Wild Drop Spruce Kings 5-1

(Photo by MyLight Photography)

The Wenatchee Wild started their 2016/17 season in the exact way they began 2015/16. With a 5-1 win over the Prince George Spruce Kings.

Wednesday night the Spruce Kings had some costly turnovers that led to goals against, and were unable to convert on five power plays including over a minute of 5-on-3.

Kicking off for the Wild was AJ Vanderbeck who turns 19 a week this Friday. He received an early birthday present from teammate Brian Williams who fed Vanderbeck from behind the net, and the forward made no mistake beating McCloskey glove side.

Just past the halfway mark of the period, alternate captain Adam Burnett attempted to get some momentum rolling for his team as he laid out Jimmy O’Brien trying to enter the Spruce King end.

It would be Wenatchee getting the last laugh in the period though as Brendan Harris, the leading Wild scorer from last year enterered the Spruce King end, and had the puck knocked off his stick, but Charlie Combs who had 28 points in 28 games last year was able to pick up the puck and find twine for a 2-0 Wild lead with 1:15 left in the first.

In the second, Ethan de Jong came up with a chance to get his team within one, but Nieto was up to the task. Just 30 second after the Wild went the other way, and Charlie Combs potted his second of the game picking the top right corner.

The Wild would make the score 4-0 just over 3:30 minutes later as Harris scored a mirror image goal to Comb’s second coming down the right side on a 2-on-1, and beating McCloskey glove side. That would do it for McCloskey as he was pulled in his first start of the year after allowing 4 goals on 15 shots. In came Stefan Wornig who was coming off earning an honourable mention for player of the week from the BCHL.

In the third Wornig was tested early, but managed to subdue the Wild attack.

Prince George would again come close to scoring, as Parker Colley fed Braiden Epp alone on the doorstep, but Nieto was able to slide to his right and reach out the pad to rob the 4th year Spruce King on the doorstep.

A minute and a half later it was Wenatchee capping off their scoring as Vanderbeck had his second of the game to bump the lead to 5-0.

Stefan Wornig came up with a huge save on Troy Conzo with just under five minutes remaining, and that would prove to be a momentum shifter as Ethan de Jong and Ben Poisson finished off a houndish forecheck with a goal by Ben Poisson, his first of the year, and second in the BCHL.

 

Prince George went 0 for 5 on the power play against the Wild who led the BCHL in penalty killing last season. The Wild were 1 for 3 with Combs scoring while up a man. The two teams will be back in action Friday and Saturday in the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena with both puckdrops at 7pm. This trip will be the lone time Wenatchee visits Prince George during the regular season.