while former Wenatchee forward Kenta Isogai picked up a couple of assists in his only appearance in the building as a visitor.
The Wild opened the scoring as their first power play wound down – with six seconds left on the man-advantage at 9:09 of the first period, Dawson Seitz found Shaun Rios deep in the right-wing circle to hammer a one-timer past Jayden Kraus to put Wenatchee in front first.
Victoria answered with a power play goal from Lisowsky at 4:49 of the second, tipping a shot from Keaton Verhoeff and almost getting a final touch at the net from Teydon Trembecky. With 5:28 to go in the period, a shot from Cosmo Wilson at the right point caught a piece of Cole Reschny on its way to the net, with the redirect putting the Royals ahead for the first time.
Wenatchee answered back 94 seconds into the third – Tye Spencer was slashed on his way to the net, but Seitz was able to grab control of the puck and wrap it around the post to Kraus’s right. His attempt trickled through, tying the game at 2-2. However, Markus Loponen was able to scrape the puck away from Brendan Gee’s left skate with 6:50 remaining and push through the eventual game-winner. He added a long-distance toss with 1:33 for an empty-net tally, and Lisowsky’s shot from above the faceoff circles hit the empty net to close the scoring with 39.6 seconds to play.
Loponen and Lisowsky each had a pair of assists for the Royals, while Seitz picked up a goal and an assist for Wenatchee to lead the scoring for the hosts. Gee made 31 saves in the loss, while Kraus earned his 17th win of the season behind 16 saves. Wenatchee dipped to 15-19-3-1 on the season, while Victoria moved to 22-11-3-4 with its victory, earning wins in three of four meetings this season.
A stretch of seven in eight at home continues Saturday for the Wild on Guns & Hoses Night presented by Gesa Credit Union. Saturday’s game features area police and firefighters dueling on the Town Toyota Center ice at 4 p.m., with the opening puck drop between the Wild and Chiefs slated 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. 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.
Victoria 0 2 3 – 5
Wenatchee 1 0 1 – 2
1st Period-1, Wenatchee, Rios 15 (Dawson Seitz, Shcherbyna), 9:09 (PP). Penalties-Zane Saab Wen (tripping), 3:49; Fryer Vic (tripping), 7:15; Rios Wen (tripping), 17:17.
2nd Period-2, Victoria, Lisowsky 24 (Verhoeff, Isogai), 4:49 (PP). 3, Victoria, Reschny 13 (Wilson, Isogai), 14:32. Penalties-Pankey Wen (tripping), 3:08; Pickford Vic (tripping), 10:45; Escalus Burlock Vic (interference), 16:33.
3rd Period-4, Wenatchee, Dawson Seitz 9 (Spencer), 1:34. 5, Victoria, Loponen 11 (Kipkie, Misskey), 13:10 (PP). 6, Victoria, Loponen 12 (Wilson), 18:28 (EN). 7, Victoria, Lisowsky 25 (Moore, Verhoeff), 19:21 (EN). Penalties-Lisowsky Vic (slashing), 2:39; Spencer Wen (delay of game), 4:15; Escalus Burlock Vic (tripping), 7:30; McMillan Wen (high sticking, high sticking), 11:45.
Shots on Goal-Victoria 10-8-18-36. Wenatchee 6-7-5-18.
Power Play Opportunities-Victoria 2 / 6; Wenatchee 1 / 4.
Goalies-Victoria, Kraus 17-6-3-3 (18 shots-16 saves). Wenatchee, Gee 3-2-0-0 (34 shots-31 saves).
A-2,663
Referees-Jeff Ingram (82), Connor McCracken (54).
Linesmen-Bryce Fetzer (158), Michael McGowan (41).