Cascade Cup Recap: Game Two
By Garrett Fabris
Wenatchee, WA – After an overtime thriller yesterday afternoon, the #1 Wenatchee Wolves and #2 Bellingham Blazers hit the ice for the second game in the Northern Pacific Hockey League’s 2016 Cascade Cup series. As the puck dropped to start today’s game, the Wolves were able to come out and take an early lead. With 13 minutes and 36 seconds left in the period, Hunter Hegdahl scored the Wolves’ first goal of the game. This would be the only goal scored in the first period as the Wolves hit the locker room for the first intermission with a 1 – 0 lead.
As the Wolves entered into the second period with a slim one-goal lead, the team kept their lead while also holding the Blazers at bay. The Wolves’ defense held the Blazers’ offense scoreless during the second period. But the Blazers’ defense returned the favor and held the Wolves’ offense scoreless during the second period as well. Despite no team finding the back of the net in the period, the Wolves did outshoot the Blazers, 17 – 5.
With both teams hitting the ice for the final period of the game, the Blazers were able to score first. The Blazers’ defenseman, Austin Sabin, received the pass from Karson DeRego and then proceeded to put the puck in the back of the net. With the game knotted up at one goal apiece, Hegdahl scored his second goal of the night for the Wolves. Hegdahl’s goal pushed the Wolves to a 2 – 1 victory this evening, which now gives the Wolves a 2 – 0 series lead.
Ryan McKelvie, the Wolves’ head coach, shared his thoughts about tonight’s game. McKelvie said, “it has been a really competitive series so far and our players have found a way to win both games. We'll need to be ready to compete for everything again next Friday.”
The Cascade Cup series will now take a break for the next few days until the Wolves (5-0-0, 10 points) and Blazers (3-2-2, 8 points) meet again for game three, next weekend. Game three will be held in Bellingham, Washington, at the Bellingham Sportsplex. The puck is scheduled to drop on Friday, April 1st, at 7:35 pm (PST).
Notable Performances:
(WEN) Hunter Hegdahl (F) – two goals
(WEN) Max Flynn (G) – one goal allowed, .941 save percentage, and the victory
Tune in to the NPHL’s website on Wednesday, March 30th, for a Cascade Cup series update!
