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WHL Wenatchee Wild

Wild Push Winning Streak to Eight Games, Rout Swift Current 5-1 Wednesday

November 9, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen
Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild)

SWIFT CURRENT, Saskatchewan - From the moment the Wenatchee Wild took the lead early in the first period at the Swift Current Broncos, all signs pointed to a good night Wednesday in Wenatchee's first-ever trip to Saskatchewan.

On the eighth day of the month, the Wild stretched their winning streak to eight games, posting two goals in the first period and three more in the final minutes of a 5-1 rout of the Broncos. The three-game road trip through Alberta and Saskatchewan features the top three teams in the Western Hockey League's Central Division, but the Wild scored early and often in bumping their record to 11-6-1-0 on the year. Swift Current slipped back to 9-8-1-0 with the loss.

The Wild led from the 12:40 mark of the opening period, when Briley Wood sent a pass across the top of the goal crease to Conor Geekie, who snapped a shot past Reid Dyck to put Wenatchee in front. The Wild went to the locker room with a 2-0 lead thanks to a power play goal with 3:01 left in the first - with Van Eger in the box on a tripping call, Miles Cooper sent a pass across the ice for Ty Fraser, who hammered home a one-timer from the top of the left-wing faceoff circle.

Both offenses went through the second period without success, but Wenatchee pushed the lead to 3-0 with 8:38 left in the period, when Evan Friesen raced in and tossed a shot past Dyck into the top of the net. Two minutes later, Kenta Isogai won a race to the end boards to collect an overthrown pass, and set the puck out front for Wood to bang in for a 4-0 advantage.

Tyson Laventure's catch-and-release goal in transition with 4:36 remaining broke up Daniel Hauser's shutout, but Friesen threw the puck into the empty Bronco net with 33 seconds remaining to seal the four-goal victory.

"It was a solid 60 minutes," said Wild head coach Roy Sommer. "I was a little worried after a 14-hour bus trip, but they shook the cobwebs out pretty quick and got at it. We stepped on them early, and really didn't look back - this is a good team that they beat tonight."

Four Wild players finished with two points apiece, led by Friesen's two goals. The Wild went 1-for-5 on the power play, their seventh game in eight with a power play goal. They were perfect on four penalty-killing chances, and added Friesen's empty-net marker with Dawson Seitz in the box serving a boarding minor. Hauser made 21 saves to earn his ninth win of the year and 87th of his WHL career.

Geekie posted a goal and an assist, while Isogai had two assists, extending their scoring streaks to eight straight games with at least one point. However, the game saw a historic scoring streak end for Graham Sward - his point streak ended at 16 consecutive games, including 15 to start his 2023-24 campaign, the longest such streak by a defenseman in Wild and ICE WHL history. Fraser also enjoyed his first goal in a Wenatchee Wild uniform after posting two goals last year for Winnipeg.

Wenatchee's Central Division road trip continues Friday as the Wild visit the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Friday's game is set for a 6 p.m. puck drop. Live coverage is available on Newsradio 560 KPQ and WHL Live.

The Wild return home for a November 15 contest against the Tri-City Americans, presented by LocalTel. Tickets for that game and all home regular-season contests are on sale now at 509-888-7825, or by visiting 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, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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Images from this story

Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen
Wenatchee Wild's Evan Friesen
(Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from November 9, 2023


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