News

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy's 16-and-Under team played perhaps its best game of the season this past Saturday, tying their Canadian Sport School Hockey League game against Yale Hockey Academy twice before taking a 3-2 loss in a shootout in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Shane Roberts's power play goal tied Saturday's game at 1-1 with 18 seconds left in the first period, and Ryder Mose tied the game again 21 seconds into the third. The shootout between the teams went the minimum two rounds, with Wenatchee missing on both of its opportunities and Yale Academy scoring in both rounds. Kason Nicholson scored the Wild Hockey Academy's only goal in a 6-1 defeat Friday.

Both 16U games were paired with an 18U game between Wenatchee and Yale Academy - Wenatchee's 18U team found itself in a pair of competitive games over the weekend as well, with a 5-3 loss Friday and a 7-3 loss Saturday. Jake Collins led the Wild Hockey Academy effort Friday with a goal and an assist. Wenatchee found itself ahead 3-1 going to the final four minutes of the second period Saturday, thanks in part to a goal and an assist apiece from Aidan Yu and Sean Strasser - Yale Academy scored the game's final six goals, including three in the final minutes of the second period, snatching the lead for good.

"The game before that on Friday, they had a bad first period and were down 4-0, but battled with them the rest of the two periods," said Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy director Troy Mick. "The 18s lost by two with an empty-netter on Friday - it was a good game. They had a chance to win. Saturday was one of our most disappointing losses - we were up 3-1 and got to go on the power play to hopefully add to the (two-goal) lead, and they scored two shorthanded goals against us to make it 3-3. "

Three of the four Academy teams are in competition this weekend, with the 18U team set to continue its CSSHL road schedule with a pair of games on Vancouver Island. The 18U group will face Shawnigan Lake School Friday evening before swinging back through Victoria, British Columbia for a matchup with Pacific Coast Hockey Academy Saturday afternoon. The 15O team will travel to Boise, Idaho as it returns to Northwest Amateur Hockey League play, and the 14U squad plays its final two games prior to the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association state tournament when it travels to Seattle for a pair against the Jr. Kraken.

As the team looks ahead to its state and Wenatchee Cup tournament schedule, the program is also looking ahead to the 2026-27 season. Tryouts have been announced for the program's 14U, 16U and 18U teams, scheduled for April 17 to 19 at Town Toyota Center and the Weinstein Beverage Rink. Further details, including an ice schedule, will be available in the coming weeks - registration for the Academy's April tryouts is open now at WenatcheeWildHockeyAcademy.com.