BCHL

Wenatchee Wild dump Vernon Vipers 5-2 for fifth consecutive win

Written by BCHLNetwork Staff on

First Period

Friday night saw an Interior Division clash at Wenatchee’s Town Toyota Center between the Wild and the visiting Vernon Vipers. Going into this match up, Vernon sat one point above Wenatchee with a 28-22-2-1 record while the Wild sat at 27-22-3-1. Prior to this meeting, Vernon led the season series four games to one. Wenatchee’s lone win came in September at home on Friday the 13th. The Wild slipped by Vernon 2-1 in front of 2,050 fans in their first match up against each other this season.

Fast forward to Friday night when Noah Lugli struck first for Wenatchee 9:48 into the first to make it 1-0 on their eighth shot of the game. Assists on Lugli’s goal came from Matt Dorsey and Sam Morton. It was Lugli’s fourth goal and tenth point overall as a member of the Wild. Before joining Wenatchee this season, Lugli spent 27 games with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Later on in the third period, he came up clutch on a crucial play and deflected a Vernon shot away from the Wild net to prevent the Vipers from cutting into the deficit.

Consecutive Vernon penalties helped Wenatchee take a 2-0 lead 14:14 into the first period on a five on four power play shortly after a five on three expired. Dylan Herzog scored the goal with assists from Tanner Main and Tyler Young. This lone assist was enough to get Main the third star of the game. It was Herzog’s third goal this season and 11th point overall. The Wild went into the first break leading 2-0 with fifteen shots on goal while Vernon tallied just nine shots.

Second Period

Dawson Holt scored Vernon’s first goal of the game 4:28 into the second period on their tenth shot. It was Holt’s 18th goal this season and 40th point overall.

Quinn Emerson went off to the penalty box for interference 7:24 into the middle frame, but the Wild scored shorthanded and unassisted by way of Sam Morton just 14 seconds into the PK. It was Morton’s third point of the night, ninth goal of the season, and 23rd point overall.

The Wild took a 4-1 lead 11:18 into the second when Ethan Wolthers skated in on front of Vernon goalie Reilly Herbst and slid the puck in across the crease with assists from Drew Bavaro and Morton. It was Wolthers’ fifth goal of the season good for his 13th point overall. Morton’s assist locked down him being awarded the second star of the game.

Wenatchee fired a shot off the pads of Herbst shortly before the horn sounded, but went into the second intermission leading 4-1 on the scoreboard and 28-16 in shots.

Final Frame

Holt scored his second of the night for Vernon at the 14:21 mark of the third with an assist from Landon Fuller. Holt collected his 18th and 19th goals of the season for a two point night. He now has 41 points on the season.

With the goalie pulled and an extra attacker on the ice for Vernon, Wild goalie Daniel Chenard came up with a huge save on a dangerous shot with 1:46 to go. Chenard saved 27 shots for the Wild to earn first star of the game. Herbst stopped 32 shots on net for the Vipers.

The Wild scored an empty net goal at the 18:59 mark of the third on Wolthers’ second goal of the night with assists from Dorsey and Herzog. This gave Wolthers his sixth goal of the season and his 14th point overall. Herzog ended the night with a goal and an assist.

Wenatchee sent all 2,290 fans home happy and leapfrogged the Vipers in the standings by improving to 28-22-3-1 for a total of 60 points. The Vipers fall to 28-23-2-1 for a total of 59 points, but they win the season series four games to two.

Next Up

The Vipers return home to Kal Tire Place to start a three game home stand with a 6 pm tilt against the West Kelowna Warriors on Saturday. The Wild look for their sixth consecutive victory as they take on the Chilliwack Chiefs at 7:05 pm in the Town Toyota Center. Chilliwack sits second in the Mainland Division with a record of 25-18-5-6, good for 61 points on the season. The Chiefs will be coming into Wenatchee fresh off a 4-2 defeat on the road at the hands of the Surrey Eagles.