Wild earns point in shootout loss
Published on January 29, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - The Wenatchee Wild suffered a 4-3 shootout loss to the Texas Tornado Friday night at the Town Toyota Center. In spite of the loss, the Wild earned a critical point in its West Division playoff race.
The Wild held a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of play on goals by Carl-Johan Sjogren (Tumba, Sweden) and D.J. Vandercook (Farmington Hills, Mich.). After Nathan Sliwinski gave Texas an early lead, Sjogren tied up the contest at 11:42 when he tipped in Hunter Brown's (Huntsville, Ala.) wrist shot from the point during the Wild's first man-advantage of the game. Vandercook gave the Wild a 1-goal lead with 88 seconds remaining in the first stanza when he scored from the slot on a loose puck. Shawn Pauly (Bellingham, Wash.) and Tyler Hope (McKinney, Texas) assisted.
The Tornado scored a pair of goals in the second period to take a 1-goal lead into the final frame. J.D. Howard recorded the first of those goals at 6:15 when he scored from the slot on a pass from Rock Einersen from behind the Wild cage. David Rigatti also assisted. Texas took the lead, 3-2, on Jackson Leff's goal with a little less than two minutes remaining in the period. Sliwinski and Jack Prince assisted.
The Wild tied the contest up, 3-3, just past the midpoint of the third period when Hope tipped in Zach Frye's (Spokane, Wash.) shot from the far point during a power play. Brown also assisted, for his second helper of the game.
The game was decided in a shootout after a scoreless overtime session. Michael Di Puma (Chicago, Ill.), the Wild's first shooter, lit the lamp on a top shelf shot. However, Howard and Ralfs Freibergs each scored a shootout marker to earn the win and extra point for the Tornado, 4-3.
Texas goaltender Jimmy Kruger made 37 saves on 40 shots to pick up his 16th win of the season. Wenatchee netminder Brandon Jaeger (Champlin, Minn.) stopped 28-of-31 shots. The Wild scored two power-play goals on three chances while the Tornado went 0-for-3 on the man-advantage.
For the Wild, Hope (1G, 1A) and Brown (2A) each notched two points. For the Tornado, Sliwinski (1G, 1A) and Prince (2A) each recorded two points.
Game 2 between the Wild (23-15-3) and Tornado is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
North American Hockey League Stories from January 29, 2011
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- Stars complete sweep with 3-1 win - Traverse City North Stars
- Bulls Look for Win Tonight to Close out Tough Weekend - Amarillo Bulls
- Wild earns point in shootout loss - Wenatchee Wild
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