Wild End Avs' 7-Game Winning Streak
Published on October 26, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
PALMER, Alaska - The Wenatchee Wild halted the Alaska Avalanche's league-leading 7-game winning streak Tuesday with an 8-4 victory at the Palmer Ice Arena in Palmer, Alaska.
The Wild drew first blood 9:37 into the first period during a 2-man advantage on a high wrist shot from Ben Carey (Centennial, Colo.) near the far faceoff dot. Chris Kerr (Penticton, British Columbia) earned the lone assist.
The Avs knotted the score, 1-1, with 5:39 remaining before the first intermission during another 2-man advantage on a goal from the near circle by Gage Christianson. Ross Pavel and Wehebe Darge assisted.
Alaska took a 2-1 lead a little less than two minutes into the second stanza when Christianson set up Mitch Kontny. Jordan Watt also assisted.
The Wild would go on to score a pair of even-strength markers to take a 3-2 lead into the third period. Carey tied the game, 2-2, a little less than nine minutes into the period after receiving a pass in the slot from Jerad Tafoya (Highland Ranch, Colo.). Carey received the pass while fighting off a defender and scored on a backhander as he approached the cage.
Matt Cope (Lakewood, Colo.) reclaimed the lead for the Wild, 3-2, with 56 seconds remaining in the second frame. Cope entered the offensive zone down the left wing on a 3-on-2. An Alaska defender eliminated Cope's pass options, so he fired a shot that beat netminder Nick Kulmanovsky stick side for his third goal of the season. Dylan Abood (Centennial, Colo.) and Kerr assisted.
The two teams combined for seven goals in the third period with the Wild outscoring the Avs, 5-2. Max McHugh (Edgewood, Wash.) gave Wenatchee a 2-goal cushion 1:40 into the final stanza during a man-advantage. Inside the near circle, McHugh received a pass from Michael Lant (Suwanee, Ga.) from the near point and scored on a turnaround wrister. Sam Johnson (Dallas, Texas) also assisted. The goal was McHugh's first with the Wild this season.
Alaska refused to give in and cut the Wild lead in half, 4-3, on a goal by Cobi Smith-Mass 3:24 into the third period. Joe Schmitz and Connor Wright were credited with the helpers. Wenatchee got that goal back, however, near the midpoint of the frame when Trevor Husch (Plainfield, Ill.) knocked in a rebound off of a McHugh shot.
Kerr added to the Wild lead with 6:58 left in the contest, beating the goaltender one-on-one for his club's sixth marker of the contest. Lant earned the lone assist. Jeff Bergh scored Alaska's fourth and final goal of the night at the 15:15 mark on assists by Ryan Daut and Patrick Kinkopf.
The Wild scored a pair of power-play goals down the stretch to close out scoring. Trace Redmond scored unassisted from the high slot at the 16:35 mark before Blake Saylor (Centennial, Colo.) knocked in Wenatchee's fourth power-play goal of the evening at 17:31. Cope assisted.
Wild goaltender Robert Nichols (Dallas, Texas) made 29 saves on 33 shots to improve to 5-0-1 on the season. Nick Kulmanovsky made 18 saves for Alaska on 21 shots while Bodhi Engum chipped in with 10 saves on 15 shots.
Wenatchee scored four power-play goals on nine chances while Alaska scored two power-play markers on five opportunities.
Five Wild players recorded multi-point games, including: Kerr (1G, 2A), Carey (2G), Cope (1G, 1A), McHugh (1G, 1A) and Lant (2A). Christianson paced the Avs with two points (1G, 1A).
Game 2 of this series between the Wild (5-4-2) and Avalanche (9-5-1) is set for 8 p.m. (PDT) Wednesday. The Wild will take on the Fairbanks Ice Dogs at the Big Dipper Sports Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska, this Friday and Saturday. Both of those games are schedule to begin at 8:30 p.m. (PDT). For a small fee, fans can watch the Wild's road games live online at www.FASTHockey.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from October 26, 2011
- Wild End Avs' 7-Game Winning Streak - Wenatchee Wild
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