Wild Shut Out Ice Dogs, 3-0
Wenatchee Wild
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - The Wenatchee Wild extended its winning streak to three games Friday with a 3-0 shutout win over West Division rival Fairbanks at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Wenatchee goalie Robert Nichols (Dallas, Texas) stopped all 32 shots he saw to collect his fourth shutout of the young season. The shutout was the Wild's first in the regular season against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in 3-plus seasons of play.
The Wild got the only goal needed with 2:59 remaining in the first frame when Trevor Husch (Plainfield, Ill.) fed the puck to Shawn Pauly (Bellingham, Wash.) in the slot after Max McHugh (Edgewood, Wash.) chipped the puck out of the defensive zone. Pauly took Husch's pass and scored on a backhander for his third goal of the 2011-12 campaign.
Wenatchee held a 3-goal lead after 40 minutes of play. Michael Lant (Suwanee, Ga.) made it 2-0 a little more than six minutes into the second frame when he lit the lamp on a slapper from the far point during a man-advantage. Pauly and McHugh assisted.
Pauly set up McHugh with 9:13 remaining before the second intermission to put the Wild up, 3-0. Rushing into the offensive zone, Pauly feathered a picture-perfect pass between two defenders to McHugh, who buried a shot stick side past netminder Steve Perry. Brendan Vetter (North Fond du Lac, Wis.) also assisted.
Pauly and McHugh led the Wild with a goal and two assist (3 points) apiece.
Perry made 20 saves on 23 shots. Wenatchee scored one power-play goal on five chances while Fairbanks was 0-for-4 on power-play chances.
The Wild (7-4-2) will try to sweep the Ice Dogs (9-4-5) Saturday. The game is set for an 8:30 p.m. (PDT) start time.
wenatcheewild.com
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