Wild Special Teams Nearly Flawless in 3-2 Win at WHL-Leading Everett Friday
Photo Courtesy: Evan Morud/Everett Silvertips
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EVERETT, Wash. – It was a game that the Wenatchee Wild can come back to time and again when they need encouragement, or an example to follow.
Daniel Hauser made 38 saves and Wenatchee used two power play goals and a flawless penalty kill to nail down a 3-2 win at the Everett Silvertips Friday evening, handing Everett its second straight regulation defeat after earning standings points in their previous 13 outings. The victory was Hauser’s sixth of the season, and 101st in his Western Hockey League career.
The Wild fired off three of the first four shots on goal in the game, while the Silvertips took care of 10 of the next 13, but 22 combined shots in the first period weren’t enough for either side to break through. Evan Friesen finally did, just 65 seconds into the second period, with a tap-in at the back post to give Wenatchee the initial lead. Eric Jamieson tied the game on a second-chance heave from the left wing, rifling a shot over Hauser’s shoulder at the 4:54 mark.
Then, the power play got to work – Miles Cooper batted in a puck at the edge of the net with 2:40 left in the second, just 23 seconds into a power play on a high-sticking call to Tyler MacKenzie. Jesse Heslop threw a shot through traffic from the right half-wall with 7:05 off the clock in the third period, tying the game again.
Dawson Seitz’s wrist shot from above the faceoff circles put the Wild in front to stay with just 6:16 to play, six seconds before the end of a tripping call to Shea Busch. Wenatchee allowed only eight shots on net in the final 20 minutes, hanging on for the win despite an empty-net press from the Silvertips over the game’s final 1:51.
“We scored some timely goals, and the power play and penalty kill were outstanding tonight,” said head coach Don Nachbaur. “That became the difference in the game. Give credit to [Daniel] in net – he made some solid saves when we let him down defensively, but he was there at the end. I think overall, it was a great team effort.”
Cooper’s power play goal was his sixth on the man-advantage this season, retaking the team lead, while Friesen picked up a goal and an assist. Seitz finished with an assist as well as his game-winning goal, and Kenta Isogai closed out the game with a pair of assists. Jesse Sanche made 19 saves in his first appearance back from a monthlong stint on the injured list. Wenatchee went 2-for-3 on the power play, climbing to 10-16-3-1 with the win, and killed all four Everett power plays as the Silvertips fell to 24-5-2-1.
The turnaround is a short one for the Wild, with a 3:05 p.m. start at the Kelowna Rockets on Saturday to close out the pre-holiday schedule, and live coverage available on Newsradio 560 KPQ and WHL Live.
Wenatchee returns to home ice on Saturday, December 28 for Margaritaville Night against the Spokane Chiefs, presented by Riverside Payments. 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.
Wenatchee 0 2 1 – 3
Everett 0 1 1 – 2
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-McCloskey Wen (boarding), 9:57; Isogai Wen (hooking), 18:32; Busch Evt (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 18:32.
2nd Period-1, Wenatchee, Friesen 11 (Isogai, Dawson Seitz), 1:05. 2, Everett, Jamieson 7 (MacKenzie, DuPont), 4:54. 3, Wenatchee, Cooper 11 (Friesen, Isogai), 17:20 (PP). Penalties-Dunphy Wen (major-fighting), 8:39; Vaughan Evt (major-fighting), 8:39; Mannix Wen (interference), 12:09; MacKenzie Evt (high sticking), 16:57; Andresen Wen (holding), 18:14.
3rd Period-4, Everett, Heslop 19 (Pearce, Kaplan), 7:05. 5, Wenatchee, Dawson Seitz 6 (McCloskey, McCagherty), 13:44 (PP). Penalties-Mannix Wen (major-fighting), 0:00; Hammell Evt (checking to the head, major-fighting), 0:00; served by Rios Wen (too many men), 4:11; Busch Evt (tripping), 11:50.
Shots on Goal-Wenatchee 8-8-6-22. Everett 14-18-8-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Wenatchee 2 / 3; Everett 0 / 4.
Goalies-Wenatchee, Hauser 6-8-2-1 (40 shots-38 saves). Everett, Sanche 11-3-1-0 (22 shots-19 saves).
A-5,743
Referees-Mark Heier (125), Kacey Walker (28).
Linesmen-Adam McMasters (166), Cameron Wetmore (114).
