Grauer, Pauly, Di Puma Pace Wild: Brown Bears Top Wild
Published on January 15, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - Eliot Grauer (Mukioteo, Wash.), Shawn Pauly (Bellingham, Wash.) and Michael Di Puma (Chicago, Ill.) each scored a goal for the Wenatchee Wild Friday night at the Town Toyota Center, but the visiting Kenai River Brown Bears walked away with a 5-3 win behind Sean Muller's two third-period goals.
Kenai River held a 2-goal lead at the midpoint of the first period on unassisted goals by Matt Thompson and Brett Lubanski. The Wild scored a critical goal with 21 seconds remaining in the first period to cut the Brown Bears' lead in half when Grauer finished off a 2-on-1 off of Di Puma's pass. Chris Rumble (Chesapeake, Va.) also assisted.
The Brown Bears extended their lead to 3-1 at 5:46 of the second period when Erik Persson scored from the high slot on a wrister off of Brad Duwe's pass. Wenatchee stormed back for a pair of goals to tie up the contest, 3-3, heading into the third period. Pauly's power-play marker, scored 18 seconds after Persson's goal, from Carl-Johan Sjogren (Sodertalje, Sweden) and Kyle Huson (Parker, Colo.) put the Wild within a goal. Near the midpoint of the period and during a 2-man advantage, Di Puma tied up the contest on a slap shot from above the far circle that beat Kenai River goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom blocker side. Rumble and D.J. Vandercook (Farmington Hills, Mich.) assisted.
Sean Muller secured the win for the Brown Bears with a pair of goals early in the third period. Muller's first goal came during a power play 86 seconds into the frame on a pass from Thompson. He scored his second goal, which was unassisted, on a wrist shot from inside the near faceoff area 82 seconds later.
Dahlstrom made 37 saves on 40 shots for his 11th win of the season. Wild netminder Brandon Jaeger (Champlin, Minn.) turned away 18-of-23 shots while Nick Kulmanovsky (Fairbanks, Alaska) made three saves on three shots in the third period. Wenatchee scored two power play goals on seven opportunities while Kenai River scored one man-advantage goal on five chances.
Di Puma scored a goal and an assist for the Wild while Rumble recorded two assists. Muller scored two goals for the Brown Bears, including the game-winner in the third period, while Thompson scored a goal and an assist.
The Wild (21-14-2) will try to get back on track in Game 3 of its series against the Brown Bears at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday.
North American Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2011
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- Walker Herds Mustangs With Two Late Goals In 4-3 Victory - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Bulls can't get split and lose 4-2 - Amarillo Bulls
- Comeback Kids! Tornado win 5th straight with 4-3 OT win - Texas Tornado
- Bulls Look for Split at Home Versus Topeka - Amarillo Bulls
- 'Runners Bounce Bulls, Remain in First - Topeka Pilots
- "Saucy" Special Teams Springs Corpus Christi Past New Mexico, 5-2 - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Grauer, Pauly, Di Puma Pace Wild: Brown Bears Top Wild - Wenatchee Wild
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