Wenatchee Takes 2-0 Lead in Series
Published on April 3, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - In overtime, Carl-Johan Sjogren (Tumba, Sweden) peeled the puck away from an Alaska Avalanche defender along the far wall in the offensive zone, then shoveled a pass to Max McHugh (Edgewood, Wash.) who cranked a slapper off the cross bar from the high slot. Positioned at the near side of the Alaska cage, D.J. Vandercook (Farmington Hills, Mich.) found the rebound and banged it high into the net over netminder Landon Peterson's right shoulder to give the Wenatchee Wild a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 2 of its Robertson Cup divisional semifinal series.
The win staked the Wild to a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, which now switches to Plamer, Alaska. Game 3 is set for 8:30 p.m. (PT) on Friday.
Wenatchee held a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. Jacob Barber (Dardenne Prairie, Mo.) scored the first Wild goal just shy of the midpoint. Moments after the Wild killed off a penalty, Barber entered the offensive zone down the left wing and launched a wrist shot from above the far faceoff dot that beat goaltender Nick Kulmanovsky glove side. Ben Carey (Centennial, Colo.) and Bradley Shumway (Lafayette, Colo.) assisted.
The Wild doubled its lead to 2-0 by taking advantage of its first man-advantage two minutes after Barber's opening marker when McHugh scored on a loose puck in the slot with a top shelf wrister. Carey and Sjogren assisted.
Michael Di Puma (Chicago, Ill.) gave the Wild a 3-goal cushion when he scored from above the far circle 3:26 into the second period during a power play off of a pass from Barber. Chris Rumble (Chesapeake, Va.) also assisted.
The Avalanche refused to go away, however, and entered the third period trailing by just one marker after goals by Eliot Grauer and Matt Friese. Grauer's goal, assisted by Blake Huppert and Jake Williams, was scored during a man-advantage with 3:36 remaining in the second frame. Friese notched Alaska's second goal with 25 seconds remaining before the second intermission when he tapped a puck into the Wild cage that had trickled behind goaltender Brandon Jaeger (Champlin, Minn.). Daniel Senkbeil recorded the only assist on the goal.
Friese notched his second goal of the contest, this one on a power play, 9:18 into the third period on assists by Joe Schmitz and Evan Hesse, to set up Vandercook's dramatic overtime game-winner.
Jaeger made 27 saves on 30 shots to earn his second win in the series. Kulmanovsky started the game, but was relieved by Peterson after allowing three goals on 12 shots through 23-plus minutes of work. Peterson made 11 saves on 12 shots over the remainder of the contest, but was officially tagged with the loss.
Barber and McHugh each scored a goal and an assist. Carey and Sjogren each recorded two helpers. Friese scored two of Alaska's three goals. The Wild scored two power-play goals on five chances while the Avs were 2-for-4 on the man-advantage.
North American Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2011
- 'Runners Come out Hot, Lead Series 1-0 - Topeka Pilots
- Jets to Host Next Two Games of Playoff Series - Janesville Jets
- Wenatchee Takes 2-0 Lead in Series - Wenatchee Wild
- Szmatula's OT winner salvages Stars' weekend - Traverse City North Stars
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