It’s hard to think three weeks have passed since a home game for the Portland Winterhawks, but such is the case with a swing that takes away a couple of weeks. Add games on either side, and the suitcase gets huge for a very long trip.
Starting in Everett and then six games in ten nights on the Alberta swing, followed by a pair of games in Kamloops and Vancouver, you’ve got a long road trip not caused by overbooked arenas or other events that cause you not to host home games.
Though there was a slight break between the swing and the pair of games in Kamloops and Vancouver that allowed the players to sleep in their beds for a night or two, the grind of the road still weighs a great deal, as many of these kids are yet to see their 18th birthday and probably played more games in that group than half a season in other leagues. It’s what toughens them for the grind of professional hockey.
After they came home from the swing, the Hawks spent two days before a trip to the Interior of BC and Langley, BC, before they played home games again.
A pair of BC Division clashes would see Kamloops, who ousted the Hawks from last year’s playoff scene, and in true, typical fashion of a team who hosts or plays in the Memorial Cup, the team suffers the following year in a rebuild. Such was the case when Portland paid a visit.
Portland gave up the first goal on the powerplay just over five minutes in on several combined players passing that outstretched Jan Spunar. Less than a minute later, on their powerplay, Luca Cagnoni was drawn back the puck on a faceoff and scored through traffic. Josh Davies scored on a tip-in also on the powerplay late in the first period to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead. Davies added another midway through the second after receiving a great cross-ice pass from Cagnoni. Two minutes later, Gabe Klassen scored one of his own after a stretch pass as it bounced off goaltender Dylan Ernst on the initial stop and propelled into the net. Kamloops made it interesting with a pair of goals just over a minute apart, first stripped the Hawk defenceman of the puck and the other with traffic in front and shooting from between the faceoff dots.
Portland then scored three straight. First, Gabe Klassen redirected a shot from the point, Josh Davies got the hattrick with a bullet from between the dots, and Luke Schelter almost coast to coast with a sire through to end the game 7-3. Portland blasted 48-23 shots and went 2 for 5 on the powerplay, with Kamloops 1-4.
To the Langley Events Center, home of the Vancouver Giants, the Hawks looked to end the road trip on a high note.
The result was never really in doubt. Gabe Klassen, on the powerplay, scored first just past the midway point of the first period, wiring a shot over the glove of the Giants’ goalie. Shorthanded and with fifteen seconds remaining. Klassen took the puck into the Giants zone unselfishly ditched a pass to James Stefan, who buried the puck for the 2-0 lead.
The second period saw Josh Zakreski score on the powerplay with a backhand shot. Ryder Thompson’s shot from the point was tipped in by Gabe Klassen to make it 4-0. Portland struck again shorthanded very early in the third as James Stefan took a goal-mouth pass from Klassen and made no mistake. Vancouver broke the shutout almost eight minutes in on a 3 on 1, but the final saw Portland win 5-1. Portland almost mirrored shot totals from the previous game with a 47-23 shot total and 2 for 5 on the powerplay with two shorthanded goals. Vancouver went 0-5 on the man advantage.
The CHL Poll out last week saw Portland elevate to number 3 behind Prince George and Halifax. Saskatoon, which had been a strong contender, slipped to sixth. This week, the poll has remained virtually unchanged except for adding Medicine Hat in ninth.
After a quarter of a season, Portland has 25 points, 12 wins, and 5 losses, with one shootout loss. They currently have the top winning percentage in the WHL but have games in hand over the top spot Prince George Cougars, and in the WHL over Saskatoon and Medicine Hat.
Portland will now play three games in five nights versus Prince Albert, Everett, and Victoria. Portland then ends November with three games in three nights in Everett and home to Saskatoon and Spokane.
The latest on the Adam Johnson death in England has now resulted in a report by People Magazine that states a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Though the person was identified as Matt Petgrave, the opponent tangling up with Johnson and a “freak accident” causing the skate blade to cut Johnson’s throat, The UK law does not reveal a suspect’s name until charged with a crime.
