Wild, Americans Require Overtime Again Sunday as Wenatchee Comes Back for 3-2 Win
WHL Wenatchee Wild

Wild, Americans Require Overtime Again Sunday as Wenatchee Comes Back for 3-2 Win

Published on September 14, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


Wenatchee Wild forward Shaun Rios
Wenatchee Wild forward Shaun Rios
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: Austin Draude)

KENNEWICK, Wash. - In both of their previous preseason get-togethers over the past two weeks, the Wenatchee Wild and Tri-City Americans have required more than the usual 60 minutes to determine the winner.

Why should Sunday's rubber match, the Western Hockey League's final game on the 2025 preseason schedule, be any different?

The Wild dug out of an early 2-0 hole and got a backdoor goal from Sam Elliott with 1:55 left in overtime, earning a 3-2 win for their third straight preseason victory ahead of their 2025-26 regular season opener this Saturday at the Everett Silvertips. Each of the last four preseason games between Wenatchee and Tri-City has gone to overtime, including all three preseason matchups this year.

79 seconds into the game, Ryan Gibbs squeaked one past Cal Conway to put the Americans in front. At 13:42, Tri-City forward Jesse McKinnon started a Tri-City penalty kill by running off with the puck after the initial faceoff in the Ams' zone - his transition goal put the hosts ahead by a pair.

Wenatchee wasn't content to let the Americans take further control - Brayden Pankey snapped home a shot from the left half with 1:13 to go in the period, keeping the Wild within a goal going to the second. 7:13 into the middle stanza, Shaun Rios followed that by hitting the back of the net with a wrister from the edge of the right-wing circle, giving the Wild their first power play goal of the preseason and wiping away the remainder of the Tri-City advantage.

The two teams combined for 23 shots over the third period and overtime without any luck, until Zane Saab tossed the puck to the back side of the goal crease for Elliott to poke home for the finish at the 3:05 mark of overtime.

Saab was the only player for either side with more than one point, rolling up a pair of assists for Wenatchee in the win. Conway made 29 saves on 31 Tri-City shots to earn the win, his second overtime victory in the preseason, while Xavier Wendt made 38 saves in the loss for the Americans.

Tri-City was dominant at the faceoff dot, winning 46 draws to Wenatchee's 33 - however, the Wild set the pace on offense with 41 shots to the Ams' 31, including a 15-9 margin in the game's opening 20 minutes. They also finished off the day with the game's only power play goal, going 1-for-7 on the man-advantage while the Americans went scoreless on eight power plays. Wenatchee's penalty kill found another gear in that first period, bamboozling the Tri-City power play on two early 5-on-3 chances totaling almost two full minutes.

The Wild finished their preseason with a 4-0-1-0 mark, and will hit the reset button as they look ahead to next Saturday's season opener at Everett, with the opening puck drop at Angel of the Winds Arena slated for 6:05 p.m. The Wild will follow that tilt with their own home opener against the Silvertips, presented by Town Toyota, a week later.

Single-game tickets are now available for all 34 Wenatchee Wild home dates this year, and 2025-26 season tickets also remain on sale - for more information, call 509-888-7825, or visit 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 forward Shaun Rios
Wenatchee Wild forward Shaun Rios
(Austin Draude)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from September 14, 2025


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