Portland Power Play Proves Decisive as Wild Fall Saturday, 5-2

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WHL Wenatchee Wild

Portland Power Play Proves Decisive as Wild Fall Saturday, 5-2

January 26, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


Wenatchee Wild's Shaun Rios battles Portland Winterhawks' Ryder Thompson and Carter Sotheran
Wenatchee Wild's Shaun Rios battles Portland Winterhawks' Ryder Thompson and Carter Sotheran
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild)

WENATCHEE, Wash. - By all accounts, Saturday's Wenatchee Wild matchup against the Portland Winterhawks was an even game in 5-on-5 play. The Winterhawks' power play, though, proved to be a little too powerful for a little too long.

Portland posted four power play goals, including the final three goals of the night, for a 5-2 win over the Wild in Western Hockey League action at Town Toyota Center. The Wenatchee loss came one night after a win against the WHL-leading Everett Silvertips, which kept the Wild a point clear of a crowded field in the battle for the eighth and final playoff position in the Western Conference standings.

Just 13 minutes into the game, Wenatchee hopped into the lead first when Shaun Rios hammered home a one-timer on a 2-on-1 rush following a pass from Maddix McCagherty. However, with 8:46 left in the period, Portland evened up the game when Diego Buttazzoni hit the net with a one-timer from the right-wing circle following a pass from Ryan Miller below the goal line.

The Wild regained the lead just past the four-minute mark of the second, with Miles Cooper hammering home a rebound off an Evan Friesen shot for a power play goal of his own. Portland tied the game with 7:12 to go in the period, when Miller rang in a shot off the bottom of the crossbar.

With 3:39 left in the period, the Winterhawks used a 5-on-3 power play to take the lead, when Tyson Jugnauth found Alex Weiermair for a backdoor one-timer from the left half. Portland came out of the dressing room for the third period with a 3-2 lead, and expanded it on a toss from Buttazzoni to the top corner of the net 2:45 out of the break. Down a man with 2:17 to go, the Wild brought goaltender Brendan Gee to the bench, but Kyle Chyzowski's toss from Portland's high slot put a final power play goal on the Winterhawks' ledger.

Wenatchee was successful on one of its two power plays, while Portland went 4-for-8 on the man-advantage. Buttazzoni finished with a pair of goals, while Chyzowski and Miller ended the night with a goal and an assist each. Marek Schlenker earned his 11 th win of the season for the visitors, including a perfect third period against 22 Wild shots. Gee was tagged with the loss, despite making 35 saves.

Cooper's goal was his 10 th on the power play this season, marking the most for any player in the WHL organization since Connor McClennon's 16 power play goals in the 2022-23 season. Wenatchee fell to 17-23-3-1 with the loss, while Portland retained its top-four position in the Western Conference at 27-16-2-1. The Wild remain in eighth place in the Western Conference heading out of the weekend, with four teams separated by just three total points.

Wenatchee's January home schedule wraps up Tuesday, with its Taco Tuesday promotion presented by Garlini's. The opening puck drop Tuesday against the Medicine Hat Tigers is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tickets for that game and all regular-season home games are on sale now by phone 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, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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Images from this story

Wenatchee Wild's Shaun Rios battles Portland Winterhawks' Ryder Thompson and Carter Sotheran
Wenatchee Wild's Shaun Rios battles Portland Winterhawks' Ryder Thompson and Carter Sotheran
(Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild)		   

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