Wild Fall to Monsters 3-1 in Game 2 of West Division Semifinals
April 14, 2013 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - The Fresno Monsters won their firstplayoff game in team history Saturday, earning a 3-1 victory over the WenatcheeWild in Game 2 of the NAHL West Division semifinals at the Town Toyota Center.The win tied up the 5-game playoff series, 1-1.
The first period Saturday was the exact opposite of Friday.Instead of the Wild leading 2-0 after 20 minutes of play, it was the Monsters whoheld a 2-0 lead. Dan Sherer lit the lamp just 18 seconds into regulation whenhe scored on a breakaway, and Andrew Herlofsky doubled Fresno's lead with 5:29left before the first intermission.
The Monsters extended their lead to 3-0 with 8:23 left in thesecond period when Mitchell Snyder scored on a ridiculously sharp angle shotfrom the left wing that somehow found its way into the Wild net.
Wenatchee got back into the game with a late second-period breakawaygoal by Max McHugh (Edgewood,Wash.). The play started with good pressure defense in the Wild end thatresulted in a Monsters turnover at the blue line. McHugh received a send awaypass and scored on a 5-hole shot. JoshHartley (Coquitlam, British Columbia) and Jono Davis (La Verne, Calif.) assisted.
No goals were scored in the third period, and the Monstersheld on to win the second game of their divisional semifinal series against theWild, 3-1.
Tomas Sholl made 35 saves on 36 shots to earn the win. Robert Nichols (Dallas, Texas) sufferedthe loss. He made 17 saves on 20 shots. NickSchmit (Fargo, N.D.) also made three saves for the Wild.
"Definitely, Sholl was the difference," said Wenatchee Wildhead coach Bliss Littler.
The Wild outshot the Monsters over the last two periods28-10, but were only able to get one puck past Sholl.
"We just didn't finish," Littler said. "We had plenty ofchances to finish but we didn't."
Game 3 of the West Division semifinals between the Wild andMonsters is Wednesday at Gateway Ice Center in Fresno, Calif. Faceoff is setfor 7:45 p.m. Game 4 will also be played at the Gateway Ice Center in Fresno,Calif. on Thursday at 7 p.m. If necessary, the Wild will host Game 5 at theTown Toyota Center on Sunday, April 21 at 5:05 p.m.
"We've said all along that [we just] need to be the firstteam to win three games," said Littler.
Wenatchee went 7-1 on the road against Fresno during theregular season. The Wild had the sixth best road record during the regularseason and had the longest road winning streak (10 games) in the NAHL.
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North American Hockey League Stories from April 14, 2013
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- Wild Fall to Monsters 3-1 in Game 2 of West Division Semifinals - Wenatchee Wild
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