AJ Vanderbeck was the overtime hero for the Wenatchee Wild in Game 1 of the Doyle Cup, scoring the winner at 6:17 of extra time in a 3-2 win over the Spruce Grove Saints.
Jasper Weatherby opened the scoring for Wenatchee with the only goal of the first period, a power-play goal at the 7:48 mark of the opening frame. In the second, the Saints replied with a power-play goal of their own as Logan Ganie evened the score 4:15 into the period.
The score remained 1-1 until 12:51 of the third when Lukas Svejkovsky put the Wild ahead. The lead was short-lived however as Bradley Forrest scored the tying goal just 1:31 after Svejkovsky’s tally, setting the stage for overtime.
Wenatchee captain Vanderbeck scored the winner for the home side, turning a firing a wrister from near the Spruce Grove blueline that eluded Saints goalie Nolan Kent.
Austin Park made 25 saves for the win while Kent stopped 38 for Spruce Grove.
Game 2 of the Doyle Cup goes Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Wenatchee.
