Wild Return Home for Game 5 of West Division Finals
May 5, 2013 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Get ready for an even bigger Game 5, Wenatchee. The Wild and Fairbanks Ice Dogs will battle for the fifth and final time in the divisional finals Tuesday at the Town Toyota in a do-or-die contest that will decide which team represents the West Division in the 2013 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship Tournament.
The Fairbanks Ice Dogs forced the winner-takes-all Game 5 with a hard-fought 3-2 win Saturday at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The teams entered the third period Saturday tied 1-1. Joe Sullivan (Las Vegas, Nev.) gave the Wild a 2-1 lead 7:21 into the third period when he buried a 5-hole shot on his backhand from the slot on a pass from Noah Nelson (Oconomowoc, Wis.). Jacob Barber (Dardenne Prairie, Mo.) also assisted.
Wenatchee's lead lasted just nine seconds when Colton Wolter forced the second time of the game on a pass from Brett Gervais. Taylor Munson went on to score the game-winning goal for the Ice Dogs on a quick-developing 2-on-1 with 6:11 left in regulation. Garret Clemment and Duggie Lagrone picked up the assists.
"That was a tough one," Wild head coach Bliss Littler said. "We had our chances earlier. We shouldn't have been in that position in the third period."
Wild goalie Robert Nichols (Dallas, Texas) played very well Saturday. He stopped Clemment on a breakaway with 70 seconds remaining in the first period. Clemment was awarded a penalty shot on the breakaway, and Nichols denied that attempt as well. In all, Nichols made 25 saves on 28 shots Saturday while his counterpart, Steve Perry, made 21 saves on 23 shots.
Max McHugh (Edgewood, Wash.) finally broke a scoreless tie 7:33 into the second period when he lit the lamp on a one-time from the slot after the Ice Dogs failed to clear the zone and turned the puck over. Jono Davis (La Verne, Calif.) and Chris Kerr (Penticton, British Columbia) did the rest, cycling the puck to McHugh for the wide-open shot.
Wenatchee's lead lasted only 13 seconds, however, when Lawrence Cornellier scored on an assist from Munson.
The Wild had a couple of golden scoring chances in the second period. One of those chances was on a Davis slapper from the point that rang off the near post during a man-advantage. The other came during a 2-on-1 late in the stanza, but Perry denied McHugh's shot.
Nichols was strong again very late in the second period during a Fairbanks power play, making a couple of brilliant stops including a shot by Munson from pointblank range at the buzzer. Both teams went 0-for-3 Saturday on their man-advantage opportunities.
Both the Wild and Ice Dogs played in a fifth game in the divisional semifinals. Fairbanks defeated Kenai River 3-2 in Game 5 of the their divisional semifinals at the Big Dipper Ice Arena while the Wild defeated the Fresno Monsters 4-1 in front of 3,177 fans at the Town Toyota Center in the fifth game of their divisional semifinal series.
"Boy, if we could have the same enthusiasm and energy [in Game 5 against Fairbanks] that we had in Game 5 against Fresno, that would be awesome," Littler said.
Game 5 will begin at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday. Call 509.888.PUCK (7825) to order tickets.
The winner of Tuesday's Game 5 will advance to the 2013 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship Tournament, which will be held May 10-13 at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas.
"It's probably the only way for this series to end," Littler said of the decisive fifth game. "Two good hockey teams, two teams that play fast. Unfortunately, we couldn't finish it [Saturday]. We had our chances."
• Discuss this story on the North American Hockey League message board...
North American Hockey League Stories from May 5, 2013
- Wild Return Home for Game 5 of West Division Finals - Wenatchee Wild
- Bobcats Claim Fifth Straight Central Division Title - Bismarck Bobcats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
