Following Friday’s disaster — a 7–1 loss to Brandon — Tri-City showed resilience Saturday night, rebounding with a hard-fought 3–2 overtime win over the Wenatchee Wild.

First Period

After being outshot 11–1 to start the game and heavily outplayed through the opening 14 minutes, Tri-City struggled to generate quality chances. A power play finally gave the Americans an opportunity to shift momentum. Entering the night, Tri-City’s power play — which has received the fewest opportunities in the league — sat at 17.99%, an improvement from earlier in the season.

Nothing came of the advantage, however, and shortly after it expired, Wenatchee struck first.

Off a draw in the Tri-City zone, Luka Scherbyna unloaded a one-timer from the edge of the right circle that beat Ryan Grout on the blocker side almost instantly.

With seconds remaining in the period and a delayed penalty coming to Wenatchee, Charlie Elick fired a shot from the left circle that bounced off goaltender Grant Tvrznik’s blocker. The rebound sat on the back door, but Savin Virk just missed the tap-in as time expired — a missed opportunity he knew he’d want back.

After one, despite a rocky start, Tri-City had begun to settle in late thanks to the Wenatchee penalty. The Wild led 1–0, holding a 13–7 edge in shots.

Second Period

The second period brought continued discipline issues for Wenatchee, allowing Tri-City to establish its game and tilt the ice.

Tri-City opened the period with a full two-minute power play following a delayed penalty at the end of the first and capitalized. Just over a minute into the advantage, leading scorer Savin Virk wired a wrist shot from the slot glove side past Tvrznik for his 22nd of the season, tying the game.

Eleven minutes later, Tri-City grabbed its first lead.

Cruz Pavao got a piece of a backdoor feed that slid behind the net. He quickly retrieved it and attempted a wraparound, catching Tvrznik indecisive and unable to seal the far post in time.

Late in the period, the game opened up with end-to-end action. Wenatchee missed the net on a breakaway, while Connor Dale powered through multiple defenders for a partial breakaway before being hooked, drawing another penalty — Tri-City’s third of the period.

After two, Tri-City led 2–1 and would begin the third with two additional minutes of power-play time, as Wenatchee took its fourth penalty late in the period.

Third Period

Seven minutes in, it appeared Wenatchee had tied the game. Scherbyna slipped behind the defense and tipped a point-blank feed on goal. Grout made the initial save, but Scherbyna jammed in the rebound.

The goal, however, was waved off due to incidental contact in the crease, keeping the score 2–1. Scherbyna vehemently protested the call near the penalty box and Wild bench, but to no avail.

After the game, Grout weighed in on the ruling.

“I’d say there was definitely interference. He was right in the crease — there was no doubt it was the right call.”

Wenatchee would eventually break through. Following a checking-to-the-head penalty to Jesse McKinnon, the Wild tied the game on the power play.

Nolan Caffey found Levi Benson — the brother of Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson — at the side of the net. Benson pivoted with time and space and tucked the puck inside the far post to make it 2–2.

Moments later, it looked as if Tri-City had regained the lead when David Krcal buried a beauty for what would have been his second straight game with a goal. After review, the play was overturned due to an illegal hand pass, igniting frustration throughout the Toyota Center. It marked the second Tri-City goal waved off in the period.

Regulation expired with the teams deadlocked at 2–2, sending the rivals to overtime.

Overtime

Wenatchee’s penalties — an issue all night — proved costly once again.

As Charlie Elick carried the puck through center ice, he was tripped by Caelan Joudrey, sending Tri-City to the power play.

It was the final mistake Wenatchee would make.

On the man advantage, a shot from Virk was tipped and took an odd bounce toward the net before Grady Martin whacked it five-hole past Tvrznik, sealing the 3–2 win and blowing the roof off the Toyota Center. The goal was Martin’s eighth of the season.

Postgame / What’s Next

With the victory, Tri-City improves to 25-18-3-1 but remains sixth in the Western Conference. With the playoff race tightening, points are at a premium as the Americans push for home-ice advantage.

Grout emphasized the importance of the win heading into Sunday’s road matchup in Everett.

“I think these are two points we really wanted and knew we could get if we played our game. The guys came out with that mentality, and it turned into a good night for us.”

Head coach Jody Hull echoed the sentiment.

“We were a little flat in the first, but once we got our legs under us in the second, I thought we turned the whole game around and made them play on their heels. We’re still a young team, still learning consistency, but when we play like that, we’ll get the results we want.”

Grady Martin recorded his fifth multi-point game of the season in 32 contests.

Although Krcal had a goal waved off, the rookie Czech import added a secondary assist, extending his point streak to three games as he continues to play his best hockey of the year.

Tri-City went 2-for-6 on the power play — a positive sign for a team that has struggled to earn opportunities.

Hull noted the boost the power play provided after a difficult start.

“Most nights we only get one or two chances. When you get more opportunities, eventually you’re going to score, and our power play did that for us tonight.”

Tri-City now faces a daunting challenge: closing out a three-in-three Sunday afternoon in Everett with puck drop set for 4:05 p.m. Over the past five years, the Americans are just 1-14-2 on the road against the Silvertips.

Hull knows the task ahead.

“We have to work. If we can match their effort, it gives us the best chance. We know it won’t be easy, but it’s a good test for us.”