Martin's Overtime Winner Lifts Americans Over Wild
Published on January 31, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
Kennewick, WA - Grady Martin scored a power play goal in overtime, giving the Tri-City Americans (25-18-3-1) a 3-2 victory against the Wenatchee Wild (18-26-3-2) the Toyota Center Saturday night.
It wasn't a great start to the game for the Americans as the Wild came out strong, jumping out to an 11-1 shot advantage. That included Luka Shcherbyna opening the scoring off a faceoff in the Tri-City zone with 4:29 left in the period.
The Americans started to get their legs going following the goal, firing multiple shots towards Tobias Tvrznik and eventually drawing a penalty to start period two on the power play. Shots were 13-8 Wenatchee after one.
Tri-City took full advantage of the power play to start the middle frame, tying the game at one. Savin Virk had the puck in the high slot and ripped a shot past the blocker of Tvrznik for his 22nd goal of the season, pulling the Americans even 1:18 into the period.
The Americans controlled the majority of play for the second period and eventually took the lead. Cruz Pavao took a cross-crease pass from Connor Dale and just missed tapping the puck into an open net.
He stuck with it, gathering the loose puck behind the net and wrapping it around the other side, catching Tvrznik leaning the other way, to pick up his 15th of the season.
Tri-City carried the 2-1 lead into the third period, and had a power play to start the final frame, but couldn't extend their lead.
Wenatchee thought they had tied the game part way through the third, but Shcherbyna's second goal of the game was waived off due to goaltender interference.
Not long after the disallowed goal the Wild did tie the game. While on the power play, Levi Benson walked off the goal line and snapped a shot past the blocker of Grout, tying the game at two with 7:49 left in regulation.
It was then the Americans turn to have a goal waived off as David Krcal thought he restored Tri-City's lead less than two minutes after Benson's goal, but the officials reviewed the play and waived the goal off due to a missed hand pass.
The game remained tied at two as Tri-City went to overtime for the 11th time this season.
In overtime Charlie Elick got tripped skating out of his own zone by Caelan Joudrey, sending the Americans to the power play. On the man advantage the puck was fired toward the net and Martin was able to jam the rebound through the pads of Tvrznik, winning the game for Tri-City.
The Americans wrap up their 3-in-3 weekend with a 4:05 puck drop on the road against the league-leading Everett Silvertips (37-6-2-1) Sunday.
Announced attendance was 3,894.
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