Wild advance with sweep

WENATCHEE — Following a 3-1 win on Sunday, the Wenatchee Wild completed a 3-0 sweep of the Kenai River Brown Bears in their North American Hockey League (NAHL) West Division semifinal series.

The Wild now await the winner of the Fairbanks-Alaska semifinal series winner which continues Friday. Fairbanks will host leading 2-0 after two road wins this past weekend.

The entire series was played at the Town Toyota Center after both teams agreed earlier in the season to play a potential matchup at one site to aid in travel costs for both squads.

Nolan Youngman scored two second period goals to help break a 0-0 tie after the game’s first twenty minutes.

Eric Johnson then notched a tally of his own 90 seconds into the third period to give the Wild a 3-0 lead.

The Wild outshot Kenai River 40-20.

Wenatchee set up the finishing game with back-to-back 5-2 wins in the series’ first two games.

The series opener on Friday saw the Wild establish a 2-0 lead after the first period with Ryan Timar and Eric Johnson putting one shot each in the back of the net.

Nathan Sliwinski scored one minute in to the second period to give the Wild a 3-0 lead.

Kenai River cut the deficit to 3-1 after two periods but Dajon Mingo and Timar both scored in the third period to put the game away.

Wenatchee outshot Kenai River 36-18.

In the second game Saturday night, Jeff Jubinville set up three goals, as Wenatchee scored three consecutive goals to pull away from a 2-2 tie.

Christian Hilbrichm Dajon Mingo, Ryan Timar, Michael Di Puma, and Shawn Pauly all scored for the Wild to lead them to victory.

Timar’s goal at 19:18 of the second period gave the Wild the lead for good.

The Wild outshot the Brown Bears 34-17.

Brandon Jaeger saved 50 of the 55 shots he faced in all three games to record every win as the Wild’s goaltender throughout the series.