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WHL Wenatchee Wild

Friesen Scores Again, But Wild Fall 4-1 at Medicine Hat Saturday

November 11, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen and Medicine Hat Tigers' Dru Krebs and Zach Zahara on game night
Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen and Medicine Hat Tigers' Dru Krebs and Zach Zahara on game night
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: Randy Feere/Medicine Hat Tigers)

MEDICINE HAT, Alberta - By and large, when U.S. Division teams have made their visits to Central Division opponents in the Western Hockey League this season, the Central Division teams have made earning wins a tough task.

The Wenatchee Wild had no better luck on Saturday night against the Medicine Hat Tigers, taking a 4-1 loss against the Central Division's top team. The Wild got their chances early on, putting up eight of the game's first nine shots on goal, but the offense was limited to just a goal in the waning minutes of the opening period. Wenatchee dropped to 11-8-1-0 with the loss, while Medicine Hat saw its record climb to 13-5-2-0 with its fourth straight victory.

Kadon McCann earned the credit for the game's opening goal, redirecting a left-wing shot from Bogdans Hodass at 10:18 of the first period to put the Tigers in front. With 3:27 left in the period, Brett Calhoon found Oasiz Wiesblatt at the right faceoff dot for a wrist shot that extended the lead to 2-0.

The Wild got their timely goal from Evan Friesen with 21.7 seconds remaining in the first period, banging in a one-timer off a setup pass from Miles Cooper to trim the lead at the intermission to 2-1.

A tripping call for the Wild and the ensuing restart opened the door for Medicine Hat's next goal - at 4:43 of the second period, Andrew Basha pulled the puck off of a faceoff to the right of Daniel Hauser, sending a wrist shot into the top of the net to push the lead back to two goals. Wiesblatt earned his second point by sending a pass to the middle of the slot for a wrister from Hunter St. Martin with 1:13 left in the period, capping the scoring for the night.

Friesen continued a torrid scoring run with his fourth goal of the weekend, potting at least one in all three games on the road trip. The game saw a pair of nine-game point streaks end, as Conor Geekie and Kenta Isogai both finished without a point for the first time since October 18. Hauser was saddled with the loss, making 25 saves.

Wiesblatt and Calhoon had the only multi-point games of the night for the Tigers, while Zach Zahara stopped 34 Wenatchee shots to earn his fourth win in as many decisions. The penalty-killing units were perfect on the night, with the Wild wiping away all five Medicine Hat power plays and the Tigers turning aside the remaining three.

Wenatchee's next two games are against the Tri-City Americans, beginning with Wednesday's home contest, presented by LocalTel. The opening puck drop at Town Toyota Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tickets for that game and all home regular-season contests are on sale now at 509-888-7825, 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, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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Images from this story

Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen and Medicine Hat Tigers' Dru Krebs and Zach Zahara on game night
Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen and Medicine Hat Tigers' Dru Krebs and Zach Zahara on game night
(Randy Feere/Medicine Hat Tigers)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from November 11, 2023


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