What has become almost a rite of passage is a trade to a team for the rights to a player, and lo and behold, within a short timespan, that player is under contract to the Portland Winterhawks. Such is the recent case of Easton Dorzak, a 13th-overall US Priority pick of the Swift Current Broncos, who traded for Hudson Darby from the Winterhawks for Dorzak’s rights. Within a couple of days of the trade, Dorzak’s name was inked to a WHL standard contract of the Winterhawks. There are perhaps a couple who have escaped the clutches of the Hawks, but Johnston’s record stands at over 90% success, a truly unheard-of number. Given that Dorzak is only 15, he will likely play in a handful of games during the regular season. If his team exits the playoffs before the Hawks complete their playdowns, expect Dorzak to make an appearance on the roster.
Speaking of other roster adjustments, following what can only be called a disaster in Prince George where the Hawks where outscored 13-3 i the two games using their number one goaltender in Ondrej Stebatek, the Hawks made a minor deal with a 8th round bantam pick heade to the Medicine Hat Tigers for Chase Cruz. Cruz, who has played in Junior A for the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL, has suited up for the Canucks for three seasons, only suiting up for one game two years back, but getting into 19 games last year, logging 1085 minutes with a 13-3-0-2 record, a 2.38 GAA, and a .910 save percentage. While Cruz won’t be looking at number one as Stebatek owns that at least for now, his addition will give Ondrej incentive to work harder and be hungrier in the cage.
It may have had the desired effect in the one game the Hawks had this week. Up the I-5 were the Everett Silvertips, who have fielded a strong team for the past few years and sported a 2-0 record to start the year. In the first period, the Hawks dominated the first half, outshooting the Tips 10-1, but ultimately ended the period with a 16-13 shot advantage and no score.
It took over halfway through the second period and on their 30th shot to finally get a goal past Stebatek with a wringer in front of Ondrej over the glove. A scrum in front of the net seconds earlier resulted in no penalties, but showed this was a physical game thus far. Everett scored again shortly after with a wicked backhand over the blocker of Stebatek. Both goals were of the sniper type, with little room to get them.
Nathan Brown of the Hawks finally put Portland on the board towards the end of the period with a five-hole goal on the doorstep of Manny Legall in the Everett net. With Portland down 2-1 at the end of 2 and shots now favoring Everett 37-23, the Hawks needed an intense third period to tie the game.
Though the Tips had a decisive advantage in shots, Portland got the game-tying goal just over four minutes into the third as Alex Weiermair fired from near the left faceoff dot with a narrow window at the blocker side to knot the game at two. A tough break for the Hawks was a shot to Miller by Terrance Smith of the Tips. The big man, Smith, checked Ben Miller against the boards and followed up with a second shot that flattened Miller, who was carried off the ice, not to return.
The Hawks and Tips would do no more scoring in the third as the Hawks entered overtime for the first time this season and guaranteed Portland its first point of the year. The Hawks wouldn’t be satisfied after going up 52-30 in shots for the boys in white. After Stebatek made some incredible saves late in the third period and into the overtime frame, the Hawks gathered the puck in their own end and spread across the Tips line like an umbrella. Ryan Miller fed center ice to Nathan Free in the slot, and he went glove side to get past Legall and the Hawks’ first win in the young season. Both teams were seeing the goose egg on power plays, with Portland at 3 and Everett at 2.
Portland now hits a pair next weekend with stops in Penticton and then Kamloops, as they hit the swing less than a week later through the province of Alberta.
Keith Dwiggins, who shoots pictures of the Winterhawks’ home games, gave people a glimpse of the interior of the Coliseum bowl with new, jet-black seats that feature cupholders behind the seats, railings, and other interior shots. The full unveiling will take place on Friday, October 25, when the Hawks host their first home game against the Saskatoon Blades.
At the end of the second week, six teams remain unbeaten in regulation, though three have lost in overtime and gained a point in the league. Four teams remain winless, with two gaining a point via overtime or shootout loss after the Hawks climbed out of the club with a win over the Tips.
The Ontario Hockey League features several teams unbeaten in regulation, with the Windsor Spitfires boasting a perfect 5-0 record. Two teams haven’t won in regulation, with the Sudbury Wolves losing four regulation and one overtime game in their first five, and the London Knights with two regulation and two overtime losses in their first four games.
In the QMJHL, two teams are unbeaten in regulation: the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the West and the Charlottetown Islanders in the East. However, only the Armada are truly unbeaten, as the Islanders did lose in a shootout. Baie Comeau Drakkar have only a single point to show in a shootout loss and have yet to win in regulation after four games.
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