Heading into Thanksgiving, Portland wasn’t just looking for wins — they were looking to assert themselves both at home and on the road, the kind of presence that puts a little fear into every opponent. As usual, Mike Johnston uses the first 20 games to get a sense of what this group will look like down the stretch and into the postseason. And over the past few weeks, the Winterhawks have shown once again that they’re a deep, balanced team capable of pushing anyone to the final buzzer.
That was clear on their recent road swing through Kamloops and Kelowna. Kamloops, still in a rebuild phase after hosting the Memorial Cup, didn’t offer much resistance as Portland rolled to a 7–4 win that honestly flattered the Blazers. Jake Gustafson recorded his first WHL hat trick, and the Hawks controlled the game from the start.
The next night brought a much different challenge against the Kelowna Rockets. Kelowna, set to host this year’s Memorial Cup, started the season in rough shape — last in the BC Division with an ugly goal differential. Their front office responded by spending heavily on draft picks, effectively mortgaging the future in hopes of being competitive by tournament time.
Against Portland, it turned into a tight defensive battle that Kelowna edged out 2–1. Tensions boiled over late with a line brawl and another skirmish soon after. Nathan Free appeared to cut into the deficit following Kelowna’s second goal, but it was waved off when officials ruled the puck crossed the line as the net was slightly lifted. Portland finally scored with just over five minutes left, but couldn’t find the equalizer. Due to the melee, the WHL issued monetary penalties — $500 to the Winterhawks and $750 to the Rockets as the instigators.
Back home, Portland handled a pair of Eastern Conference visitors exactly as expected. First up were the Regina Pats, still searching for stability years after hosting their Memorial Cup run. Portland faced a familiar goaltender in Marek Schlenker — originally selected by Penticton in the expansion draft but picked up by Regina shortly after.
Despite the offensive explosion, no Hawk recorded a hat trick. Alex Weiermair opened the scoring, followed by two from Jordon Duguay, including a power-play marker. In the second, Nathan Free bookended the period with goals, with another Weiermair tally in between. Kyle McDonough added one in the third before Regina finally broke through twice late, including a power-play goal. Portland fired 52 shots to Regina’s 27 and went 1-for-4 on the power play; Regina finished 1-for-5.
The next night, Swift Current came through — another team struggling against the rugged U.S. Division. Much like Regina, the Broncos didn’t find much relief in Portland. The Hawks put up three in the first (Nathan Brown, Will McLaughlin, and Nathan Free), though Swift Current managed one of their own. The second period was nearly a mirror image, with Ryan Millar scoring twice — the second shorthanded — and Brown adding another. Swift Current added one more but trailed 6–2 heading to the third. Free’s second of the night capped a 7–2 victory. Portland again hit the 50-shot mark (51–23) and went 2-for-4 on the power play; Swift Current finished 1-for-3.
Next up is a stiff test: three games in three nights, including a trip to Langley to face the Vancouver Giants and a home date sandwiched in between with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Portland currently sits second in the division, four points up on the resurgent Tri-City Americans but with three fewer games played. Spokane and Seattle are close behind as well, making the coming weeks critical.
Off the ice, the annual Hawks Fight Hunger drive was a major success, bringing in more than 33,000 meals, over $10,700 in cash donations, and more than 1,100 pounds of food. Two more major promotions are right around the corner: the Toy Drive — which collects an extraordinary amount of gifts each year — and the always-electric Teddy Bear Toss, a fan-favorite event that not only fills the ice with plush chaos but provides meaningful comfort to families and children in need.
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