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Ben Mikan
Photo Courtesy: Austin Draude/Wenatchee Wild

WENATCHEE, Wash. - With three of the Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy's four teams on the ice, last weekend's schedule yielded no wins, but plenty of competitive games against league competition. A trip to British Columbia could bring the Wild 18-and-Under team its first Canadian Sport School Hockey League win of the year, with three opportunities ahead.

The 18U Wild battled the Shawnigan Lake School to a 4-1 loss and 8-5 loss in Wenatchee. Jake Collins scored the only Wenatchee goal Saturday, potting one on the power play halfway through the third period. Sunday's game was somewhat higher-scoring - down 5-2 going to the third, Ben Mikan and Aidan Yu scored back-to-back goals in the first four minutes to cut the Shawnigan Lake lead back to a goal, but a goal from Nolan Blankstein just 35 seconds later helped the visitors hold the Academy group at bay. Mikan picked up two goals and an assist, and Sean Strasser finished with three assists.

For the Wild 16U team, the better night came on Friday, a 7-4 decision against Coeur d'Alene Academy - Wenatchee and CDA went to the third period tied at 2-2 thanks to goals from Mason Richardson and Ryder Mose, and a goal at 6:43 of the third from Carsen Domarus briefly gave the Wild the lead. However, A.J. Fu took the lead back for CDA for good with goals on the same shift, at 6:59 and 7:20. Landon Ostrander scored the sole Wenatchee goal the following day in a 5-1 decision.

The 15O Wild dropped a 7-0 decision Saturday at the Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds due in part to Lucas Rodgers's hat trick, plus an assist - Wenatchee got within 6-3 on Saturday, as Micah Bottamini posted a goal and an assist.

"I thought the 15s played better this (past) weekend, which is good," said Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy director Troy Mick. "They're starting to get into the mix, and they're scoring some goals on a regular basis, which is important. The 16s played two good games - I thought the game on Saturday was very good. They had a chance to win there, they just didn't get the puck luck. Sometimes you've got to work a little bit harder to get some puck luck, but they were right in it. Our biggest thing right now is just d-zone coverage for the 18s, and working hard on both sides of the puck. It's easy as a coach that you're going to work hard when you have the puck, it's what you do without the puck, and that's what's costing us right now."

League play continues for all three teams this weekend, with the 18U team set to travel to Delta Hockey Academy in British Columbia for its first CSSHL showcase of the season. Wenatchee faces off with RINK Academy of Winnipeg Friday afternoon, followed by a Saturday morning game against Pilot Mound Hockey Academy and a Sunday afternoon tilt with the Notre Dame Hounds. Two home games are on the way for the 16U team, as STAR Hockey Academy stops in on Saturday afternoon and Okanagan Hockey Academy visits Town Toyota Center Sunday morning. The Tri-City Jr. Americans will play back-to-back at the Wenatchee 15O team on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

"I think it's great to get on the road," said Mick. "Most of our games are at home the first half of the year, because we don't have a whole lot of ice in the second half with all of the tournaments. With the CSSHL, you only play one game a day, so we have a game Friday afternoon, and then we'll go to the BCHL Surrey Eagles game to let our guys see what that level is. Our guys get to see the Western League, now they get to see the BCHL, and the common thing is, if you work hard you'll be rewarded, and if you don't, you won't get a chance to play at that level. We'll have a really good idea where we are after this weekend, playing teams that we don't normally get to play. Everything's just starting to crank up in the CSSHL."

This weekend's four-game home slate for the Academy teams begins Saturday afternoon, with a 16U home game against STAR Academy at 1 p.m.