The schedule is now down to less than 1/3 of the schedule, and the Portland Winterhawks are planning to settle into looking at where they may finally place. There are three teams in the US Division that are going to make the playoffs. Everett is the lead team, with 15 points separating them from Spokane and Portland. The list goes down from Tri-City, Wenatchee to Seattle, which looks to be sitting on the sidelines postseason. Tri-City sits back about eight points from Portland and has, at best, an inside shot at catching either team. Both Wenatchee and Seattle, which are nearly 20 points back, will struggle to get to the postseason and a date with the door as they would face Everett in the first round.
Portland did what it needed to do with the two games: win. Lower-seeded teams are fodder for higher-seeded teams, and there’s also a worry that lower-seeded teams can play the role of spoilers near the end of the season.
US Division representatives Tri-City Americans came to town hoping to start the climb back to a respectable spot in the standings.
Portland started the scoring, as Diego Buttazzoni picked up a powerplay goal, which was countered four minutes later by a Tri-City powerplay goal. Portland would take the lead three minutes later and a welcome to the WHL, as Max Psenicka assisted on Josh Zakreski’s goal, with Portland taking a 2-1 lead at the end of the first.
Midway through the second frame, a Tri-City tally tied it up. With six seconds left in the period, Tyson Jugnauth capitalized on the powerplay, with Portland heading to the locker room up by one. Portland’s Alex Weiermair extended their lead just over a minute and a half into the third.
Tri-City wasn’t done yet, as they came close yet again. Carsyn Dyck put the Hawks up by a pair, only to see Tri-City notch a powerplay goal to come within one. As Tri-City pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker, Portland’s Josh Zakreski banged home to an empty net goal for the 6-4 win. Shots favored Portland 50-41, and both squads were 2 for 4 on the powerplay.
The Hawks then traveled to Wenatchee to face the Wild, who are clinging to the last available playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Seven minutes into the first, the Wild took the lead, only to see a Diego Buttazzoni powerplay marker tie things up, and the game remained tied through the first. Wenatchee again scored early in the second on a powerplay. The lead held for about eight minutes until Ryan Miller scored to knot the score again at 2. Alex Weiermair would add a powerplay goal just four minutes later.
The third period was a two-goal effort by the Hawks. Buttazzoni’s second of the night early in the third on the powerplay and a one-man effort also on the powerplay by Kyle Chykowski ended the night with the Hawks skating away with the 5-2 win. Shots were close, with Portland 41-40 over Wenatchee. The powerplay sizzled, with the Hawks 4-8 and Wenatchee 1-2.
The Hawks now look to a weekend with the last team to face from the Central Division in the Medicine Hat Tigers, before a night after against Victoria. The following week is a weekend on the road with stops in Vancouver and then Seattle.
With just three points between Spokane and Portland, the Hawks appear to do no worse than fourth, and with the hybrid conference standings, they are no higher than third. Depending on reseeding come playoffs at the end of the first round, the Hawks could be second if they can gather more points than Victoria down the stretch. The Tigers game will be a test as Medicine Hat currently leads the Eastern Division in a logjam that looks to go down the wire to claim spots in the division’s rankings.
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