Wenatchee Gathers Three Power Play Goals Sunday in 10-2 Win, Four of Six Points on Weekend

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WHL Wenatchee Wild

Wenatchee Gathers Three Power Play Goals Sunday in 10-2 Win, Four of Six Points on Weekend

January 5, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


Wenatchee Wild forward Luka Shcherbyna (right, 27)
Wenatchee Wild forward Luka Shcherbyna (right, 27)
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: John Keller/Tri-City Americans)

KENNEWICK, Wash. - Wenatchee's win Sunday in the final game of a three-game road trip wasn't just resounding - it was history-making. For the first time in their Western Hockey League era, the Wild posted a double-figure scoring effort with a 10-2 win at the Tri-City Americans, and notched three more power play goals after posting three in Saturday's 6-3 win at the Portland Winterhawks. Evan Friesen set a new career-high and set a new season-best for the team with four goals, adding an assist on the rush in the third period.

The Wild stomped their foot on the gas early, and took advantage of power play chances to do it. Just 10 seconds into the first Wild power play of the night, Shaun Rios found Friesen out front for a quick wrister at the 2:21 mark of the game. Wenatchee took advantage of a long power play on a Carter MacAdams charging major, and doubled up on its power play haul as Deagan McMillan found Zane Saab out front for a tap-in at 10:13 of the period.

Miles Cooper stuck home a chance in a brief scramble in front of the Ams' cage at 12:48, and Luka Shcherbyna finished a 3-on-2 with a rush down the left wing and a glove-side goal 70 seconds later.

Tri-City wouldn't be held down forever, though - 85 seconds into the second period, Brandon Whynott sent a pass out front for Gavin Garland from the corner, and Garland strode forward and sent the Americans' first goal past Brendan Gee. Friesen took over the rest of the stanza, scoring inside the back post at 2:37, completing the hat trick with a backhand wraparound at 6:08, and adding his final goal at 11:09 by banging in a rebound following Reid Andresen's shot off the post.

Whynott's goal from the edge of the right-wing circle with 2.9 seconds to play was the last the Tri-City offense could muster. Cooper and Friesen teamed up to feed Rios for a goal on a one-timer at 5:55 of the third, followed by a Maddix McCagherty goal from the right circle with 12:41 to play. Shcherbyna scored to the glove side on another left-wing rush with two minutes to go to cap the Wenatchee outburst.

"Who would have thought that, with a tired team coming in here, with our third game in three nights and an afternoon game?" said head coach Don Nachbaur. "I give our guys full marks - we were totally structured tonight, with four lines and six defensemen, and every guy did his job remarkably. I really liked the way we defended - we didn't give them much, and our discipline was great. Our power play has been really hot the last couple of games, and they got us on track. It was a total team effort."

Wenatchee got points from 11 different players in Sunday's game, with Friesen's five points leading the way. Shcherbyna had two goals and an assist, followed by a goal and two helpers each from Cooper and Rios, and Brendan Dunphy got into the mix with three assists. The power play finished the night at 3-for-7, while the penalty kill was perfect on three chances. Gee made 23 saves, earning his third win of the year.

Lukas Matecha took the loss for Tri-City, making seven saves, while Nathan Preston stopped 17 Wild shots in relief. Whynott had a goal and an assist, with Jake Sloan picking up two assists as the Americans fell to 20-12-2-1. Wenatchee climbed to 15-18-3-1 with the victory, the team's sixth in its last eight games.

The Wild return home to face the Victoria Royals on Friday, January 10 for Grandparents' Night presented by Papa Murphy's, with the opening puck drop at Town Toyota Center slated for 7 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.

Check out the Wenatchee Wild Statistics




Images from this story

Wenatchee Wild forward Luka Shcherbyna (right, 27)
Wenatchee Wild forward Luka Shcherbyna (right, 27)
(John Keller/Tri-City Americans)		   

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