The Wenatchee Wild power play has been red hot, scoring on 9
of their 20 power play chances in the first four games of the season. West
Kelowna got the first goal of the game, with Mason Richey scoring from the left
side on a two-on-one rush. Chad Sasaki
had a great chance to tie it up late in the first but his sharp wrister from the
left circle was denied by goalie Hayden Missler, who was making his Warriors
debut. (He was the backup goalie for the Spruce Grove Saints in last years
Doyle Cup.) Sasaki got the better of him moments later, entering the zone on
the right side and drilling a low glove side shot into the net. The
penalty-free game was tied at 1-1 after 1.
Right off the hop in the second, the Warriors caught a break
when a Wild defenseman blocked the left point shot, but it deflected directly
to Chase Dubois standing at the wide open side of the net for an easy tap-in
and a 2-1 lead. Wenatchee answered to tie the game at 2 on a Lucas Sowder shot from the top of the
right circle that deflected and bounced past Missler at 8:03 and the game was tied
2-2 after 2.
Through 40 minutes, there had only been one power play, and
that went to the Warriors who couldn’t benefit from it. At 8:52 of the third,
Warriors forward Mike Hardman got his stick up, clipping Lucas Sowder to put the Wild on the power play for the first time
of the night, and Sowder helped cash it in, taking a pass from Matt Gosiewski down low on the right
wing, stepping out front and firing a pass to Jacob Modry who punched it home for a 3-2 lead, his second goal of
the season. Cristophe Tellier
converted a power play chance for an insurance marker, assisted by Christophe Fillion with 2:07 left to
play. Tellier patiently walked out of the right wing corner, navigated his way
to a clear shooting lane and finished it off, his third goal of the season. The
Warriors pulled Missler for the extra attacker but all for naught as Wenatchee
held on for the 4-2 win, outshooting the Warriors 31-19. Cal Sandquist went the distance in his first start of the season.
Wenatchee (3-1-0) now prepares for the BCHL Showcase
Tournament in Chilliwack. The Wild face Alberni Valley (2-2-0) on Friday at
1:30 pm, then Chilliwack (2-2-0) at 7:00 pm on Saturday. The Wild Home Opener will
be Friday October 12 against the Nanaimo Clippers, and will feature the
unveiling of the Championship Banners, a Ring Ceremony, and more.
The Wenatchee Wild are the defending 2018 BCHL Fred Page Cup
and Doyle Cup Champions. Stay up to date with the team all summer long on
Facebook (facebook.com/wenatcheewildhockey), Twitter (@WenatcheeWild1), YouTube
(Wen Wild), Snapchat (wwildhockey), Instagram (Wenatchee_wild), and on the
team’s official website (wenatcheewildhockey.com).
For
more information, contact: Arch Ecker –
Director of Media Relations / arch@wenatcheewildhockey.com