Wild Win Regular-Season Title
March 28, 2010 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - The Wenatchee Wild clinched the 2009-10 NAHL regular-season championship Saturday night by routing the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, 6-1. Wenatchee concluded the regular season with a record of 45-10-3 and 93 points.
Wenatchee got off to a strong start for the second game in a row, claiming a 2-0 lead over the Ice Dogs after 20 minutes of play. On a power play, Michael Di Puma (Chicago, Ill.) opened scoring at the 6:15 mark when he tapped home a rebound off a Brandon Burrell (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) shot from the blue line. Ryan Timar (Novi, Mich.) also assisted. Later in the period Duncan McKellar (Phoenix, Ariz.) won a clean faceoff in the Ice Dogs' zone back to defenseman Jordan Young (Cave Creek, Ariz.), who cranked a shot from the blue line. Fairbanks goalie Joe Phillippi made the save on Young's shot, but Armand de Swardt (Dallas, Texas) buried the rebound with 9:05 remaining.
The Wild exploded for four goals in the second period to take a 6-0 lead before Fairbanks' Matt Millis broke up the shutout when he scored a goal with 41 ticks left on the second-period clock. No goals were scored in the third period.
Dajon Mingo (Canton, Mich.) scored the Wild's third goal of the game five minutes into the second period when he sprinted into the zone down the left wing, went wide around a defenseman, and lit the lamp with a low shot. Alex McLean (Duluth, Minn.) and Di Puma assisted. McLean picked up his second assist of the game less than two minutes later when Christian Hilbrich (Clarendon Hills, Ill.) deflected his wrist shot 5-hole past Phillippi.
Wenatchee converted a 3-on-1 rush into its fifth goal of the game at the 12:18 mark of the second frame. Brandon Brossoit (Los Alamitos, Calif.) entered the offensive zone down the left wing, took a hard wrist shot that was saved but, Andrew Christ (Spokane, Wash.), who was crashing the net from the right wing, tapped in the rebound. Burrell also assisted on Christ's goal. On the power play, Nolan Youngmun (Anchorage, Alaska) took a slapper from the blue line close to the near boards. Youngman's shot was stopped, but Young was in position to knock in the rebound for Wenatchee's sixth goal of the game. Burrell also earned an assist on Young's goal, his third helper of the contest.
Wenatchee outshot Fairbanks, 35-20. Wild goaltender Brandon Jaeger (Champlin, Minn.) turned in another fine performance, stopping 19 of the 20 shots he faced for his 22nd win of the season. Phillippi made 20 saves on 25 shots. Mike Taffe, on in relief of Phillippi, stopped 9-of-10 shots. Wenatchee scored two power-play goals on three chances while Fairbanks went 0-for-2.
• Discuss this story on the North American Hockey League message board...
North American Hockey League Stories from March 28, 2010
- Rangers Hosting Fan Fest Tuesday - Marquette Rangers
- Wild Win Regular-Season Title - Wenatchee Wild
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.
