Wenatchee Power Play Looms Large with 5-3 Win over Kelowna Friday
WHL Wenatchee Wild

Wenatchee Power Play Looms Large with 5-3 Win over Kelowna Friday

Published on February 14, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


Wenatchee Wild's Rui Han
Wenatchee Wild's Rui Han
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild)

WENATCHEE, Wash. - After making its presence known with two goals in Kelowna on Wednesday, the Wenatchee Wild power play shifted into an even higher gear in Friday's Western Hockey League rematch against the Rockets at Town Toyota Center.

Wenatchee scored on its first two power plays of the night, and hit the back of the net on three of its first five shots of the game, outlasting Kelowna 5-3 to earn its 20th win of the season and 15th on home ice. In all, the Wild wrapped up Friday's game 3-for-6 on the power play, with the three power play tallies tying a season high. The Wild spent a total of just 45 seconds on their three successful power plays.

The first goal came at even strength, though, as Rui Han scratched in a second-chance goal at the top of the crease 8:39 into the game to give the Wild the early lead. Vojtech Cihar would tie the game with a power play marker halfway through the period, as the rebound banked off of a Wenatchee skate and past Tobias Tvrznik to tie the game at 1-1.

The Wild quickly gained their first power play on a tripping call to Cihar off the ensuing faceoff, and Mason Kraft's toss from the left point sneaked just inside the back post to put the hosts in the lead for good. Jaxon Kehrig's tripping infraction at 12:31 saw Wenatchee's efforts pay dividends even more quickly, as Josh Toll let a shot fly from the top of the zone that beat Harrison Boettiger four seconds later.

After going to the dressing room with a 3-1 advantage, Luka Shcherbyna rippled the net on the power play 2:21 into the second period, only eight seconds into a penalty to Carson Wetsch. That three-goal lead was as good as it got for Wenatchee - Tij Iginla pitched the puck down the slot at 7:42 of the second, banking it off of Dawson Gerwing and into the net. Hiroki Gojsic jammed in a chance off a steal with 3:51 left in the period to cut the lead to a goal with a period left.

Wenatchee clawed its way through the third to defend the one-goal cushion, and Han bookended the scoring with a 175-foot rope from the bottom of his own faceoff circle into the empty Rockets net with 1:02 to play.

Shcherbyna and Toll each closed the night with a goal and two assists, while Han earned his first career multi-goal game. Wenatchee's special teams were particularly potent Friday, adding a 4-for-5 penalty killing mark to a 50-percent success rate on the power play. Tvrznik earned his 15th win of the season with 31 saves, with Kelowna outshooting their hosts 26-9 over the final two periods.

Boettiger stopped just six of the 10 Wild shots he saw, taking the loss, while Josh Banini turned away all six Wenatchee chances in relief. The Wild climbed to 20-28-3-2 with the win, while the Rockets slipped to 27-18-5-2 with the loss.

The Wild travel to Spokane Saturday to begin a home-and-home set with the Chiefs before returning home for the back half of the pair on Sunday. The opening puck drop at Numerica Veterans Arena is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., with live coverage on Newsradio 560 KPQ and Victory+.

Sunday's game is Wenatchee's annual Teacher Appreciation Night presented by Gesa Credit Union, and the second-to-last Fred Meyer Sunday Funday promotion for 2025-26. Tickets for Sunday's game and all regular-season Wild 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

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Images from this story

Wenatchee Wild's Rui Han
Wenatchee Wild's Rui Han
(Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from February 14, 2026


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