The Christmas break ended with the Portland Winterhawks staring down a grueling stretch of six games in ten nights, including a handful at home as the turkey and stuffing wore off. Before the puck dropped, Portland made three roster moves, sending Blake Clarke to Cloverdale of the Pacific Junior Hockey League and adding goaltender Tyler DiCarlo, along with defenseman Jordan St. Louis.
A back-to-back series against the Tri-City Americans opened the stretch, and unfortunately, it did not go Portland’s way. The Hawks dropped a tough 4-1 decision in Kennewick, then suffered a heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss at home. The two defeats allowed the Americans to slip past Portland in the standings.
The Hawks rebounded strongly on New Year’s Eve with a convincing 5-2 home win over Everett. Portland fired 46 shots on goal while limiting the Silvertips to just 22 against Chase Cruz. After a day off, the Hawks traveled to Wenatchee, where the Wild have been a problem all season. Despite outshooting Wenatchee 44-25, Portland ran into a brick wall in goaltender Tobias Tvrzink and fell 6-2. Special teams played a major role, as the Hawks went 0-for-7 on the power play, while Wenatchee converted twice on five chances and added a short-handed goal.
Two home games followed, first against Vancouver and then a quick rematch with Wenatchee, closing out the stretch just ahead of the trade deadline.
Facing Vancouver, the Hawks were tested by a tough B.C. Division opponent. The Giants struck first, but goals from Reed Brown and Nathan Brown put Portland ahead. Vancouver responded with two goals in the final five minutes of the opening period to take a 3-2 lead. Nathan Brown scored his second of the night early in the second period, only to see the Giants answer less than a minute later. Portland refused to go away, as Luke Christopherson scored his first career WHL goal midway through the third to tie the game. With overtime looming, Vancouver took a tripping penalty. Just seconds into the power play, Nathan Brown completed his hat trick to give the Hawks the lead. Vancouver pulled its goaltender but could not generate sustained pressure, and Portland held on for a 5-4 win. The Hawks outshot the Giants 39-32 and went 1-for-3 on the power play, while Vancouver finished 0-for-1.
The following night brought a chance for revenge against Wenatchee. The Wild opened the scoring early, but Sam Spehar answered late in the first period to tie the game. Just 32 seconds into the second, with the ice still fresh from resurfacing, Jordon Duguay put Portland in front. Defensive lapses once again proved costly, allowing Wenatchee to pull even, but Carter Southern scored with under 30 seconds left in the period to restore the Hawks’ lead. Wenatchee tied the game early in the third, and despite fairly even play and shots, neither team could find a winner in regulation. Overtime did not last long. Wenatchee needed just 19 seconds to silence the home crowd, escaping with a 4-3 victory. Portland held a slight 30-29 edge in shots but went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Wenatchee finished 1-for-4.
The Hawks now turn their attention to a home back-to-back against Kelowna. With the Rockets hosting the Memorial Cup this season, they have already made several roster moves ahead of the trade deadline. With Kelowna sitting seventh in the Western Conference and just a point ahead of two teams outside the playoff picture, it will be interesting to see whether additional changes are made.
Around the league, Red Deer has emerged as a clear seller ahead of the trade deadline. With postseason hopes fading, the Rebels opened the new year by making four trades involving Edmonton, Everett, Seattle, and Kelowna. They moved four players and a fifth-round pick, bringing back seven players and six draft picks spanning 2026 through 2029.
Swift Current, which pushed its chips in earlier this season, remains the only team with single-digit wins. Kelowna, despite hosting the Memorial Cup, is not yet safe, as only the top eight teams in the conference qualify for the playoffs.
Elsewhere, the Ontario Hockey League leaned into some fun this past weekend, as Guelph temporarily rebranded as the Royal City Jockstraps, honoring a 1920s-era team and a former player associated with the invention. The magic did not last long, as the team went winless over the weekend.
In other junior hockey notes, Ottawa has yet to reach double-digit wins. At the same time, Baie-Comeau continues to struggle in the QMJHL, sitting in the single-digit win column and five victories behind the next closest team.
With the trade deadline fast approaching, the stage is set for more big moves, and there may still be a blockbuster or two left before the dust settles.
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