Wenatchee Turns Tables Early in Third En Route to 5-4 Win Saturday at Spokane
SPOKANE, Wash. – Riley Bassen’s 150th junior game was his very first in a Wenatchee Wild uniform.
He looked every bit the seasoned veteran in Saturday’s Western Hockey League game at Numerica Veterans Arena.
Bassen picked up a goal and an assist – with the latter coming on his very first Wenatchee shift – in a 5-4 victory at the Spokane Chiefs, in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 10,400. The Wild turned the tables early in the third, flipping a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead in the opening 2:21 of the stanza to earn their third road win of the year.
The Wild got early goals in all three periods, including the first one just 59 seconds out of the chute – Bassen drove the puck down the right wing and slid it off of Carter Esler’s pads, and Blake Vanek pounced on the second chance and punched it in for a 1-0 lead. Spokane responded at 12:52 of the first, when Gavin Burcar whipped a shot off the end boards and Chase Harrington jumped on the rebound at the post to Cal Conway’s right.
3:02 into the second period, Wenatchee took the lead again, when Grady Wedman twirled a pass into the slot for Zane Torre, who hammered home the opportunity and put the Wild ahead, 2-1. Back-to-back goals put the Chiefs in front for the only time in Saturday’s game, with Coco Armstrong pulling the puck from the low slot around Conway and shoveling it in to tie the game at the 6:05 mark. Spokane took the lead just past the game’s halfway point, scoring on a 2-on-1 goal from Logan Wormald.
The opening minutes of the third period belonged to Wenatchee – Bassen got a friendly bounce at the side of the Spokane net and caromed in his first WHL goal just 42 seconds out of the break to even the game at 3-3, and Nolan Caffey rattled a shot off the roof of the net a minute-and-a-half into the period to put the Wild ahead for good. The final Wenatchee goal came on the rush, with Luka Shcherbyna feeding Mason Kraft for a 2-on-1 tally and a 5-3 advantage.
With Esler out of the net, Spokane made a final push – the Chiefs got within one with 2:22 to go as Wormald’s shot careened in off Armstrong’s stick at the front of the net, but the Chiefs would come up one goal short.
Armstrong had two goals to lead the Spokane effort, while Wormald finished with a goal and an assist. Vanek and Bassen each had a goal and an assist for the Wild, and Conway earned his fourth victory behind 34 saves, as Wenatchee climbed to 12-19-1-1 on the year. Esler stopped 16 shots, taking the loss and remaining below .500 for the season, as the Chiefs fell back to .500 at 17-17-0-0.
The penalty-killing units finished perfect on a combined eight chances in a game where the Chiefs out-shot Wenatchee 38-21, and won the battle at the faceoff dot 47-30, including 18 of 24 in the game’s final 20 minutes.
The Wild return to home ice Sunday with a rematch against the Spokane Chiefs, as the team celebrates its Margaritaville Night promotion, presented by Journey Travel & Tours – Sunday’s game is also the last Fred Meyer Sunday Funday promotion prior to the New Year’s holiday. Sunday’s opening puck drop at Town Toyota Center is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Tickets for Sunday’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 1 3 – 5
Spokane 1 2 1 – 4
1st Period-1, Wenatchee, Vanek 8 (Bassen), 0:59. 2, Spokane, Harrington 12 (Burcar), 12:52. Penalties-Armstrong Spo (tripping), 4:59; Mattern Spo (tripping), 5:53; Martin Spo (delay of game), 6:56; Bassen Wen (hooking), 9:17; Silaban Wen (hooking), 14:54.
2nd Period-3, Wenatchee, Torre 3 (Wedman), 3:02. 4, Spokane, Armstrong 11 (Oremba), 6:05. 5, Spokane, Wormald 16 (Martin, Saunderson), 10:52. Penalties-Silaban Wen (charging), 13:23; Joudrey Wen (roughing), 19:39; Sather Spo (roughing), 19:39.
3rd Period-6, Wenatchee, Bassen 1 (Vanek), 0:42. 7, Wenatchee, Caffey 3 (GROHS-closs), 1:31. 8, Wenatchee, Kraft 7 (Shcherbyna, Toll), 2:21. 9, Spokane, Armstrong 12 (Wormald, Sather), 17:38. Penalties-Conway Wen (high sticking), 4:02; Smith Wen (slashing), 4:25.
Shots on Goal-Wenatchee 6-7-8-21. Spokane 12-13-13-38.
Power Play Opportunities-Wenatchee 0 / 3; Spokane 0 / 5.
Goalies-Wenatchee, Conway 4-6-1-0 (38 shots-34 saves). Spokane, Esler 8-10-0-0 (21 shots-16 saves).
A-10,407
Referees-Corey Koop (53), Connor McCracken (54).
Linesmen-Kian Carruthers (156), Anthony Guzzo (165).
