Wild Grind Out 3-2 Win Friday Over Tri-City, Earn Eighth Win in 10 at Home
WENATCHEE, Wash. – With two offenses looking for traction and two of the Western Hockey League’s top goaltenders anchoring the back line, offensive opportunities were not to be taken for granted in Friday’s get-together between the Wenatchee Wild and Tri-City Americans. Friday’s game lived up to its billing, as Wenatchee ground out a 3-2 win over the Americans, the eighth Wild victory on home ice in the last 10 games at Town Toyota Center.
Wenatchee was the first group to break through, when Zane Torre hit Grady Wedman at the front of the net from the edge of the trapezoid – Wedman’s quick snap raced past Xavier Wendt for a 1-0 Wenatchee lead 10:50 into the contest. Caelan Joudrey scored the first of his two goals four-and-a-half minutes into the middle period, off a takeaway at center ice from Dawson Seitz. Nolan Caffey faded a pass to Joudrey, who walked the puck to the edge of the slot and zipped a shot past Wendt to extend the lead to 2-0.
67 seconds later, it was David Krcal who answered for the Ams, heaving a shot from the left point through the traffic to trim the Wenatchee lead to 2-1. With 62 seconds left in the second period, Joudrey hauled in a loose puck at the front of the Tri-City net off a shot block and a Blake Vanek pass, and flicked it into the net to give the Wild a 3-1 lead at the break.
Tri-City got one back at the 4:55 mark of the third, when Ismail Abougouche hammered a one-timer past Tobias Tvrznik from the doorstep off a pass from Grady Martin out of the corner. The Americans got nine shots on the net in the third period, but that was the only one to evade Tvrznik, and Wenatchee wrapped up its first win in the season series against Tri-City.
Joudrey earned his second multi-point game in as many weeks, and finished with his first multi-goal outing in a Wild uniform. Tvrznik made 25 saves to land his eighth win of the season and send Wenatchee to an 11-15-1-1 record for the year, with wins in four of six.
Wendt stopped 32 shots as Tri-City’s losing skid reached four games and the Americans slipped to 13-13-2-0. The penalty-killing units were perfect on nine chances in Friday’s game, ending a five-game streak for the Wild with at least one power play goal. Friday’s game also continued a lengthy stretch of close calls between the teams, with five of the last seven meetings being decided by one or two goals.
With the win and the Seattle Thunderbirds’ loss to the Penticton Vees, Wenatchee finds itself even with Seattle for the 11th-place spot in the Western Conference standings at 24 points and 11 wins apiece, though the Thunderbirds have one game in hand. The Wild look to continue their upward push with a rematch against the Americans Saturday evening in Kennewick – the opening puck drop at Toyota Center is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., with live coverage available on Newsradio 560 KPQ and Victory+. Wenatchee returns to home ice Sunday when the Everett Silvertips drop by for Wenatchee’s annual Teddy Bear Toss promotion, presented by People’s Bank.
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.
Tri-City 0 1 1 – 2
Wenatchee 1 2 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Wenatchee, Wedman 2 (Torre, Andre), 10:50. Penalties-Adam Tc (cross checking), 1:55; Andre Wen (holding), 4:14; Zane Saab Wen (delay of game), 5:35; Savage Tc (hooking), 13:00; LeBret Tc (delay of game), 17:21.
2nd Period-2, Wenatchee, Joudrey 6 (Caffey, Dawson Seitz), 4:33. 3, Tri-City, Krcal 3 (Garland, Byrne), 5:40. 4, Wenatchee, Joudrey 7 (Vanek, Capos), 18:58. Penalties-Adam Tc (roughing), 1:56; Han Wen (charging), 1:56; Osborne Wen (roughing), 1:56; Martinson Tc (roughing), 2:32; Adam Tc (interference), 7:25; Savage Tc (high sticking), 10:17; Adam Tc (charging), 14:48; Fluker Wen (cross checking), 19:25.
3rd Period-5, Tri-City, Abougouche 2 (Martin, Martinson), 4:55. Penalties-LeBret Tc (major-fighting), 20:00; Virk Tc (roughing), 20:00; Osborne Wen (cross checking), 20:00; Zane Saab Wen (major-fighting), 20:00.
Shots on Goal-Tri-City 10-8-9-27. Wenatchee 10-13-12-35.
Power Play Opportunities-Tri-City 0 / 3; Wenatchee 0 / 6.
Goalies-Tri-City, Wendt 9-7-0-0 (35 shots-32 saves). Wenatchee, Tvrznik 8-10-0-1 (27 shots-25 saves).
A-3,105
Referees-Mike Campbell (89), Corey Koop (53).
Linesmen-Nick Albinati (3), Brayden Cameron (127).
